Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c21.s4: § 5. Raghunath Rao’s doings in Hindustan, 1754-1755
Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c21.s4
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§ 5. Raghunath Rao’s doings in Hindustan, 1754-1755
v2.c21.s4.1
We shall next follow the doings of the Marathas during their expedition to the Delhi region at the commencement of this reign.* Raghunath Rao, the Peshwa’s younger brother, had begun his march from the Deccan with a large army in September 1753, and after crossing the Mukandara pass had entered Rajputana at the end of October. Here he moved about for the next two months and a half, collecting promises of tribute from Jaipur, Kota, Bundi and other States. Then from January 16 to May 22, 1754 he was involved in war with the Jat power, especially in futile attacks on Dig and Kumbher. Peace having been at last made with the Jat Rajah, the Maratha army moved on to Mathura (May 23.) From this place their vanguard under Malhar was sent across the river to surprise the Emperor's camp at Sikandrabad (which was effected on May 26.) Raghunath himself with the main army crossed the Jamuna near Mat (10 miles north of Mathura) on May 25 and marched up the east bank of the river to Patparganj, 6 miles s. e. of Delhi, on June 1. Here his presence lent support to Imād-ul-mulk in changing the Emperor and seizing the wazirship. Raghunath next set himself to realize the money promised by Imād.
v2.c21.s4.2
∗ SPD. xxvii. 79 (important itinerary), 92. TALS. 16b-21a, 30b-35a. DC.
v2.c21.s4.3
This was no easy task, and after five months had been wasted in talk, only partial success was achieved. During the interval Raghunath moved round the capital, encamping for a few weeks at different villages in the environs of Delhi, till he had eaten up the available provisions and exhausted the grass trees and even house-timber of each region. His lieutenant was Malhar Holkar, who encamped at some distance from him in order to distribute more widely the pressure on the forage supply. Bapu Mahadev Hingané, the Peshwa's resident envoy at Delhi, who resided near Jai Singh's Observatory in Jaisinghpura (one mile s. w. of the Ajmir gate), was the medium through whom all proposals about the Maratha contribution, all complaints of aggrieved citizens and officials, and all intrigues of nobles like Intizām were conducted. He took the men first to Malhar and then with Malhar to Raghunath for final decision ; this was the procedure.
v2.c21.s4.4
The course of the negotiations for the military contribution will be detailed later along with the history of the events inside the capital. We shall here briefly follow the movements of the Maratha army outside. From Patparganj, Raghunath recrossed the Jamuna and by way of the south and west sides of Delhi, removed to the Shalimār garden, some 6 miles north-west of the Lahor gate (June 17.) From this place he sent off (23 June) Jayapa Sindhia with 4,000 Government troops, besides Jayapa’s own contingent, to Marwar for assisting Ram Singh against Bijay Singh. In the northern suburbs of the city Raghunath spent three months, roving from the Shalimar garden to Basai, the Idgah, the hermitage of Majnun faqir, and Wazirabad, till the middle of September, when he removed his camp to the south of the city and lived there from Sep. 17 to December 9, ranging over the country from the Badarpur *nala*, to Tughlaqabad, Kishandas’s tank, Islampur (3 m. w. of Humayun’s tomb), Mehrauli, Parapula and Chaharbagh. When changing camp from the western to the northern suburbs of Delhi (August 31), the unruly Maratha soldiers plundered and molested the villagers on that side. The suffering yeomen-farmers of the Dahiya clan (a branch of the Jats) living in Jalalpur and other villages near Narela, retaliated, often surprised the foraging parties of the Deccanis, and carried off their mares and other property. So, Malhar fought them, and assaulted and sacked three villages,—Jalalpur, Nahra and Nahri—where their leaders dwelt. But many innocent villages shared the same fate, and the booty carried off from them was offered by the Marathas for sale in Delhi. "The aggrieved villagers assembled under the jharoka window of the palace and complained to the Emperor, who sent them to the wazir, but they got no redress."
v2.c21.s4.5
On 12 Nov. Malhar took leave of Raghunath near Badarpur and moved with his own troops to the south-west of the city,—Harin-minar, the Jinsi Topkhanah, Palam, and the outlet of the canal. On the 17th he arrived at Tālkatora, where Raghunath joined him in the evening, alighting near the Hauz-i-khas, in the Chahar Bagh garden of Nāzir Fattu, while Malhar encamped near Shah Mardān and Haidarganj. Here Intizām visited them.