Swarajya
Also called: Hindavi Swarajya · Topic: The Marathas · NCERT: Class 8, Ch 3 "The Marathas"
Meaning
Swarajya means "one's own rule", a sovereign kingdom run by its own people. It was Shivaji's vision for a Maratha state free from the Deccan sultans and the Mughals. Over time it covered political, economic and cultural sides: an independent state, protection of trade and the coast, and the revival of local languages and traditions. The NCERT chapter says this ideal later helped Indians believe they could govern themselves. It calls this an early seed of the freedom movement.
Example
At 16, Shivaji began building Swarajya by capturing neglected forts around Pune. In 1674 he was crowned at Raigad with the title "Shri Raja Shiva Chhatrapati" and started his own era, the Rajyabhisheka shaka. He also issued a Sanskrit seal and coins in Devanagari.
Don't confuse with
- Swaraj (freedom movement): Swaraj was the demand for self-rule from the British, made famous by Tilak's slogan "Swaraj is my birthright". Swarajya was Shivaji's 17th-century kingdom.