The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c12.44

c12.44

The Maratha camp was the frequent scene of this extreme form of dunning which was seldom absolutely ineffective. No man, whatever his rank and position, was immune from it. Haripant Phadke, Sindhia, Holkar, and even the Peshwa had been subjected to this last recourse of desperate creditors;² and, as a Maratha chief was often indefinitely detained by the *dharna* of his soldiers, it will not be irrelevant here to explain this peculiar method of realising arrears, in the words of an English observer. Major Broughton writes: ‘This curious mode of enforcing a demand is in universal practice among the Mahrattas; Seendhiya himself not being exempt from it. The man who sits the *dhurna*, goes to the house or tent of him whom he wishes to bring to terms; and remains there till the affair is settled: during which time the one under restraint is confined to his apartment, and not suffered to communicate with any persons but those whom the other may approve of. The laws by which the *dhurna* is regulated are as well defined and understood as those of any other custom whatever. When it is meant to be very strict, the claimant carries a number of his followers, who surround the tent, sometimes even the bed, of his adversary, and deprive him altogether of food; in which case, however, etiquette prescribes the same abstinence to himself: the strongest stomach of course carries the day’. ³ Strange though it may seem, the victim, however powerful, did not dare to break the traditional rules and had to come to terms with his tormentors. Even Jaswant Rao Holkar and Amir Khan, the two most unscrupulous military leaders of their time, had to bear the penalties of this time-honoured custom with patience, though not forbearance.¹ Encumbered with innumerable women, tradesmen, children and cattle, disturbed by the constant wrangling of debtors and creditors, without order, without discipline as it was, the Maratha camp was not easy to surprise. The cavalry that furnished the picket were very alert and were kept on duty night and day. The Maratha chiefs, moreover, were served by very efficient scouts, and Colonel Tone was of opinion, that it would be next to impossible to surprise a Maratha camp.²