It was a practice in Mughal & Ahmednagar administration to term fighting Hindus as 'Rajput'. Maharaja Shahaji meant exactly that here. Even CSM addresses Maval Deshmukhs as Rajput in a letter.
Marathas who joined the Mughals after they took Suba Khandesh were termed Rajput.
Marathas who joined the Mughals after they took Suba Khandesh were termed Rajput.
The term definitely didn't mean a 'Kshatriya' to these muster roll keepers of Mughal and Ahmednagar kingdoms. As people like Habshis, Brahmins, Hatkars, Banjaras, Gond, Kurds are called Rajput.
Those in Mughal service above Narmada amalgamated to form the modern namesake caste.
Those in Mughal service above Narmada amalgamated to form the modern namesake caste.
Marathi letters from 1666 referring to ordinary soldiers by the term Rajput.
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