The Maratha kingdoms were located mainly in the western and southwestern part of India, primarily in the region that corresponds to the present-day state of Maharashtra. This area lies on the western Deccan Plateau along the west coast of India. The core Maratha homeland extended from Mumbai (Bombay) to Goa along the coast and inland eastwards around Nagpur. The Maratha Empire expanded extensively in the 18th century under leaders like Shivaji and the Peshwas, reaching from Maharashtra to northern and central parts of India at its peak. However, their original and principal base remained in the western and southwestern part of India.
