Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c21.s4.3

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.