Comparable with Shivaji in bravery, Peshwa Bajirao has always been an unsung hero in the history of Marathas. Rather than singing the glory of such a hero the modern age of entertainment is only projecting Bajirao and Mastani as legendery lovers in the Hindu background without bothering least about the main virtues or qualities Bajirao was an embodiment of. He was not mainly a warrior suffering from the fever of love but that Mastani episode was one of the chapters of his heroic life and it would be serious mistake to take that little aspect as the main one. Truly it would be injustice with the life and deeds of the Peshwa.
In the eyes of the historians the contribution of Bajirao has been very big. It was him only among Maratha commander-in-chiefs to spread Maratha Kingdom from Shrirangpattanam to Delhi and conversion of Maratha state into Maratha empire was also to his credit. After 400 years of Mughal Saltanat he was the first one to go to Delhi from South and win over it. He is considered to be the only underfeated warrior in the world history. He is admired as a king who never ever lost a single battle. In his fighting career of 20 years he fought as many as 36 battles and needless to say that he conquered in each one. Since then he word ‘Baji’ became a synonym to victory. He kept on winning over Baroda, Malwa-Nimar, Bundelkhand, Gwalior, Dhar and Dewas appointed Gaikwads, Holkars, Bandes and Khers and Scindia and Pawars respectively as Kings. Due to Bajirao’s heroic enterprise a strong Maratha Kingdom emerged which in turn caused the prevention of further invasions of the Muslims rulers from the North.
Thus the central and southern India were saved from the attrocities of the cruel muslim rulers. Today we cannot evaluate duly how big was his contribution towards shaping a great empire but even then he was been badly neglected by the historians. He has never been given that credit or importance which he duly deserved after having done the work of many long lives in the brief course of only two decades.
All over the world people are showing outstanding awarness about their heritage and are making herculean efforts to protect the buildings, tombs, graves and the like. On the contrary we the Indians are not least bothered about the monument of such a great leader like Bajirao. His tomb situated at Raverkheri, Tehsil Barwaha, Distt. Khargone (M.P.) is likely to submerged in water of that Narmada which witnessed Bajiroa as the first Maratha ruler to expand his empire across Narmada. The Maheshwar Dam is likely to burry a glorious golden chapter of history under the destructive development with no care for our great heros and their great heroic deeds.
