Maharaja Serfoji

Why in news?

• A rare 19th-century painting of Raja Serfoji and his son Sivaji, which was stolen from Saraswathi Mahal, Thanjavur has been traced to the US Museum.

About Maharaja Serfoji:

• Maharaja Serfoji was the last of the Bhonsle Rajas of Thanjavur. He was born in 1777 and died in 1832.
• His only son Shivaji ruled until 1855. However, he had no male successor.
• Due to this, Thanjavur became a casualty of Lord Dalhousie’s infamous ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ and it got absorbed into British Ruled Indian provinces.

Contributions of Maharaja Serfoji:

• Library:
  • The Sarasvati Mahal Library was founded as a Palace Library by the Nayak Kings of Thanjavur (1535–1675), it was however Serfoji who enriched it with priceless works, maps, dictionaries, coins and artwork.
• Educational Reforms:
  • Serfoji founded a school called Navavidhya Kalanidhi Sala where languages, literature, the sciences and arts and crafts were taught in addition to the Vedas and shastras.
• Press:
  • Serfoji is also credited with installing a hand press with Devanagari type in 1805, the first of its kind in South India. He also established a stone-type press called “Nava Vidhya Kalanidhi Varnayanthra Sala“.
• Medicine:
  • Serfoji established the Dhanavantari Mahal, a research institution that produced herbal medicine for humans and animals.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding Maharaja Serfoji

1. He established Dhanavantari Mahal, a research institution that produced herbal medicine

2. He was a contemporary of Chhatrapati Shivaji

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer