New History of the Marathas v3.c37.s2.45

v3.c37.s2.45

Thus by the end of 1791 all north India from the Narmada to the Satlaj came into Sindia's nominal possession and was reduced to a kind of settled political order. In southern Rajputana, Rana Bhimsinh the ruler of Udaipur had been faced by an internal revolt fostered by his namesake Bhimsinh of Salumbra, who had forcibly occupied Chitodgad and could not be dislodged. Chitod was a precious possession of Udaipur which the ruler could not afford to lose. In March 1791, when Mahadji came to Pushkar to perform there his spring festival, he was approached for help by the Rana for the recovery of Chitod. He was then in a hurry to proceed to Poona and did not immediately accept the Rana's call. But the Rajput affairs kept him occupied much longer than he had expected, and he arrived near Chitod where the Rana came for his visit which took place on 5th September. Chitod was at once besieged and forced to surrender to Mahadji’s men on 17th November. It was given back to the Rana’s possession; the tribute from Udaipur was finally fixed and Mahadji proceeded to the south. On 4th December 1791, he thus wrote to the Peshwa :—