Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c54.s2.3

v4.c54.s2.3

Early in June the two Widows reached Burhānpur and begged Jaswant Holkar to help them in gaining possession of their family capital Ujjain, which was then under his control. At the same time Daulat Rao Sindhia wrote to him to prevent them from entering Mālwa. They were thus halted near Burhānpur for several weeks. But as General Perron decided to restore Holkar's jāgir of Tonk-Rāmpurā to its original owner the Rajah of Jaipur, Jaswant Holkar was antagonised by this loss of his father's property. He therefore invited the Widows to Maheshwar.* Here they arrived at the beginning of August and were welcomed by him with a loan of one lakh of Rupees in cash and another lakh in clothing and materials. A pact was made between them: Jaswant was to help them with his army in gaining possession of Mahādji's northern dominions, and they were to pay him four lakhs of Rupees for his army expenses. Escorted by Jaswant they reached Ujjain (about 1 October). Here their difficulties began. Their need was money, and they could raise no loan or donation, though they were personally popular out of regard for Mahādji's memory. Jaswant soon lost patience and threatened to leave their party unless the promised four lakhs and twenty guns from the Ujjain arsenal were delivered to him. Just then he received through Ambāji Inglé a seductive offer of five lakhs if he turned against the Widows.