The Barves had been employed in the services of the Maratha Empire since the times of Shivaji Maharaj. They were a family of money lenders native to the village of Nevare near Ratnagiri. Their role and importance in the Maratha Empire increased with the marriage of Radhabai Barve to Balaji Vishwanath Bhat, the patriarch of the Peshwa family.
Radhabai Peshwa
Radhabai Peshwa was the daughter of Dadaji Barve. She was born in Nevare and was married to Balaji Vishwanath at Chiplun.
Radhabai had 2 sons, Bajirao and Chimajiappa and 2 daughters, Bhiubai and Anubai. She was instrumental in arranging the marriages of her children and grandchildren into the families of influential bankers and generals such as the Chaskar-Joshis, Baramatikars, Pethes, Ghorpades, Rastes, Oaks, Kolhatkars and Dixit-Patwardhans, thus strengthening the office of the Peshwa.
Her pilgrimage to Kashi in 1735 was eventful. North India in those days was in a state of political chaos thus making it dangerous for travel. In spite of this, Radhabai completed her pilgrimage successfully and was treated with the highest of honors by every king and general whose territory she passed through. Among her hosts were the Rana of Udaipur, the Rana of Jaipur and even the Mughal governor of Allahabad, Muhammad Bangash, who Bajirao had defeated a couple of years ago. This illustrates the respect her sons, Bajirao and Chimajiappa commanded throughout India at that time and the fear that had been instilled in the minds of their enemies like Bangash who went as far as to sponsor Radhabai's pilgrimage in order to avoid displeasing Bajirao. Radhabai also used this pilgrimage for the furtherment of Maratha interests by trying to sway the Rajputs in their favor.
Radhabai was a strong, feisty woman, and there are several incidences in her life that illustrate that, whether it was when she reprimanded the wealthy citizens of Pune who, during a period of drought, were denying water to common people, instead utilizing it for their gardens, or when she stood up to the orthodoxy of the priests in Pune who threatened to ostracize the Peshwa family due to Bajirao's marriage to Mastani. She threatened to invite the priests and scholars of Kashi to perform the very rites and rituals that the priests of Pune were threatening to boycott.
Radhabai led an eventful life filled with glory and tragedy, having witnessed the furtherment of the Maratha Empire but also the untimely deaths of both her valorous sons, Bajirao and Chimajiappa.
Malharrao Barve
Malharrao Barve was Radhabai's brother. In the late 17th century, he left his village in Konkan and migrated to the Deccan Plateau along with his brother in law, Balaji Vishwanath. He took employment in the house of Dhanaji Jadhav, and rose through the ranks through perseverance. Some years later, he led a successful campaign to Nashik. As a reward for his valour, he was granted the villages of Dubere, Pandhurli, Kothura & Pimplas, near Nashik.
Barve Wada
The Barve Wada at Dubere was built in 1695 by Malharrao Barve. Spread over an area of 1.75 acres, this wada with its tall stone walls and bastions resembles a small land fort. This 324 year old structure, made largely of teak wood, still stands today, almost completely intact. The wada has 2 Darwazas, with the outer one topped by a Nagarkhana. There are 3 chowks (courtyards) inside along with Sopas (verandahs).
This beautiful wada boasts of a collection of swords, spears, armors and shields, one of them made of Rhino hide. Old documents written in the Modi script that formed the family's daftar have been given to the Ahmednagar Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal, where they have been displayed.
It is said that Bajirao Peshwa was born in this wada on 18th August 1700. The room where he was born still exists today.
Antaji Barve
After Shahu Maharaj's return to Maharashtra in 1707, the Barves along with the Peshwas and the Jadhavs swore allegiance to him. Malharrao Barve’s son Antaji Barve served as a Vakil (ambassador) of the Marathas in the court of the Mughals in Delhi. He along with Pilaji Jadhavrao was part of the delegation to the Nizam after the Battle of Bhopal in 1737.
Along with their role in the administration and campaigns, the Barves were also responsible for providing fodder to the stables and cowsheds of the Peshwas in Pune, since it was available in plenty around Dubere.
Along with their wadas near Nashik, the Barve family also had a wada in Pune. This wada stood on what is today called the Hamal Wada Parking Lot in Narayan Peth.
Grateful for the account. Many of our family members , the larger Barave family would be keen to have more information collated here. BTW the surname is pronounced 'ba-ra-way' though many of us prefer to spell it as Barve owing to practical problems of the spelling getting mispronounced.