Raste is the surname of a family that was an important feudal family from Maratha Empire, the town of Wai, near Pune belonged to the Rastes. Their original surname was Gokhale, and they belonged to Velneshwar in Guhagar taluka of Ratnagiri district. They earned the Raste title which means one who displays fairness in Marathi, from the Bijapur monarchy for their integrity and honesty. Gopikabai, the daughter of Bhikaji Naik Raste then a big banker and supporter of Shahu, was married to Balaji Bajirao or Nanasaheb the third Peshwa, the eldest son of Bajirao I, and the grandson of Balaji Vishwanath Bhat, the first Peshwa. This was a political marriage, conducted by Shahu himself with the object of strengthening the office of the Peshwa. The marriage ceremony took place on 21 January 1730. Rasta peth a locality of Pune originally called Shivpuri Peth, was founded by and named after the family. Raste assisted the Peshwa in their Gujarat, Malwa & Karnataka military campaigns. Sardar Raste was Governor-cum-Vassal of the Peshawas. Rastes built several Temples, Ghats, Palaces in Wai and Pune. The family house in Pune, the Raste Wada, was built by Thorale Madhavrao the son of Nanasaheb, and later given to Rastes.[nb 1] This wada was destroyed in a fire on Thursday 27 May 2010. Raste Wada located in Rasta Peth of Pune is one of the largest remaining Wadas.
- An article written about a year before the wada burnt down bemoans the state of disrepair and misuse of the wada, a designated heritage structure. The structure then housed two schools, an office of the LPG co-operative society, and earlier a LPG distribution outlet which was forced to be closed down. The children of the schools littered the premises with left-over meals and water thrown out of windows. Alterations and signboards had defaced the original structure, grass grew on the building walls and water seeping from the school toilets damaged the wada's walls. The article informs that the wada was built between 1779 and 1784 at a cost of Rupees Nine Lakhs by Anandrao Bhikaji Raste, who was also the Peshwa cavalry's commander-in-chief. Water was fetched from a spring in the hills of Wanawadi and Kondhwa, through a 6.4 km aqueduct Anandrao built. The wada spread over an area of 11000 sq m. It had five stories, was surrounded by a thick wall, had two quadrangular open spaces and several halls and rooms. The gateway held a two-storeyed structure and was of heavy woodwork. The wada had fountains, chandeliers, intricate woodwork, fretwork and latticework. The article informs that the wada had apart from many temples a mosque, like the other wada's belonging to the Rastes, for the use of the Muslim cavalry soldiers. It also reports of a structural audit carried out in August 2008, that found the wada sound. The tenants, that were housed in the converted stables, since 1900, paid measly rents, the schools - one housed in the Durbar Hall, damaged the property, and that the landlords, descendants of Rastes wanted them out. They also found the heritage status a handicap, and complained of lack of help from the government in maintaining the wada.
- Kabra Harsh (26 May 2010). "Fading glory". The Times of India. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
- Mehta, J. L. (2005). Advanced study in the history of modern India 1707-1813. Elgin, IL: New Dawn Press Group (Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd). p. 739. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
- Shrivastav, Ashirbadilal (1964). The Mughal Empire, 1526-1803 A.D. S. L. Agarwala. p. 463. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
- "Centuries old Peshwe-era wada gutted in major fire". 28 May 2010. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
- Paranjape Samir (16 August 2009). "शिवशाहीच्या इतिहासाचा ‘निनाद’". Loksatta (in Marathi). Retrieved 12 December 2010.
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