One of the most photographed statue of the Mahatma in Delhi- a background preferred by MPs irresepective of their political affiliations, to stage their protests when Parliament is in session.

Nanasaheb Wagh is the sculptor of this magnificent statue- a fact little known to visitors to Parliament or even us Marathis.

Among other statues in the capital sculpted by Nanasaheb are: Dr.Rajendra Prasad, Dr.Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (also in Parliament) and at least six more.

If the Marathas fighting for a losing Moghul monarch in Delhi did not leave any monuments for generations to see, Marathi achievers in morden day Delhi, like the statue of Lokmanya Tilak (which is hidden by a green cover), are mostly unknown to people- even to other Maharashtrians in the capital.

Tilak statue is hidden behind the green cover. 

Taking forward from the almost hidden statue of Lokmanya Tilak in Delhi....I always nursed a vague feeling that we Marathis go about our lives with a kind of 'Panipat' attitude. The Marathas lost against the British a war they fought to protect a weak Mughal King in Delhi. A lakh and half Marathas died in a single day- an unparalleled loss of life in any known war, they say- at Panipat. That was the end of the Marathas.

(Marathas, alas, even today play 'protectors' to the Delhi throne!)

Go ahead to see it. Tilak has his back to Supreme Court!

If at all they had built anything during their rule over Delhi may be British ensured that nothing remained..(so far I have been able to find a tiny Gauri-Shankar temple in Chandni chouk, dwarfed by a historic Gurudwara, the mighty Red Fort forming the backdrop. Maratha Sardar Appa Gangadhar built the temple in the year 1761 says a board hung outside the temple. But for the name 'Appa Gangadhar', there is no sign of any Marathi presence around. Yes, of course, there is in old Delhi what is known today as Bada Hindu Rao (must be HinduraochaVaada!). Hindurao was a Sardar of the Scindias (Shinde) and was very close to the British. Hardly anything remains of the Vaada now. A hospital now stands at the place known as Bada Hindu Rao Hospital.

Have been looking for details on these Maratha Sardars Appa Gangadhar or Hindu Rao- no luck so far except for tidbits like Appa was a trusted Maratha nobleman of Aurangzeb and that was thus permitted by the emperor- a  fanatic- to build the temple.

I come across a middle-aged Marathi couple during my morning walks. The man goes about as if he has just  come out of jail, head down,avoiding any talk. Yesterday, heard about a Marathi family long settled in Delhi and, yes, they can't even speak Marathi!

Hmmm, so the statue of Lokmanya Tilak on Tilak Marg is actually almost hidden from public view- thanks to  the tall trees that surround the statue. What else 'Marathi' is visible in Delhi? Wasn't it once almost ruled by the Marathas? Delhi is full of history- one, if interested, can meet the early Rajput kings, the Afghans, Turks, Mongols (Mughals) and , the British- the monuments they left speak if one has time. Between the Mughals and the British were the Marathas----- why then no visible signs of anything Marathi??? Are they too hiding like Lokmanya Tilak?
Blame it on Vishwas Patil for his 'Sambhaji' and 'Panipat'- I am keen to find some tale-tell signs of the Maratha rule on this seat of power that was called (rightly so) by a British official as the 'graveyard of dynasties'.

I wind my way to office every day motoring down Vikas Marg which invariably is clogged with traffic jams symbolic of the 'Vikas' that we have achieved. Traffic comes to a halt near the ITO junction- ITO stands for Income Tax Office. May be it is here that the tax sleuths estimate the tax those in luxury sedans owe. Then to  Sikandra Road- no one seems to know what  'Sikandra' stands for! Delhi's rich history takes over as I take the Firozshah Road (named after Firozshah Tughlaq). Rajendra Prasad Road takes me to Red Cross Road and then to my office via Sansad Marg. Hidden amid lush green trees on way is statue of Lokmanya Tilak- rightly near the Supreme Court-may be reminding how modern day Delhi (India)has forgotten the Marthas and Maharashtra.