On the history trail: Malwa

The utter decimation of the Mughal forces in Malwa and Bundelkhand created a major crisis for the ruler of Delhi. A clear division of opinion emerged in the counsel with one party headed by Sawai Jai Singh of Jaipur and the Mir Bakshi Khan Dowran VII (Khan-i-Dauran) who were in favour of peace and conciliation with the Marathas while the other party headed by Saadat Khan, Muhammad Khan Bangash and others who wanted to launch military operations against the Marathas immediately.

 

The Wazir Qamruddhin Khan and the ruler remained clueless and listened to both sides patiently and deliberated for many days without any result. Deep Singh, nominated by Sawai Jai Singh had conveyed the Maratha interests on his return from Satara.

 

Acting on the advice of his trusted aide, Sawai Jai Singh arranged a compromise with Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj that ran thus:

• That an annual payment of ten lacs be made to the Marathas for the Chauth of Malwa.
• In return for this amount, one of Shahu Raje’s sardars was to reside for service at the emperor’s court.

Dado Bhimsen, Shahu Raje’s envoy with Sawai Jai Singh submitted the proposal to the ruler of Delhi but it was not accepted.

 

Sawai Jai Singh then expressed his thoughts on the matter to the ruler of Delhi, “You have been trying this game of driving away the Marathas from Malwa for the last twenty years. If you take into account what it has cost you and what success you have attained, I am sure my plan would appeal to you as the only way out of the difficulty.”

 

The representation was in the best interest of all parties involved but as the ruler of Delhi was used to a life of leisure and did not possess either foresight or common sense, he chose to ignore the compromise offered by Sawai Jai Singh and instead transferred him from the government of Malwa and appointed Muhammad Khan Bangash to that office at the end of 1730.

 

Muhammad Khan Bangash applied himself earnestly to the task given to him and for some time succeeded to a certain extent in checking the movements of the Marathas as the Peshwa was otherwise engaged in a battle of wits with Trimbakrao Dabhade.

 

Malharrao Holkar and Antaji Mankeshwar were in charge of Malwa and the latter was defeated by Muhammad Khan Bangash near Ujjain. Later that year, Ranoji Scindia also joined Malharrao Holkar and Muhammad Khan Bangash became scared of the united attack of the Marathas and wrote urgently to the ruler of Delhi to send reinforcements.

 

Meanwhile, several landholders had written long complaints about the mismanagement of the rich province by Muhammad Khan Bangash which severely angered the ruler of Delhi. The ruler of Delhi decided to recall Muhammad Khan Bangash and reappointed Sawai Jai Singh as the governor of Malwa at the end of 1732.

 

The Peshwa was keeping an eagle eye on all the events that had transpired in Malwa. He invited Malharrao Holkar and Ranoji Scindia to Satara and effected a division of the districts of Malwa between them and the three Pawar chiefs on 29 July 1732.

 

Written by Lakshmi Subramanian

 

* Information about Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj is taken from archives