Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c48.s4: § 6. Malhar Rao Holkar the Younger: Policy of aggression triumphs
Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c48.s4
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§ 6. Malhar Rao Holkar the Younger: Policy of aggression triumphs
v4.c48.s4.1
And then came Malhar Rao Holkar the younger, on the scene, and “reversed the treaty with Gopāl Bhāu.” This young son of Tukoji was a fanatical believer in the light foray tactics (*ghanimi qāwā*) which had made Shivaji, Baji Rao I and Malhar Holkar I famous throughout India many generations earlier and against enemies very differently armed. Recently this hot-headed youth had run away from home, gone to war on his own account, assembled bands of predatory horsemen and led them in looting helpless villages of the Peshwa’s dominions in Khandesh. This success had raised his prestige in the ignorant circle of Ahalyā Bāi’s advisers, and his own self-conceit to the point of madness. He now insisted on being sent to Rajputana with power to override his father’s generals, and promised to crush Mahadji’s much-vaunted New Model army by making one sudden charge with his myriads of light cavalry, *à la* Malhar Holkar the First!
v4.c48.s4.2
Ahalyā Bāi yielded to his boastful tongue and sent him to the Holkar camp in Rajputana, where Malhar II brushed aside the sober counsels of Bāpu and Parāshar and ordered an aggressive policy against the Sindhian generals.
v4.c48.s4.3
Gopāl Bhāu and Jivvā Dādā took immediate action. Moving south through the Jaipur kingdom, by way of Chātsu and Nawāi, and being joined by De Boigne’s choice brigade from Koil during the march, they arrived at Tonk on 24th April, and next day advanced to Kākor, 12 miles to the south-east, seeking the enemy out.
v4.c48.s4.4
Meantime, from his base at Jhapāit ghāt Tukoji Holkar had pushed one division under Kāshi and Bāpu Holkar, with Parāshar Dādāji as diwan, to Bābi, 10 miles north of Lākheri. And a decisive battle seemed imminent. But again the peace-makers intervened and tried to avert a civil war between these Maratha chiefs.
v4.c48.s4.5
The Peshwā’s ministers Nānā Fadnis and Hari Pant Phādké had long been trying to make up the quarrel between Sindhia and Holkar. They had made Mahādji, who was then in Punā, write to his generals in the North not to give any provocation to Holkar for the next two months and a half during which interval the two ministers were hopeful of effecting an amicable settlement between the two chiefs. Mahādji restrained his hand for four months, but no peace could be made as Tukoji persisted in replying “I will fight one battle at least to wipe off the disgrace of the defeat at Surauli.” So the Peshwā’s agent gave up the attempt in despair.
v4.c48.s4.6
On learning of the failure of the peace mission and Tukoji’s open declaration in favour of war, Mahadji Sindhia at last wrote to his generals in the beginning of April to accept the challenge, and they accordingly pushed on to Tonk in search of the enemy.
v4.c48.s4.7
While the rival hosts thus neared each other again, a last attempt at peace was made. On 12th May Parāshar Dādāji, Tukoji’s chief man-of-business, rode into Gopāl Bhāu’s camp at Oniārā to renew negotiations for a reconciliation. He conducted the Sindhian envoys to Kāshi Holkar and Bāpu Holkar, who after discussion and adjustment of points agreed to their proposal that Parāshar should next visit Tukoji and secure from that chief a ratification of the settlement made by Bāpu and Kāshi.
v4.c48.s4.8
Parāshar Dādāji reached Tukoji’s base about the 17th of May, told him of the settlement made in Bāpu Holkar’s presence, and asked him to name a day for confirming this agreement in the presence of Sindhia’s generals.
v4.c48.s4.9
But the fully ripened fruit of peace was destined to rot. For, by this time Malhar Holkar the younger had reached his father’s camp. Fired with boundless pride and ambition, he rebuked the aged Tukoji, crying out, “We have been maintaining an army for the last eight months at the cost of lakhs of Rupees in order to recover our lost prestige in Hindustan. You have now discarded the policy of fighting and thereby saving our honour, and made peace with Sindhia. This has destroyed even the little prestige that was still left to us. You remain here with your peace. I will listen to none, but deliver one battle.” So saying he next day marched away to the front. Then Tukoji turned a somersault, repudiated the agreement made by Parāshar and censured him. The baffled minister sulked in his tent in grief and humiliation.