Writings on the Maratha History during Shivaji’s period,
though many in number both in English and Marathi, have been so
far confined to the political vicissitudes, administrative institutions,
and cultural backgrounds; not much attention was paid to the
social and economic condition of Maharashtra during the period.
Professor Kulkarni’s book is the first attempt at examining the
various aspects of the economic life of the people during the
period from 1630 A.D. to 1680 A.D. on the basis of published
source materials mostly written in Marathi. This book covers all
the important topics pertaining to the economic life of the kingdom
and makes itself a sort of encylopedia for students of medieval
Indian Economic history, in general and Maratha history in
particular.