Events connected by history leave an indelible mark on the destiny of a dynasty. Shahu, the son of Sambhaji and the grandson of the iconic Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji, had just freed himself from Mughal captivity in the year 1707. The intelligence and foresight of Balaji Vishwanath made him lend strong support to the young Shahu against his battle with Tarabai, Shahu's rival for the seat of power.  Balaji, a Chitpawan Brahmin turned mercenary warrior with roots in Shrivardhan, was a born strategist.

After Shahu's coronation in Satara in 1708 Balaji Vishwanath was rewarded for his loyalty by being made the Emperor's political assistant. Shahu went on to appoint Balaji his first Peshwa in 1713. So significant was the role played by Balaji Vishwanath and his descendants in the expansion of the Maratha Empire that the Peshwas became its de facto hereditary rulers in the 18th century. Bajirao l, the first born sorn of Balaji Vishwanath was to become his father's successor following the death of the former in the spring of 1720.

 Among the camp followers of the newly appointed Emperor Shahu was Mahadji Krishna Joshi, a reputed and wealthy banker based in the town of Chaskaman about 70 kilometres from Pune. Mahadji Joshi was a Kokanastha Brahmins like Balaji Vishwanath, hailing from the village of Talusare in Ratnagiri. Balaji Vishwanath borrowed huge sums of money from Joshi in order to finance a new army for Shahu and to help him launch successful military campaigns. The union of Kashi and Bajirao was thus preordained, stemming from the symbiotic relationship between the Chaskar Joshi and Balaji. Joshi could easily see that the influential Balaji's political star was in ascension. The father could not have found a better match for his only daughter Kashi than Bajirao, the heir apparent of Balaji.

Kashi was born and brought up in the massive wada or mansion of her prosperous father, located in Chaskaman. The infant Kashi and her mother Shiubai almost never left the room of confinement for four months after the birth. Laadubai (beloved daughter) as she was known, was brought up with a strange combination of affectionate indulgence as well as typical Chitpawan austerity.  She was only eight years old and Bajirao, the son of Balaji just eleven when the two fathers decided to arrange their marriage in 1711, in order to strengthen ties between the two families. 

 Kashi, being, the daughter of the wealthy banker and moneylender who financed the various battles campaigns of Balaji Vishwanath, was given a warm welcome in her marital home. Radhabai, her mother-in-law, with whose wishes and blessings the wedding was solemnised, doted on her. The mansion in Saswad, the town where Balaji's family was based, became the new home of the Kulavadhu Kashibai (bride of the heir apparent of the clan). As the bride settled into the household she came under the tutelage of Radhabai, a woman who was highly competent at managing the day to day affairs of the Bhat homestead, as well as the upbringing of her two sons Bajirao and Chimaji.

In the years to come little Kashi grew quite close to the siblings of her husband. Brother Chimaji was only four years old when Kashi stepped over the home's threshold. Of Bajirao's two sisters Bhiubai was older, but it was the younger Anubai who became Bajirao's and the entire family's favourite. Bhiubai, Anubai and Kashi became dear friends, spending the best childhood years together. Even after being married the sisters were welcomed and hosted by their natal family time and again, and their bond with Kashi became instrumental in reinforcing goodwill between Bajirao and their marital families. Slowly and surely Radhabai groomed Kashi to become the warp and the weft that bound the fabric of the Bhat family tight.

The childplay that the girls indulged in with their lacquered bhatukali toys kept them happily engaged till it was time for Bajirao's sisters to be sent off to their own marital homes. Bhiubai was the first to wed, she was married to Abaji Joshi of Baramati, brother of the banker Balaji Naik who was to become a troublesome financer to Bajirao. The younger Anubai was married to Venkatrao Ghorpade, born to the rulers of Ichalkaranji. Kashi treated the young Chimaji as her own younger brother and he would remain devoted to her cause for as long as he lived. While Kashi showered affection over Chimaji, she was fully in awe of her husband whom she hero-worshipped from the time they were married.

It helped that Bajirao already had the makings of a future warrior and ruler. Since his father Balaji came from an orthodox Brahmin family and was a self-made man with a humble beginning in life both his sons received a conservative upbringing in a stern and disciplined household. Because of their father's military career they too were rigorously trained in horsemanship and swordsmanship. Balaji volunteered to accompany his father in battle soon after being married, learning the ropes of both statecraft and warcraft early in his life. But in Kashi's eyes he was the most handsome man that walked the earth. So bewitched was the young girl by his magnetism that she looked forward to menarche much before it came.

From the gossip in the wada she had gleaned that a married couple was given their own private apartment only after the wife attained puberty. Before that contact between the man and woman was both limited and formal. Kashi longed to spend more time with Bajirao who treated her with respect due to a wife but kept himself busy attending to his official duties. The only time there had been any tactile contact between them was at the time of the wedding when he took her hand in his own during the Panigrahan and later whenever she sat beside him for a puja, when she was required to connect the fingertips of her right palm to his forearm while he made offerings.

"Amhala nhaney kevha yenaar?" The question about when nature would choose to turn her from a bud to blossom remained at the tip of her tongue, but she never dared to pose it to her mother-in-law or any other adult woman around her. From her keen observation she knew that even when the so called conjugal relationship existed between a couple they were obliged to be separated during the woman's menses, postpartum confinement, during natal home visits by wives and during the numerous austerities and fasts imposed on conservative Hindus by their faith. She decided to wait it out patiently, trying to sense the transition of her body from a girl to a woman.

She did not know it yet, but she was madly in love with the future Peshwa. She daydreamed of officiating his consort,  to care for her man after he returned from his many battles, and most of all she fantasised about giving him illustrious children. It was common knowledge that the primary responsibility of a ruler's consort was to bear him an heir. And the only way to achieve that goal was to come of age and begin to cohabit with the spouse. She was too young to have any clue about the association of the act involved with pleasure, but she instinctively knew that only after menarche would the outlook of her husband toward her change. To her it was all about that, to get him to notice her. She was most unwilling to remain a child because it meant keeping distance from him.

Her heart fluttered with excitement as the first signs of puberty began appearing unconsciously. She noticed her bud breasts and desperately attempted to hide them from the maids who invariably hovered around during her daily bath. Downy hair began growing down there, and all the while she was growing taller and her hips were filling out. To her annoyance her face sprouted a pimple now and then, drawing attention from Radhabai who seemed happy with it. she began observing her Sunbai more closely than before. "Nature will announce it soon enough!" She muttered to the pubescent girl who blushed at the mention. And then it happened, on a descript day when both Balaji and Bajirao were away on a campaign.

The handmaid was the first to see the stain on Kashi's saree which the girl herself was completely unaware of. Amidst hushed whispers word was sent to Radhabai Saheb Peshwa who invoked the name of the Kuldevi (clan Goddess) asking for the clan to be blessed with progeny. The novice Kashi found the placing of the rags between her legs and the seclusion that followed a little unnerving. She breathed a sigh of relief after she was allowed her purificatory bath at the end of her first period. Radhabai was besides herself as she planned Kashi's coming of age ceremony, sending invitations to female relatives and also to Kashi's mother Shiubai, duly inviting them and notifying them of the appointed date and auspicious time that was identified after consulting the panchang.

The day of the RituShuddhi ceremony dawned. The wada had been decorated appropriate to the Peshwa status. Floral garlands and silk canopies were hung, rich bolsters on baithaks were provided for the comfort of the invitees. The women attending the ceremony were offered haldi kumkum and fragrant flowers while being misted with rosewater. Kashibai arrived draped in a resplendent yellow paithani and a green brocade shawl. She had worn her wedding jewellery. Her lap was filled with a banarasi shalu with bodice fabric, coconut and rice to symbolise fertility. Radhabai and the other relatives fed her sweets, gave her lavish presents and seated her lovingly on an ornate swing

Rich delicacies and sweets were offered to everyone present, along with green mango sherbet. Shiubai, who presented her daughter with rich gifts for the occasion, was overwhelmed and had tears of joy in her eyes. "May you be blessed with gallant sons!" The mother offered benediction to the Peshwa kulavadhu who was also the apple of her eye. Kashi touched the feet of her elders seeking their blessings. After the feast the ladies were offered a formal farewell and those guests who were staying over at the wada retired for the night. Radhabai offered words of advice for Kashi that she would treasure for the rest of her life. She was now aware of the huge responsibility that rested on her shoulders as the consort of the future Peshwa.

The messenger rode out the long distance that separated the mansion in Saswad to the Peshwa field camp where Balaji Viswanath and Bajirao had set up temporary residence. After scanning through the other scrolls Balaji finally turned his eye to the personal letter addressed to him by his wife Radhabai. A smile crept on the war-weary face of the ruling Peshwa who summoned his seventeen year old son to his side. "There is good news from the homefront for you, Chiranjeev!" He paused for a while to choose the right words to convey the personal news to Bajirao. 

"It seems that when you return home from the campaign, you are required to fulfil the duties of a householder now, your mother writes that the occasion of Kashibai's RituShuddhi was celebrated with great ceremony!" The father was quick to notice the change of expression on his young son's face and dismissed him formally to let him contemplate the implication of his words privately. That night the Peshwa scion tossed and turned on his field bed, with a grin on his face and the desire to commence discharging his husbandly duties. "You are worth my abstinence so far and fidelity henceforth Kashi, cannot wait to be with you!" His fluttering heart said!