Mavala

Mavala was a name used for people of the hilly Maval region west of the present day Indian city of Pune. It was in Maval that the 17th century Maratha leader, Shivaji, first established his power base that later developed into the Maratha Empire. The inhabitants of this hilly region who were heavily enlisted in his guerrilla forces and raiding bands were known as Mavale, these soldiers were expert footmen and excelled in mountain warfare. The infantry was considered the backbone of Shivaji's power, and according to Sabhasad Bakhar, which chronicled Shivaji's life, the Mavale Hasham infantry of Shivaji was composed of 100,000 men.

Wikipedia →