The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of the Bombay Presidency from the Earliest Historical Times to the Musalman Conquest c7.s9.147

c7.s9.147

In 1796 Nána Phadnavis, unable to secure his own power or to prevent the accession of Bájiráv, fled to the Konkan, and put garrisons in Pratápgad and Ráygad. He himself stayed at Mahád till October, by which time he had collected an army of 10,000 men.¹ These efforts were so far successful that, under the treaty of Mahád concluded in the same month when Bájiráv was enthroned as Peshwa, Nána Phadnavis returned to Poona as minister.² But from this time the chiefs and jághírdárs were utterly uncontrolled and assumed independence, while the Dakhan was overrun with banditti. This state of affairs culminated in October 1802 with the victory of Yashvantráv Holkar over Sindia and the flight of Bájiráv from Poona.³ He first went to Sinhgad, but after staying there only three days he hastily retreated to Ráygad, and having released Mahádevráv Ráste, who had been confined there since April of the previous year, he had with him 6000 or 8000 men, and at his request an English vessel was sent down to Bánkot to take him up to Bombay. He wished to send his family and the families of his attendants to Suvarndurg, but the commandant refused to receive them. Grain for the subsistence of his force had to be sent from Bassein and Bombay, this being the year of the great famine. The Sar Subhedár of the Konkan, Khanderáv Ráste, joined him at Mahád from Bassein. About November 22 Holkar with his army came down the Pár Ghát, on which the Peshwa fled to Suvarndurg, while some of his followers took refuge in the English factory at Fort Victoria. Suvarndurg, however, was found to be in a defenceless condition, and the Peshwa therefore embarked in one of his own vessels escorted by two belonging to the Bombay Government. He put into Chaul and stayed there some days, and on again embarking was so harassed by contrary winds that on December 15 he put into Manori in Sálsette, from whence he went on to Bassein, arriving there with about thirty followers on the seventeenth. In the meantime Holkar with 5000 troops had taken with very little resistance Ráygad and Savarndurg and in the latter the Peshwa's family.⁵ Colonel Close who had been awaiting the Peshwa's arrival in Bombay with Mountstuart Elphinstone⁶ then his assistant, went to him at Bassein immediately on his arrival, and there on December 31 was concluded the treaty of Bassein.¹ A field detachment which had been sent to Ghodbandar in the expectation that the Peshwa might find it convenient to take refuge in British territory, was then sent to Bassein, where the Peshwa remained till April 27, 1803.² Entrance into the Bassein island being then as now obtainable only by the bridges at Sopára and Gokhivade "a considerable stockade of palmyra trees" was erected to defend the Sopára bridge.³ Affairs at Poona being at last settled, Bájiráv left Bassein escorted by a British force of 2200 men, including the 78th Regiment, part of the 84th, and some artillery. He stayed at Kalyán for a week and from there marched up the Borghát.⁴