On the history trail: The military prowess of Pilaji Jadhav, Ranoji Scindia and Malharrao Holkar

As both Peshwa Bajirao and Chimaji Appa were busy with military operations in the Deccan, Pilaji Jadhav, Ranoji Scindia and Malharrao Holkar were despatched to Malwa towards the end of 1733. These highly competent chiefs proceeded with a large army right up to Bhadawar collecting tributes on the way and returned just before the monsoon in May 1734.

 

Sawai Jai Singh did not wish to repeat his mistake and did his best to avoid an open clash with the Maratha lieutenants. He was also otherwise busy in a succession dispute to the rulership of the Bundi State. One of the claimants for the throne Pratapsinh Hada sought the help of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj against Sawai Jai Singh.

 

Shahu Raje entrusted Ranoji Scindia and Malharrao Holkar with the important task of capturing Bundi and handing it over to Pratapsinh. The two chiefs easily took possession of Bundi on 12 April 1734 but Sawai Jai Singh grabbed it back when the Marathas returned home for the monsoon.

 

Sawai Jai Singh also received additional troops, funds and supplies from the ruler at Delhi through Muzaffar Khan, the Mir Atish and brother of Khan Dowran VII (Khan-i-Dauran). He worked quickly with the Rajput princes to form a formidable alliance to take on the Marathas during the monsoon of 1734 and started driving them out of the rich province of Malwa.

 

When the Peshwa was informed of this, he despatched Pilaji Jadhav with the young Nanasaheb with specific instructions to Ranoji Scindia and Malharrao Holkar to hold Malwa using their usual military strategy.

 

By early 1735, Malwa was ready to witness a bloody battle. The ruler at Delhi along with his officers marched from Delhi in two divisions, one under Khan Dowran VII (Khan-i-Dauran) that came into Rajputana and the other under the Wazir Qamruddhin Khan that took the route into Bundelkhand.

 

The months of January and February 1735 saw many hard – fought battles between the Rajput princes led by Khan-i-Dauran and Ranoji Scindia and Malharrao Holkar near Rampura. While Ranoji Scindia kept them busy after descending through the Mukundara Pass into Malwa, Malharrao Holkar made quick work of the territories of Marwar and Jaipur devastating the lands as he moved into the north.

 

On 28 February 1735, Malharrao Holkar carried away an enormous amount of wealth from the prosperous town of Sambhar. Sawai Jai Singh and the Mughals found themselves in an untenable situation again and did not have any answer to the Maratha guerrilla tactics that were employed with consummate ease.

 

They reached an agreement with the Marathas soon after at Kota on 24 March 1735 and agreed to pay Rs 22 lacs in cash. Twenty thousand Marathas were all that were required to effectively decimate a Mughal army of 2 lacs.

 

The Wazir Qamruddhin Khan did not fare any better in his journey through Bundelkhand. He had to face the joint forces of Pilaji Jadhav, Ranoji Bhosle and Vyankatrao Narayan Ghorpade. On 2 March 1735, Pilaji Jadhav reported the events thus, “The Wazir came upon us with 25 thousand troops; we had three severe battles with them. We captured 300 horses and camels and fell back upon Kolaras. Qamruddhin Khan agrees to pay 5 lacs; but we have not accepted this offer and await further results. We wish soon to return home for the monsoon.”

 

Written by Lakshmi Subramanian

 

* Information about Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj is taken from archives