Nana Phadnavis
Nana Phadnavis was the shrewd and able administrator of the Peshwa rulers of the Maratha empire in the 18th century. An anecdote (Nana Phadnavis the rationalist) tells of an occasion when he decided to build a bridge at Karmanaki, near Kashi (Varanasi, Benares). The pundits in Kashi did `anushthan' to ensure that the project succeeded. Unfortunately, the efforts to find firm footings in the river failed despite repeated attempts and rituals by the priests. When Nana heard of this, he put a stop to all rituals and contacted a British engineer named Baker, entrusting the job to him. Baker brought pumps to remove water and when they proved inadequate, brought additional machinery from Calcutta. With his equipment he successfully completed the project.
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