On the history trail: Nadir Shah plunders Akhanda Bharat

The Battle of Karnal resulted in a complete decimation of the warring factions of the Mughal army. The Mir Bakshi Khan Dowran VII (Khan-i-Dauran) received mortal wounds and died two days later.

 

Saadat Khan was wounded and captured. Nizam-ul-Mulk did not participate in the actual operations and waited for events to unfold. The Muslim barbarian Nadir Shah had in reality been invited to invade Akhanda Bharat with promises of enormous wealth to satisfy his inordinate greed.

 

Like his predecessor, the Muslim butcher Mahmud of Ghazni, Nadir Shah had set his eyes on the famed jewels, gold and riches of Delhi. He held Saadat Khan captive to elicit information on the hidden treasures of Delhi.

 

Saadat Khan cleverly pointed to Nizam-ul-Mulk as the custodian of the Mughal affairs. Nadir Shah summoned him to his camp and asked him how the Marathas had been able to hold on to their power and influence when there was such an experienced grandee like himself serving the ruler at Delhi.

 

Nizam-ul-Mulk was quick to understand the real motive of Nadir Shah’s invasion of Akhanda Bharat and pretended to be humble and servile stating thus, “I have no voice in the matter. The emperor is guided by young inexperienced men; that is why I had to carve out an independent field for myself in the Deccan.”

 

Nadir Shah agreed to a payment of Rs 50 lakhs from the Nizam and leave the country without creating any trouble. The following day, Nadir Shah invited Muhammad Shah to his camp for dinner during which Muhammad Shah learnt that the Nizam had been appointed as the Mir Bakshi, a position that Saadat Khan had long coveted.

 

Saadat Khan, morally disappointed put forth his suggestion and asked why Nadir Shah should leave with only a paltry sum of Rs 50 lakhs while he could easily obtain Rs 20 crores if he proceeded to Delhi. Nadir Shah’s eyes gleamed at the thought of returning home with such a large sum of money.

 

He immediately ordered a siege to starve the Mughal camp and summoned the Nizam again. He kept him under house arrest and demanded a ransom of Rs 20 crores for his release. Thereafter, Nadir Shah confined Muhammad Shah and plundered his camp.

 

Baburao Malhar, the Maratha envoy at the Delhi court fled to Jaipur and wrote to the Peshwa, “Nizam-ul-Mulk seeking his own selfish ends contrived to pay a visit to Nadir Shah and gain his favour.”

 

Nadir Shah marched towards Delhi with his captives Muhammad Shah, Qamruddin Khan and Nizam-ul-Mulk. He took possession of the capital on 7 March 1739 and immediately called upon Saadat Khan to produce the Rs 20 crores.

 

Saadat Khan decided to end his life by swallowing poison. On 10 March 1739, Nadir Shah occupied the throne at Delhi proclaiming himself as the emperor of Delhi. From 9 March to 1 May 1739, Nadir Shah committed unspeakable atrocities to cows, women, children and Hindus.

 

His reign is an endless list of savagery, heinous crimes and deplorable persecution of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. He sought to further gain the praise of the Mahomedan orthodoxy and gave a clarion call to his men to plunder and destroy all revered places of worship.

 

He gave a free hand to his men to slay, raid, imprison and bury alive non-Muslims. Hindu women were raped by his army in turns and carried off to become slaves.

 

Hindu men were beaten to death if they refused to convert, their belongings confiscated and their daughters and wife assaulted, stripped and raped in front of them. The most abominable act of Nadir Shah was to slaughter cows and force severely injured and dying pious Hindus to drink its blood and press their faces into their slit necks.

 

He amassed nearly a hundred crores worth in cash and goods including the Peacock Throne and Kohinoor diamond.

 

Maratha agents and spies stationed throughout the north sent detailed accounts to Peshwa Bajirao and Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj. They offered their own suggestions to prevent the further advance of Nadir Shah.

 

Pilaji Jadhav was posted at Malwa while Anandrao Sumant watched the events with the Nizam at Delhi. The alarming reports of Nadir Shah’s tyranny put the entire Rajputana State and even the Mughals in a state of unease. His unpredictable nature and murderous intentions towards all who refused to comply with his demands briefly united the Hindu kings and princes who decided to be rid of the Muslim invaders and the ruler at Delhi.

 

They turned to the Peshwa to lead them in this difficult time.

 

Written by Lakshmi Subramanian

 

* Information about Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj is taken from archives