Gopikabai
Gopikabai, 1788, Mahratha princess. Daughter of Bhikaji Naik Raste, a banker, she was married to Peshwa lialaji Rao in January 1730 when she was only about seven, and he about 11. She grew into a brave woman, and was a constant companion of the Peshwa in his expeditions. She bore him three sons, Vishwasrao, killed at Panipat, Madhavrao, who succeeded his father, and Narayanrao who succeeded his brother. An assrtive personality she was very active in Mahratha affairs, and pratically governed the State during the first two years of the Peshwaship of her son, Madhav Rao. She later left Poona and passed her life at Gangapur, near Nasik. After the murder of her son, Peshwa Narayanrao (1773) she became so distraught that she gave up all comforts, and star-ted begging for alms from door to door. It was only after she learnt that the murderer, Raghunath Rao, has been driven away from Pune, and her widowed daughter-in-law, Gangabai, has given birth to a son, that she recovered her peace of mind.
