Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c54.s9.1

v4.c54.s9.1

We now turn to the other prong of Jaswant’s plan for attacking Punā; namely the push along the north-western arm of our imaginary triangle whose apex was at Pandhārpur. Fath Singh Māné, with his forces considerably strengthened in the meantime, left Pandhārpur (c. 27th September) and made his way unopposed north-westwards up the Nirā river, giving out that he only wanted to make a pilgrimage to Jejuri, and worship the tutelary goddess of the Holkar family there. The move was ominous, as Jejuri lay only 30 miles south-east of Punā with nothing but the Borghāt as an obstacle between the two places, and there were no Sindhian troops in that region within a hundred miles. The wildest panic broke out in Punā at the news of Māné’s approach.