New History of the Marathas v3.c37.s2.19

v3.c37.s2.19

The growing jealousy and enmity between the two powerful chieftains set ablaze a conflagration the flames of which ruined not only the two houses of Sindia and Holkar, but destroyed the entire edifice of the Maratha Confederacy. Lakheri was to be the beginning of the end, the sequel being supplied by Yashvantrao Holkar’s attack upon Poona and the Peshwa’s flight to Bassein in 1802. These fatal portents of Sindia-Holkar rivalry were fully apparent to wise men then living in the Maratha State. The Holkar pillar was visibly cracking, and even the sober wisdom of Ahalyabai could not save it. Tukoji’s son Malharrao II (born about 1770) became the greatest nuisance not only to the Holkar family but to the whole Maratha State. He bragged of annihilating the trained artillery and battalions organized by De Boigne. No one could control him. He collected roving bands, the precursors of the Pindaris and began to plunder and devastate indiscriminately throughout the Maratha lands. An appeal was sent to Poona for capturing and restraining Malharrao. But who could dare lay hands on a Holkar? Nana Phadnis invited him to Poona but took no proper measures to control him. At Poona Malharrao made specious promises of a good behaviour and was allowed to return to Indore honourably. There again he immediately resumed his evil ways raiding and plundering the peasants and devastating the fair lands of Malwa. Tukoji would take no action against him and Ahalyabai could not muster courage to restrain him. Years passed aggravating the mischief. Ahalyabai’s old loyal servant Parashar Dadaji asked her pointblank, “This Saturnine devil should be at once kept under arrest and confinement.” At last she called the Frenchman Dudrenec to her help and ordered him to bring Malharrao a captive. Dudrenec accomplished the task boldly. The turbulent youth was brought in chains before Ahalyabai and kept secure in the fort of Khushalgad. This result so put out the imbecile father that he threatened to commit suicide if his jewel of a son was not restored to his bosom. And so the disturber of peace had to be released. The civil war culminating in the battle of Lakheri (1st June 1793) so roused even the complacent Nana Phadnis at Poona, that it became impossible for him to ignore any longer the affairs of the Holkar house. He took the only way he was used to in such situations that is, to send a diplomatic mission to Indore. Devrao Hingne, the youngest of the Hingne brothers was chosen along with Balavantrao Kashi Katre to proceed to Indore and bring about a settlement of the troubles by persuasive methods. A vain hope! The mission reached Indore in August 1793 and after spending 18 long months returned to Poona with Tukoji Holkar in December 1794 without effecting any cure, beyond the long paper reports made by Hingne, now printed by Parasnis in his *Itihas Sangraha*.⁶