Book Discussion - A Maharaja in Florence: Chattrapati Rajaram Maharaj

It’s not every day that royalty comes knocking at our doors @ NCL. So, we were delighted to host the lovely Ms. Nandita Ghatge, to discuss her book A Maharaja in Florence, which is the fascinating journey of Rajaram Chhatrapati, a ruler who was anointed king at the tender age of 18 and who died three years later. He had embarked on a tour of Europe and it was on this tour that he died in Florence. In his memory, a cenotaph / Chhatri was constructed by the local Italians on the banks of the river Arno. The book, also translated into Marathi, is a brilliantly researched piece of literature. It not only honours the legacy of the Maratha empire but also the deep connection between Florence and Kolhapur.

The discussion was further enriched by the scholarly inputs by senior historian and journalist Padmashree Shri Kumar Ketkar who was in conversation with the author.

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