Changes in the Maratha Kingdome

The Raya and Shetty paper mill is established on the coast of the Godavari River. Vijay thought about it a lot before deciding where to choose the location of the factory. His first choice was the Sharavathi River, as it has the fastest water flow out of any river in the Vijayanagar Kingdom. Fast water flow can help in powering water wheels for paper production. However, he finally chose the Godavari River near the coast of Rajahmundry in modern-day Andhra Pradesh instead. Unlike the Sharavathi, the Godavari River is calm for most of its journey. Although the power generation potential of the Godavari River could be a concern, what prompted him to make this decision is the convenience of transportation.

He chose Rajahmundry as the location because it has a narrow bank for the river, making the river more turbulent in this area. Although not as fast as the Sharavathi River, it can still work well for paper making. Besides, the Godavari River also flows through the Mughal Empire, which he could take advantage of to export the paper he will produce at a high cost.

After the establishment of the paper mill, Pravin was appointed as the chief technician of the factory, Lokesh Bhatt as the director of the factory, and Chetan Bhatt as the technical consultant of the factory.

Hampi Palace, Vijayanagar Empire.

Unusual guests have arrived today at the imperial palace.

"Your Highness, representatives from the Maratha Kingdom have requested your presence."

"Maratha Kingdom, huh?"

In his previous life, the Maratha Kingdom held a powerful position on the Indian subcontinent. It emerged during the 17th century, leaving an indelible mark on India's history. Founded by Shivaji Bhosle in the western Deccan region, the kingdom expanded swiftly under his visionary leadership. Shivaji's adeptness in innovative guerrilla warfare and military strategies laid the crucial foundation for the Marathas' rise to prominence.

Reaching its zenith during the 18th century, the Maratha Kingdom evolved into a federation of semi-independent states. Its authority spanned present-day Maharashtra, Gujarat, parts of Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh. The Marathas, largely belonging to the warrior caste, staunchly safeguarded their sovereignty.

Their impact stretched beyond military achievements. The Marathas established a distinctive administrative structure that harmonized central control with localized autonomy, effectively governing diverse territories. Pune became the epicentre of their governance, representing their cultural and political resilience.

Yet, the Marathas faced formidable challenges during their ascendancy. Confrontations emerged with regional powers like the Mughals, the British East India Company, and other princely states. The pivotal Third Battle of Panipat in 1761 signalled a turning point, weakening their influence and sparking internal divisions.

The legacy of the Maratha Kingdom transcends territorial expansion. Their patronage of the arts, emphasis on regional languages, and contributions to India's cultural tapestry enriched the nation's heritage. Although their political power waned, the imprint of Maratha leaders remains etched in history.

In this altered timeline, Vijay's sentiments toward the Maratha kingdom are intricate. With Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj absent, the course of history has taken a divergent path.

Upon uncovering this fact, Vijay found himself torn between feelings of fortune and sadness in the absence of Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj.

Fortunate because he didn't have to Go through the challenges of encountering the legendary figure due to the conflict of interests on his path to unify Bharat, which he would have likely encountered if Shivaji Maharaj was present.

In all honesty, he didn't want to engage in conflicts with him.

Sad because he could not meet the legendary figure who single-handedly built a vast empire with respect for all Dharmic faiths. Even though he was Hindu, he was a deity of the Sikh and Maratha communities. His actions continue to influence people of Indian and other ethnicities even to the modern day. Because of him, the Sikh people are among the most significant contributors to modern-day India, especially in the context of their substantial contribution to the Indian armed forces.

It is noteworthy that Sikhs make up only around 2% of India's population, yet they contribute about 10% of the nation's defence personnel. Shivaji Maharaj, along with Guru Nanak, is one of the heroes who profoundly inspired the valour and militant strength of the Sikh community.

Instead of him, the current king of the Maratha Kingdom, which is supposed to be an empire, is an old man in his 70s named Rajendra Bhonsle.

Like Shivaji Maharaj, he also belongs to the Bhonsle Maratha clan, but his achievements are nowhere near those of Chhatrapati.

In this timeline, due to the absence of Shivaji, the Maratha Kingdom couldn't preserve its homeland of Pune, but had to occupy the barren region of Rajasthan along with a few parts of Punjab and Pakistan.

This led to the Mughal Empire occupying more resources and forming the empire it is today faster than it has ever been in its last life. A point to note is that the king of the Mughal Empire is no longer Akbar the Great, as it was in his previous life. Although Akbar conquered India, he used to be very tolerant of all religious values to a certain extent. However, the current king of the Mughal Empire, Mohammed the 5th, is a very power-hungry ruler. Although he allows religions other than Islam to exist, he imposes heavier taxes on the people than when Akbar was the monarch. In the past timeline, the Mughal Empire had only about 15% Muslims within it. However, due to Muhammad's favouritism towards the Muslim minority, many forced conversions took place, leading to a 25% Muslim population in the Mughal Empire.

"Your Highness," Vinod called again.

"Ha."

Vijay, who was in a stupor, quickly woke up after hearing Vinod's words.