Kashibai Peshwe

Part 4- Bonding with the family

Getting to know everyone in the Bhat family and their acquaintances was an important part of Kashibai's orientation in her role as the Peshwa's daughter-in-law. Gone were her carefree days of living as a little girl of the Chaskar Joshis. As a pre-pubescent bride she had spent a long stretch living with her parents and visiting her marital home for important occasions, thus dividing time between the two homes. In her father's house she was lavished attention and had nothing to worry about. The Chaskars were richer than the Peshwas though the latter had more power, and the implications of such an equation were not yet apparent to the young Kashi. After attaining puberty she moved permanently to the Kaala Wada (black mansion) at Saswad where the Bhat family was based. 

The story of her father-in-law's migration from the coastal town of Shriwardhan and his phenomenal rise to his position as the King's Prime Minister fascinated her. The Konkan was under the rule of the Abyssinian Siddis and Balaji Vishwanath's family held the hereditary title of Deshmukh- revenue collector in Shriwardhan. The Siddis were brutal masters and when they put an acquaintance of Balaji called Sambahji Mokashi to death by drowning him in the sea the deplorable act prompted Balaji to move his family to the Deccan Plateau far away. He was joined by his friends,  the Bhanu brothers who had been close to him ever since.

Arriving in town of Saswad near Pune Balaji met a revenue officer called Ambaji Purandare, a Deshastha Brahmin. Together they travelled to Satara where, in a few months, Balaji was assigned to serve under Dhanaji Jadhav, Rajaram's army commander. Climbing the ladder of success in his career rapidly over the next two decades Balaji rose phenomenally. He gained the confidence of Shahu who became the next Chhatrapati at Satara and appointed Balaji his Peshwa. Meanwhile Balaji also became a disciple of Brahmendra Swami, a mystic originally from Chiplun in the Konkan, who strangely enough, followed politics as well as lent money to the Peshwa just like the banker Chaskar Joshi.

Kashi felt at home in the town of Saswad. It housed the ancient Sangameshwar and Bhairavnath temples. Because the Bhat family was close to the Purandares,  Kashi would join Radhabai on occasional visits to them. The family of Ambajipant  lived in an impressive stone mansion near the bank of the Karha river. It had a massive spiked door at the entrance. The fortification was very strong and had gun turrets for defence against enemy attack. The three-storey structure was interspersed with tall columns and huge corridors. There was ornately carved woodwork all over the mansion. The four sides of the residential building teaming with rooms overlooked a central courtyard. 

On one visit when the older women were busy in conversation Bajirao's sister Bhiubai, who was nearly twelve, dragged Kashi excitedly to the top storey. From there one had a commanding view of the riverside town and the temples. Anubai soon joined the them, not wanting to miss the fun. "You left us behind because you wanted to gossip like the other grown-ups!" Anu huffed. The feisty little six year old was the apple of everyone's eye in the Bhat household. She has been married recently but as custom dictated, returned to her parent's home after spending a week at her in-laws. Both Bhiu and Anu would have to move into their marital homes after they attained puberty.

"So Vahini, how is the new phase in your married life suiting you?" Bhiu had a knowing smile on her face.

"Vansa, how did anyone name you Bhiu, you seem to have no inhibitions or fear at all!" Kashi blushed, gesturing at Anu. Even if she was too young to catch the drift of the conversation Anu had the worrisome habit of parroting back to her mother anything that caught her interest. Bhiu made an elaborate pretence of pointing out the various structures and giving information about them to Kashi until she got what she wanted to see, a yawn on Anu's face who looked bored. 

"Anu, we think they are serving your favourite sweets now.  Aai Saheb must be looking for you. Why don't you go ahead? The two of us will join you shortly as soon as we finish showing vahini the sights around town!" Bhiu tried to convince her.