Mazha Pravas

Mazha Pravas (My Travels) is a travelogue written in Marathi by Vishnubhat Godse, a priest from Varsai in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. It is a detailed account of his memories of the revolt of 1857. Godse began writing this text in the 1880s, and it was first published in 1907. Mazha Pravas provides a chronological narrative of Godse’s travels during the rebellion along with analyses of the political upheavals that moulded his journey. Godse travelled to Gwalior with his uncle in search of work in March 1857. Failure to secure work in Gwalior led him to Jhansi, where he was patronised by Rani Lakshmibai. The rebellion had already begun, and by March 1858 Jhansi was captured by the British. Shaken by this event, Godse and his uncle left Jhansi. They travelled through various areas like Bithur, Chitrakoot, Banda and others before returning to Varsai in 1860. The text tells us about his experiences of the rebellion in these areas and is sharply critical of the British, especially for their interference in the social and religious lives of the Indians. His descriptions of Rani Lakshmibai helped the nationalists of the 20th century to understand and draw inspiration from her struggle against the British. Mazha Pravas has been edited and translated to different languages over the years. It is a rare first-hand account of the revolt of 1857 written by an Indian, and remains an essential source for the study of Indian nationalism.