Draft:House of Fadnis

= Huzur Phadnis (Fadnis) Family of Indore =

Background:

The House of Fadnis is one of the prominent families existing that came to prominence during the late 17th century CE in Maharashtra. The name Fadnis is derived from the original Farsi word ‘Faranavis/ Fadanavis’. Later it was also taken as a family name by many and even today it is in use.

With the new appointment of the first-ever Peshwa in the Maratha empire, the administrative scope had widened. It was not possible to control the regions and maintain records and at this time a need to create various departments for smoother functioning of the Maratha Confederacy as a whole was felt. At this time multiple posts were created with certain responsibilities. One such post was the Great Central Fadnisi. Talking about the establishment of it as a separate post, the Department of Secretariat came into being during the reign of the first Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath. The Secretariat, Huzur Daftar, was a big establishment with about 200 clerks headed by the Phadnis/Fadnis or Chief Secretary. This newly formed body was in charge of all sorts of accounts

History:

The last name of the House of Huzur Fadnis of Indore State is Vyas. The family hails from a small village near the town of Parner by the name Devi Bhoyare. They were Jahagirdars by the name of Parnerkar. Mahadeorao was the ‘Mool Purush’ of the House. The House of Vyas served in the Chhatrapati Darbar and Peshwa Darbar as Sardars.

The ‘Fadnisi’ was granted to the House by Subhedar Malharrao I Holkar, when he set up his administration in the Malwa. They were the only ones amongst the other prominent Sardars (Kibe, Reshimkar) to come with Subhedar Malharrao I Holkar to Malwa in the very first expedition. They always held a close connection with the Holkars, especially Ahilyabai Holkar. Mahadeorao was appointed as the first Fadnis of Malwa. The post was made hereditary from his son onward - Raoji Mahadeo.

Important Personage

 * Kashiraj - Kashiraj Fadnis was the founding father of the Fadnis family. There are not many records available about him, however, a book written by G.S. Sardesai titled “Aitihasik Gharanyanchya Vanshvali” . This book mentions Kashiraj Fadnis as the founding father of the family.


 * Mahadeorao - According to most literary sources, Mahadji Pant was the first one to actively serve the Holkars as a Sardar. He was also known by different names Mahadjipant Baba, Babajipant, Raojipant Baba and Mahadeo Raoji. He was granted Jagirs of Loni Mawla, Gangapur. He was in charge of the Secretariat from 1735 to 1760.


 * Raghunath Rao (Raghoji) - Raghunath Rao, more commonly known as Raghoji in the sources, was the son of Ramji Pant Baba. He was an important and loyal official. Ragho Raoji had constructed a Shri Ramchandra temple in the town of Parner. He was in charge of the secretariat from 1760-1790.


 * Malharrao -  He was the appointed Dewan in the court of Malhar Rao Holkar II for a period between 1829 and 1834. In 1835, to overthrow the incompetent debaucherous Maharaja Harirao Holkar and his drunkard second in command Revaji Phanse, Madhav Rao Fadnis planned a conspiracy. However, it failed in its very last stage due to the hesitation of the rebels. Malharrao


 * Balwantrao - He was responsible for the construction of the new Phadnis Wada in 1870 near the current Boliya Sarkar Chhatri which is located in Khatipura, Indore. He was appointed as a Fadnis with a salary of Rs. 3300. He was in charge of the secretariat from 1890 to 1905.


 * Sadashivrao - Sadashivrao Fadnis was born in 1887 and educated at the Shivajirao High School and the Daly College, Indore. He received training in accounts in the Central Provinces and served in the State Finance Department. He died at Indore on 18th November 1927. He was in charge of the secretariat from 1905-1920. He donated a large sum for the construction of the Daly College, Indore (earlier Rajkumar College). To commemorate this largesse, the Fadnis Room exists today in Vikram House at Daly College. Sadashivrao was a close confidante of Tukojirao lll Holkar. He was the last Acting Fadnis of Indore State.


 * Ramchandrarao - Ramchandra Rao was the son of Sadashiv Rao and was born in the year 1910. He was in charge of the secretariat from 1920-1935 AD. Ramchandrarao passed away at a young age, without natural offspring. Hence, he adopted his own nephew Shrikrishnarao as his successor.
 * Shrikrishnarao- Shrikrishnarao Atre was born in the year 1926. He was born to Diwan Mahipatrao Bajirao Atre and Mrs Indirabai Atre neé Phadnis. At the age of 8, he was adopted as a successor to his uncle Sardar Ramchandrarao Sadashivrao Phadnis, who was the Huzur Phadnis of Indore state. He did his schooling from the Hindu High school, Panchgani (present day Sanjeevan high school). Later he completed his B.Com from BMCC Pune, BA from FC and LLB from ILS law college. He was scholar and wished to study further in LSE and even applied, however at the age of 24, he had to shift back to Indore to attend to his estate. He married Sau, Ilaraje RaiRairan in 1950, they had 3 childern, Ashok (1952), Ramesh (1953), Chandrashekhar (1958). He had a well established legal practice in Indore and was one of the founders of Indore Bar association. He practiced as a SC lawyer and had fought and won many high profile cases with illustrious clients. He was very close friends with Shri Paramanand Patel (BelaVista, Vama, and Kanchanjanga, Mumbai), Shri Mahendra Kalewar (Kalewar construction), Shri Neelkanthrao Kalyani (founder of Bharat fords, Kalyani industries) from his schooling days in Panchagani.


 * Leeladevi- Leeladevi Phadnis was born to Raja Dhonduraaj RaiRayan and his wife Kamlaraje in Hyderabad in 1929. She initially attended the Urdu school Hyderabad and later St. Helena's school Pune. She graduated from Wadia college Pune. Both she and her husband were concierges of Hindustani classical music and Karanataka music. She was disciple of Pt. Kumaar Gandharv. She was also a bridge champion and often represented Yashwant club in club championships.

Honours and Titles
The Fadnis family was one of the champions of the Holkar Family during the Battle of Panipat. They displayed great valour during the Battle and were granted several Jagirs for the same. The family held two Jagir villages Khajrani and Rajdhara and they had an income of Rs. 4234/-. They also had cash allowances and some Inam lands in the Ahmednagar district during the times of British India.

As one of the Darrakhdars of the Indore Court and the Chief Accountant of the state, they were given the title “Huzur Fadnavis”. Huzur is an honorific title and Fadnavis is derived from the root word Fad (Paat) referring to the plank of wood on which the State Accountant would sit next to the regents gaadi.

Architectural Legacy

 * 1) Villages:- The family and the house were granted 5 villages as Jagir. The Village of Mauje Loni in the Parner Taluka was given as Jagir to Raoji Mahadeo by Peshwa Balaji Bajirao in 1755. The village of Kalegaon in Newasa Taluka was given to Raoji Mahadeo by Peshwa Balaji Bajirao in 1756. The village of Narayan Gavhan was given to Raghoraoji by Peshwa Madhavrao in 1778. The village of Pimpri Pathar in Parner Taluka was given to Raghoraoji by Peshwa Madhavrao in 1778. The village of Gangapur in Sheogaon Taluka was given to Malharrao Ramchandra by Kashirao Holkar in 1799.
 * 2) Fadnis Wada, Indore:- The first Fadnis Wada was located near the existing Rajwada opposite Krishnapura Holkar Chhatri in Old Indore. However, in 1870 a new Wada was built by Balwant Malhar near the present Boliya Sarkar Chhatri which is located in the city of Khatipura in Indore. Today, this is the site of the ‘Phadnis Complex’ near Kothari Market.
 * 3) Fadnis complex:- It is situated near the Kothari complex. Fadnis Wada was demolished in 1985-86 and thus transformed into a commercial complex in 1989-90, this complex was known as Fadnis Complex. It was one of the largest commercial complexes of Central India and at that time with a total of around 450 shops.
 * 4) Fadnis Colony:- Phadnis Colony is situated in the erstwhile village of Chhoti Khajrani which today is part of Indore itself. Earlier this area was far removed from Juni Indore hence in the late 1800s, Sadashivrao Fadnis constructed a farmhouse in this area for recreational purposes. Due to the Plague epidemic of 1902 and the Cholera outbreak of 1908, this residence was much in use. In 1950, Shri Krishna Rao Fadnis converted some of the farmlands and the area around this private residence into a colony that today is known as the Fadnis colony. The family also currently resides here. Today Fadnis colony is the heart of the current Indore city and is the costliest land.
 * 5) Fortified Temple Complex, Parner:- The Temple premises consist of a tall stone compound wall, the Sabha mandap, Antarala, and Garbhagriha, the blocks in the surrounding cells, two wells, two bathing areas, an open ground, and a toilet. The temple is out of carved rock. The Garbhagriha is square shaped with each side measuring 11.5 feet.  To its west is a stone platform with the idols of Ram, Laxman, and Sita in black Shaligram stone facing east. The Garbhagriha has a single opening with a solid wooden and wooden zali door. The Sabha mandap is 35 * 35 feet with wooden pillars and a clay-tiled roof. The single main entry is from the east with two small entries from the north and south. To the west of this main entry is a small compound wall with a small door leading to the other side of the compound. As per official records, the land for this temple was granted by the Peshwa to the family for valor in the third battle of Panipat.
 * 6) Kushavarta Tirth: - Shri Kushavarta Tirth is a sacred bathing tank which is located in the town of Trimbakeshwar. It was built by Raoji Babaji Parnekar who was in the service of the Holkars, the Maratha rulers of Indore. It was built in 1768 at an expense of Rs. 8 Lakhs.  Kushavarta is 24.68 x 22.55 metres. There are three dharmashalas on its three sides. It is stone-lined and has fifteen steps on each of its four sides leading to the water. A Shiva linga was consecrated by Babajipant next to the Tirth. The legend says that one gets free from all kinds of sins and gets a place in the Kailash Mountain after death by taking a bath in Kushavarta.
 * 7) Siddheshwar Wadi:- Siddeshwar Wadi is a village located 5 km away from the town of Parner. A small orchid and a stepwell present in Siddheshwar Wadi were given as grants to the Shri Ram Mandir at Parner. The Barav is built with black basalt. The stepwell is around 25 feet deep. The well shaft is around 20 x 20 feet. The flight of steps is 36. Towards the north side of the well shaft, there is a platform for the pulley system. The walls adjoining the flight of steps have a total of four niches. The stepwell is not very ornamental.
 * 8) Chandwad :- Fadnis Wada was once situated in Chandwad. As per the information mentioned in the source, for one of his diplomatic visits, Tukoji Holkar once visited Raoji Mahadeo Parnerkar and stayed at that wada (house) in Chandwad.

Socio - Cultural Legacy:

 * 1) Sardar Phadnis Ram Mandir Trust:- Saradar Fadnis Ram Mandir Trust is an important part of the Phadnis family. They are the custodians of the Ram Mandir in Parner and the overall legacy of that historically prominent architecture. (Registration No. : ए- १२५४/ अ. नगर)
 * 2) Shri Ram Janmotsav:- The celebration of Ram Navami begins from the auspicious Gudhi Padwa and continues for 9 days as Ram Navaratra. Kalash Pujan and Shri Ram Abhishek are important aspects of the celebration.
 * 3) Dol Gyaras:- Dol Gyaras is a celebration that occurs during Vaman Ekadashi all over India. This festival is associated with Bal Krishna. It is also celebrated with great enthusiasm at the Fadnis (Phadnis) family home in Indore. There are various arts that are performed while the palanquin is taken to locations. Another notable element of this celebration is the Maha-aarti. The final stop was this celebration at the small village of Choti Khajrani.

Administrative and Political Legacy:
In the late Medieval Period, the Fadnis family played a key part in governance. The first  Fadnis in the state of Indore was Mahadeo Rao, who came from the Fadnis (Vyas) family.

They were in charge of the accounting since they had been granted Fadnisi. The district and other subordinate officials' accounts were given to them, and they examined them. Additionally, they had to provide estimates and approve budgets. They also had oversight over the central treasury and accounts department. Fadnis served as an auditor as well. They had direct accountability.

The Fadnis family was one of the three Darakhdar appointed in the administration. Raoji Pant was made Darakhdari Fadnis by Subhedar Malhar Rao. They could not be dismissed without the consent of the Central authority. Even today the Fadnis family receives political pensions.

Other related officials and families
The other prominent families like the Rai Rayan family, the Atre family, and the Palshikar family who also had equally significant roles in the later medieval period, especially in the Maratha Court, were also closely related to the Fadnis family directly or through matrimonial alliances.

Atre: Shrikrishnarao Phadnis was adopted by Ramchandrarao Phadnis. He was the biological son of Ramchandrarao’s elder sister Indira Atre née Phadnis. The Atre family is descended from Raghoji alias Ranmallarao Atre and his 8 sons who are famous in Maratha history as Ithihasatle Aath Ram. This specific branch of the Atre family was active in Maratha politics from the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and they lastly, most notably were Diwans of Dewas Sr. State.

Rairayan : Shrikrishnarao Phadnis was married to Smt. Leeladevi Phadnis née Rairayan. Their family name is Bhalerao. The family originates from Takali Jagir near Aurangabad. They first came to prominence as Mansabdars of Shahjahan in the Mughal court. During Aurangazeb’s reign, they migrated from Delhi to the Deccan with the first Nizam. In Hyderabad state, they were in charge of the Daftar-i-Diwani for the western half of the state which includes parts of present-day Karnataka, Telangana and Marathwada. As Umra-e-Azam they were granted the title, Raja Rairayan Amaantwant Bahadur.

Palshikar: Leeladevi Phadnis’s mother came from the Palshikar family. This family traces its origins to the Bhakti Saint Mahipati in the early 1600s. The family first came to prominence as a scribe of the Peshwas and were later transferred to Malwa as Diwan on the personal request of Malharrao Holkar. The members of the family have also been acting Diwans of Indore State apart from being hereditary ones. The Phadnis family and the Palshikar family share a close bond as they hail from the neighbouring villages of Palshi and Parner in Maharashtra and their fortunes rose together.

The family is also distantly related but closely connected to other prominent Maratha families like the Sardar Vinchurkar & Sardar Pagnis of Indore State, Sardar Raste of Mehunpura, Sardar Jinsiwale & Sardar Algiwale of Gwalior State, Sardar Gandhe of Dewas State, etc.