The Maharashtra government has successfully acquired the historic Raghuji Sword, once wielded by Raje Raghuji Bhosale, founder of the Bhosale dynasty of Nagpur, for ₹47.15 lakh, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Tuesday.
Taking to social media platform X, Fadnavis revealed that the government secured the sword a symbol of Maratha heritage through an intermediary due to “some technical problems” in the direct acquisition process.
The basket-hilt sword was auctioned by global auction house Sotheby’s on Tuesday and fetched a final bid of £38,100, significantly surpassing its estimated value of £6,000–£8,000.
Historical Significance
According to CM Fadnavis, the sword belonged to Raghuji Bhosale, who led the 1745 battle against the Nawab of Bengal and played a pivotal role in expanding Maratha power in the Deccan region. The artifact holds not just monetary value but also immense historical and cultural importance for Maharashtra.
Sotheby’s Description
In its catalogue, Sotheby’s described the sword as:
“A slightly curved, European-style single-edged blade with two fullers and imitation maker’s marks towards the forte. The spine is gold inlaid with Devanagari script, and it features a traditional basket-style hilt fully overlaid with worked gold, with a green woven wool grip.”
The Devanagari inscription suggests it was specifically made for Maratha general Raghuji Bhosale (1739–55). The long straight blade was designed to resemble European swords, imitating blades made in Solingen (Germany), Venice, and Genoa, which were popular in Indian royal courts and referred to as firanghi (Frankish) swords.
Several examples of such Indian-European hybrid swords are also part of the Wallace Collection in London, the auction house noted.
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