Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c54.s7.10

v4.c54.s7.10

But it was not Holkar's policy to push Māné's thrust home at this stage. Under his new orders Māné also fell back. On 31st August, his infantry patrol in Dond, following the usual Marātha tactics, set fire to the houses of the village they had so long occupied and crossed back to the north bank; and Māné after collecting his forces together, marched south-east into the Pandhārpur district. Looting the country on the way he reached Kārkomb, 12 miles north of Pandhārpur, about 10th September and in that region kept roving far and wide till the 28th of that month. Though he squeezed money out of the rich and the public officers, he allowed no sacrilege or oppression within the holy precincts of Pandhārpur. The Brāhman reporter from Punā gratefully admits, "Māné came to Pandhārpur district, and strictly forbade his troops to do any harm to anybody. There were many Muslims under him, but none misbehaved himself. Māné performed pujā and tarpan (worship and oblation). The god (Vitobā) has saved the holy tirtha."