History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c41.194

v2.c41.194

After the monsoon of 1765 Mādhav Rāo marched and reached Balapur on the 24th December to meet Raghunāth Rāo, who was waiting in Khandesh to go to Nothern India. Jānujī depended on the influence of Raghunāth Rāo to save him from the wrath of the Peshwa but the Dādā’s intervention had no effect. From Burhanpur the Peshwa marched towards Nagpur. Jānujī sent his minister Devājipant (Diwakar Pandit of English records) to Dādā Sāhib. Raghunāth Rāo succeeded in interceding for Jānujī on this occasion. Mādhav Rāo decided to deal with his uncle first and then with Jānujī Bhonsle. Therefore after the capture and imprisonment of Raghunāth Rāo in 1768, the Peshwa invaded Jānujī’s territory in January, 1769. It was on this occasion that Sambhājī Gaṇesh wrote to the Governor of the East India Company and his real desire was to obtain aid for his master against the Peshwa. His effort was too early and he failed. In 1768 Jānujī had joined Raghunāth Rāo with Govind Rāo Gaikwāḍ, and after the defeat of Raghunāth Rāo at Dhodap, the Peshwa turned against him. Jānujī now sent his *Chitnis* Chimnājī Rukmāṅgad to Poona to pacify the Peshwa. Then Devājipant came to Poona and after understanding the current of the Peshwa’s policy advised Jānujī Bhonsle to invade the Peshwa’s dominions. Devājipant was imprisoned according to the Peshwa’s order at Poona. On this occasion all brothers of Jānujī, such as Sābājī and Mudhojī, agreed to make war upon the Peshwa and to obtain aid from the English. The Peshwa left Poona in November and marched direct to Berar *via* Paṇḍharpur, Tuljāpur, Dhārūr, and Pāthri. He called Gopāl Rāo Paṭvardhan and Rāmchandra Gaṇesh and from the Niẓām's side Rāmchandra Jādhav and Rūkn-ud-daulah joined him with eight thousand troops. After capturing Jānuji's territories in Berar this army came straight to Nagpur in January. The Bhonsle brothers remained at Chanda, which was under Mudhoji. Their treasure and families had been sent to Gāwilgaḍh and Jānuji had fled to Rantek. Rāmchandra Gaṇesh and Gopāl Rāo Paṭvardhan conquered the Bhonsle's territories in Berar as far as the river Wardha and then conquered Bhandara. Jānuji and his brother fled to Chanda and the Peshwa's troops captured and sacked Nagpur. Chanda was invested and Jānuji was pursued. Devājīpant was directing Jānuji's affairs, though he was in prison. The Bhonsle party, seeing Mādhav Rāo engaged in the siege of Chanda, decided to go to Poona and free Raghunāth Rāo from prison. One of Devājī's letters fell into the hands of Mādhav Rāo and the former's imprisonment was made more strict. Jānuji tried to send 15,000 cavalry to Poona and Satara to free Raghunāth Rāo and change the Maratha king at Satara. There was great panic at Poona on account of the threatened invasion of Jānuji from the 19th to the 23rd February, 1769. After three months campaigning the Peshwa was compelled to raise the seige of Chanda and send Devājī's Munshi to Jānuji to settle terms of peace. By the treaty of Kanakapur Jānuji Bhonsle agreed not to become independent, not to increase his army, to serve the Peshwa with 5,000 troops and to pay 5 lakhs of rupees every year.¹ Such was the victory claimed by Sambhāji Gaṇesh on behalf of his master Jānuji Bhonsle. To this letter a reply was sent on the 27th May congratulating Sambhājī on the termination of the war. The Governor agreed to receive Govind Rāo.¹