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VII. An Autobiographical Memoir of the early Life of Nana Farnevís
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 November 2009
Extract
This piece of biography may truly be considered one of the most remarkable productions of oriental literature.
Nana Farnevís became at a very early period the bosom friend of his sovereign Madhu Rao, entitled the Great. This young prince succeeded his father in the year 1761, shortly after the fatal battle of Paniput, which seemed to threaten the downfall of the Mahratta power in Hindustan. He was then only in his seventeenth year, and Nana but nineteen. The latter had been hitherto brought up to the study of the Védas and Sástras, but had as yet engaged little in the duties of a public office, which his father had filled till Nana was fifteen, and which was now occupied by his uncle Babu Rao. The office to which I have alluded was hereditary, and had been held for three generations by Nana's family. It was that of Farnevís or Fard-nevis (literally, record-writer), but its duty was more especially to keep the accounts of the Peshwa's public receipts and disbursements. A situation, which brought those who filled it so constantly in contact with the Peshwa, was favourable to the development of those qualities which the youthful prince Madhu Rao discovered in his juvenile secretary. An attachment grew up between them, terminating only in the Peshwa's death, an event which occurred in 1774, at the early age of twenty-eight.
- Type
- Papers Read Before the Society
- Information
- Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland , Volume 2 , Issue 1 , March 1830 , pp. 95 - 108
- Copyright
- Copyright © The Royal Asiatic Society 1830
References
page 97 note * On Friday, 24th of February 1742, at 10 o'clock p. m.
page 100 note * He preserved this taste for paintings through life.
page 100 note † The army of the Peshwa and that of the Muhammedans.
page 100 note ‡ Balwant Rao Crishna Mehindli.
page 101 note * January 15, 1761.
page 101 note † Wiswás Rao, the eldest and favourite son of the Peshwa, accompanied his uncle Bhao Sahib in this campaign.
page 102 note * About twenty miles.
page 102 note † The fruit resembles an olive in appearance, but in taste is not unlike an apple. It is the zizyphus jujube.
page 103 note * Then, and for many years afterwards, the Dehli news-writer of Poona.
page 104 note * Bhao Sahib's wife.
page 104 note † Desh.
page 104 note ‡ The Peshwa.
page 104 note § The Peshwa's second son, a boy of six or seven years of age.
page 104 note ‖ The Peshwa's first wife.
page 104 note ¶ In this year Nana Sahib had married another wife, a Deshisht, at Pyetun, which gave Gopíka Bhye great offence.
page 105 note * A particular kind of stone, used in religious ceremonies, containing one or more ammonites.
page 105 note † 10th of May.
page 105 note ‡ 24th June 1761.
page 105 note § 21st July 1761.
page 106 note * On the occasion of the march of troops through the country, it is usual to post safeguards to protect the persons and property of the inhabitants; and it is concluded, that the troopermeeting with resistance from the foot-soldier, felt himself authorized to act as he did.