On the history trail: The northern pilgrimage of Radhabai in the middle of a Maratha – Mughal war

The year of 1735 saw Radhabai, the Peshwa‘s mother making a successful pilgrimage through the northern part of Akhanda Bharat when tensions were running high between the Mughals and Marathas and Sawai Jai Singh was heading a military operation against the Marathas.

 

Radhabai left Poona on 14 February 1735 with a large group. Her presence in the north was deemed very auspicious by the Mughals and the Rajput princes who had the greatest admiration for the young Peshwa Bajirao and his brother Chimaji Appa.

 

The Rajput princes and Mughal officers extended invitations to Radhabai requesting her to visit the sacred shrines in their provinces and to enjoy their hospitality. The ruler at Delhi even offered an escort of one thousand troops of his own personal security to accompany her during her trip to the north.

 

Muhammad Khan Bangash who had been decimated by the Peshwa a few years ago offered his services and assistance when she would arrive in his province. Radhabai reached Burhanpur on 8 March 1735 and crossed the Narmada River on 18 April 1735.

 

She was cordially received in Udaipur on 6 May 1735 and visited the divine shrine of Nathdwara on 18 May 1735. She reached Jaipur on 21 June 1735 and was asked to stay for three months by Sawai Jai Singh who treated her as his own mother.

 

She travelled to Mathura, Vrindavan, Kurukshetra and Prayag reaching Kashi on 17 October 1735. She spent two months in Kashi and proceeded to Gaya in the last week of December.

 

She started her journey back to Poona in January 1736 travelling through west Bundelkhand, made a short stay at Saugor and reached Poona safely.

 

The Peshwa‘s agent at Jaipur described this momentous journey thus, “The revered mother arrived at Jainagar at the beginning of Aashad under the care of Babuji Naik. She is being pressed to stay here till the Dussehra, an event of special celebration. All things go well for her on account of her pious personality.

 

The journey further will, I am sure, prove equally successful. Bajirao’s stars are most propitious and no harm can come to her. The Maharaja Jai Singh has deputed Ray Narayandas to accompany her throughout the journey. Narayandas’s relation Ray Haraprasad is the Diwan of Muhammad Khan Bangash, who entertains such high esteem for the Peshwa, that Haraprasad came to meet us at the Jamuna, and having escorted the party during the crossing took us for a visit to the Khan, his chief.

 

We all received a cordial welcome from him. The Khan expressed his hearty pleasure that he was honoured by a cordial letter from Bajirao and that he trusted his mother to his care. “She is to me,” he says, “just like my own mother.” He has sent orders round to his district officials to accord the party full reception through his territory.

 

Haraprasad had brought her a present of Rs 1,000 in cash with saris of cloud-colour (suitable for a widow). Sawai Jai Singh too expressed his high and sincere regard for the Peshwa. The Rana of Udaipur did the same and has sent his agent Samant Singh to Poona on a special mission. Your very name has struck a reverential awe in the minds of these potentates.”

 

Written by Lakshmi Subramanian

 

* Information about Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj is taken from archives