Answer: A bakhar is a historical narrative written in Marathi prose. It is an important type of historical document because it gives detailed information about the events and persons of the Maratha period.
- Bakhars describe battles, campaigns, administration, the lives of rulers and the conditions of society.
- Some bakhars were written by persons close to the events. For example, the ‘Sabhasad Bakhar’, written by Krishnaji Anant Sabhasad, gives information about the life and reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj; the ‘Bhausahebanchi Bakhar’ describes the battle of Panipat.
- They also show the Marathi language, style and ideas of history of that time.
- Since some bakhars contain exaggerations, historians verify their information with other sources before using it.
Hence bakhar is an important type of historical document.
