The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c12.13

c12.13

It was the Biniwala or Quartermaster-General who circulated the Peshwa's decision about the camping ground.³ On his arrival at the selected site the Biniwala hoisted a little flag to indicate the place for the Peshwa's tent. In front of this tent met the bazar or the market of the camp. The Banias accompanying the army fixed their little tents or pals, which consisted of a single blanket supported on a few sticks. Each of the Sardars then fixed his tent according to his own convenience and hoisted his flag to indicate his whereabouts to his followers. No order was followed. Each private shifted for himself, but the different Sardars had each his own bazar which met in the immediate neighbourhood of his tent. While a private had often nothing better than a pal, and sometimes the shadow of his mount or a shrub or a tree was considered sufficient shelter for his repose,¹ the officers were much better provided. The principal chiefs had not only comfortable but quite spacious and costly camp equipage. James Forbes, who accompanied Raghoba on his marches, writes: ‘The magnificence of the Indian tents, pavillions, and summinianas, or canopy, far exceeds anything of the king in Europe, especially among the Moguls. These accommodations are the more necessary where their women and children accompany them to the field. The Mahrattas seem to prefer their tents to house, and enjoy more pleasure in a camp than in a city.’² In fact a Maratha camp in the later Peshwa days much resembled a city where commercial transactions of considerable volume were daily contracted.