The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c21.78

v4.c21.78

In 1724, Bājī Rāo crossed the Narbadā in force. Little resistance was met with, for some of the Rājputs were now beginning to side with the Marāthās, and Rājā Jay Singh of Amber actively assisted them. Mālwā was repeatedly overrun, and three Marāthā chiefs, Udājī Powār, Malhār Rāo Holkar, and Rānojī Sindia were left behind to collect the tribute. They were the founders of the princely houses of Dhār, Indore and Gwalior: the two latter were soldiers of fortune, who had won their spurs on the battle-field. Malhār Rāo Holkar was of the Dhangar or shepherd caste, and had started life as a trooper: Rānojī Sindia had originally been in the service of Shāhū.¹ Another family which arose into prominence at that time was that of the Gāikwārs of Baroda. Dāmājī Gāikwār won distinction at the battle of Bālāpur in 1720, when fighting against the Nizām under Khande Rāo Dābhāde, for which Shāhū conferred upon him the title of Shamsher Bahādur, or illustrious swordsman, which is still borne by his descendants.² About this time also arose the practice of assigning the attack on a particular province to a certain commander. To Khande Rāo Dābhāde (who had been made *Senāpati* for defeating the forces of Husain ‘Alī Khān in 1716) was in this way assigned the collection of the dues in Bāglān and Gujarāt. In 1720, Pīlājī Gāikwār, the nephew of Dāmājī, built himself a fortress at Songarh, fifty miles east of Surat, and proceeded to levy *chauth* and *sardeshmukhī* as Khande Rāo’s lieutenant. Sarbuland Khān, the Mughal viceroy, was powerless to interfere, and presently Pīlājī was joined by Kanthājī Kadam Bhānde, an officer of Shāhū. From this time onwards, the fair province of Gujarāt enjoyed no respite from the Marāthā stranglehold.