In the Himalayas (way up in mountains)
When they start: very small
As they enter the plains:
- Slowly get speed
- A lot of flow increases
- Become bigger and bigger

After They Meet:

Once they meet at Prayagraj
Becomes Ganga (consumes the Yamuna)
Keeps flowing toward east
Finally empties into Bay of Bengal

Today's Delhi:

To connect old Delhi with east-west: bridges exist
Across Yamuna
Most of Delhi still on western flank
Old Delhi is what's really bordering the Yamuna
New Delhi kind of to the northwest of normal Delhi

Neighboring Countries:

Nepal visible on map
Bangladesh to the east

The Kutub Shah Raid (Flashback)

Creating the Rift

What Happened:

"Because Mr. Imad went against Mr. Najib Khan, his teacher or his guru decided to teach a lesson to Imad."

The Raid:

Went to Imad's residence
Killed his bodyguards
Treated all the women of household badly
Complete violation

The Result:

Najib Khan was once his subordinate
Now Imad started treating him as arch enemy
Really was pissed off now
Permanent enmity created

The Maratha Attack on Delhi (August 10, 1757)

The Siege Begins

The Date:

10th of August, 1757
Maratha attack began
Attacked Delhi

The Speed:

Within a month
By end of August
Basically laid siege to Delhi
Made sure nothing could go in or go out of Delhi

The Ceasefire:

27th and 28th of August = Eid celebration
On the Muslim calendar
To cater for Muslim feelings during their festival
Maratha stopped the battle for two days
Complete ceasefire
Respect for religious observance

Najib Khan's Surrender (September 3, 1757)

The Defeat

The Date:

Finally, on 3rd of September
Najib surrendered

The Strategy:

To placate Holkar
Najib Khan said: "Please consider me as your son"

The Holkar-Najib Relationship

Why This Worked

The History:

"This is a very important thing. Because they were on good terms."

Their Relationship:

Relations were good earlier also (before all this)
Holkar had a soft corner for Najib Khan
Najib Khan had a soft corner for Holkar
Reciprocated relationship

Najib's Character:

"Najib Khan was a very shrewd human being."

Wanted to use this relationship
To get off easy
Strategic manipulation

The Pattern:

In general, all these Rohillas (especially Najib Khan)
Literally hated Marathas
But for Holkar?
Treated softy (made an exception)
And same thing reciprocated by Holkar

Najib's Plea to Holkar

The Surrender Terms

What He Did:

Najib Khan came into Holkar's tent
Gave him a big sum of money

The Request:

Raghunath Rao and Imad were upset with him
Begged Holkar to ask them to forget his follies
"You deal with these guys"
"Convince them they should let me go softly"
"Please fight on my behalf"
"Tell them they should pardon me"

Najib's Four Promises

The Deal

Point 1:

"Whatever you order me, I will behave accordingly. You have done a lot of good things to me, so I acknowledge that. You have been benevolent to me."

Point 2:

Will return whatever areas
That Marathas had won in the Doab area

Point 3:

Not to ever dabble
Into the politics of Mughal court in Delhi
Won't upset the order

Point 4 (Implied):

"I will return once I have made up my mind."

Gave the assurance he'd behave
Promise not to interfere

The Reality: Najib's True Nature

A Shrewd Politician

The Assessment:

"But you know, he was a very shrewd politician."

The Situation:

He was in a very tight spot
Wanted to get out
Could have been as bad as losing his life
Could have been killed
Found guilty of treachery against Mughals

The Ploy:

"So he wanted to get out of it so he just could have played a ploy."

"Oh, please, please forgive me"
Maybe that's what he was doing
Just bidding for time
Waiting to fight another day

Najib's True Intentions

The Big Plan

His Real Intent:

"Obviously he hated Marathas. I mean, he just said that one way or the other I'm going to evict these people from here."

His Ambitions:

He himself had big ambitions
Knew that Marathas are the only force that can stop him
They were the threat to be eliminated

Two Reasons to Oppose Marathas:

Political:
- Had ambitions
- Wanted to be big boss in Mughal areas
Religious:
- Was a Jihadi Muslim
- Just didn't want Marathas there at all
- Marathas were Hindus
- Couldn't tolerate them
- Thought Northern India belonged to the Muslims

His Compromise:

Could make peace with Mughal Emperor
Could accept Mughal system of governance
But not with Marathas
That was a bridge too far
Because of his Jihadi mindset
True extremist

The Strategy:

Because he was weak
Willing to surrender for a while
Would be patient and wait
Willing to say whatever they wanted to hear

Najib's Trump Card

The Abdali Connection

His Big Ploy:

"His big ploy was to make sure Abdali comes back. That was his ace in the hole."

Why He Needed Abdali:

Couldn't fight with Marathas on his own
His army size insufficient
Overall resources not enough
Not a match for Marathas

The Plan:

Just going to do bidding
Bid for time
Wait for Abdali's return
Abdali was his big daddy

The Escape

Holkar Gives Safe Passage

What Happened:

Najib Khan could have become prisoner of Raghunath Rao
But because in good terms with Holkar
Finally Holkar helped him get out of Delhi
Gave him safe passage
That's what let him escape

The Sweet Talk:

Basically gave his word
"I won't meddle in your affairs"
"You know I'm your slave"
"All the lies"
"Let me go"

Holkar's Trust:

Because he thought he had great relationship
Gave him the safe passage out of Delhi
Trusted the promises

The Result:

Najib Khan took his army
Left Delhi
Went toward his area of the Rohilkhand

Holkar's Power Move

Installing New Government

What Holkar Did:

Put his men in the Delhi court

The Context:

Remember: Abdali had come few months earlier
Basically put his people in charge in court
Najib Khan was there as Mir Bakshi
And blah blah blah

The Change:

Now Holkar changed all that
Put people who were friendly to Marathas
And Imad and everyone again
Complete power shift

The Transfer of Authority

Raghunath Rao Takes Command

The Salute:

"So all of them went into Raghunath Rao's tent and they saluted him."

The Result:

Basically, Marathas now completely got control of Mughal court
Ultimate authority was Raghunath Rao Peshwa

The Hierarchy:

Holkar still didn't have the ultimate authority
Raghunath Rao was representing Nanasaheb Peshwa
Because he was his brother
Had some authority level that Holkar could not bring

Grant Duff's Assessment

The British Historian's View

Who He Was:

Grant Duff = British historian

What He Wrote:

"Najib Khan could have been imprisoned by Raghunath Rao. But no other Maratha leader was more powerful than Malhar Rao Holkar."

The Reality:

Even though Najib could have become prisoner
Because good terms with Holkar
Finally Holkar helped him get out of Delhi

Why It Worked:

Gave him a safe passage
Said all the sweet words:
- "I won't meddle in your affairs"
- "I'm your slave"
- "All the lies"
Let him go

The Test Ahead

Holkar's Abhay (Protection)

The Grant of Life:

"Holkar gave Abhay to Najib. Abhay means giving the lease on his life."

The Prediction:

How far this Abhay would hold
Going to be tested
Kasoti = test

The Outcome:

"Just within a couple of years, Najib Khan is going to completely behave exactly opposite."

What's Coming:

Going to throw it back in Maratha's face
Create big troubles for Marathas
So-called hand jay for being slave
All that talk going to be completely vaporized

The Reality:

Just meant to get out of tough situation
Had no intention of keeping his word
Was in tough spot
No Abdali around
Would be on good behavior for a while

The Moment:

Moment he got opportunity
Would go back
Try and expel them by however means
Intent was to kill Marathas
Expel them out of Northern India

The Cow Slaughter Incident

The Unholy Sight

The Location:

Wherever Raghunath Rao was taking a dip in Yamuna
That's where Marathas' tent was
Najib Khan's tent

What Raghunath Rao Saw:

Could see cows being slaughtered in that tent
All the way along the path
Blood and meat (beef)

The Hindu Perspective:

These were devout Hindus
Just cannot allow cows slaughtered
Very unholy sight for Raghunath Rao
Couldn't stand by this

Why Cows Are Holy in Hinduism

The Historical Explanation

The Ice Age Connection:

When humans came out of Ice Age
Started moving about
Becoming warm enough
Get out of caves
Trying to somehow survive

The Exploration:

Started exploring land around them
Going about in nature
Trying to see what is where

The Role of Cows:

That's when they would use the cows
Sit on the cow
Cow will take them wherever they want to go
Source of transportation AND food

Why Perfect:

Don't have to carry food
Just drink the milk
Cow feeds off plants, trees, leaves
Basically: go around on back of cow
Drink milk as source of food

The Value:

Came to be looked upon as very valuable animal
Goes back to when people came out of Ice Age
Started looking around and going places
Could do that only because of cow being source of food
Let them explore

The Tamable Factor:

Could be tamed (important)
Not wild/dangerous
Cooperative animal

The Wealth Measure:

Number of cows = measure of richness
Every family/group counted cows
More cows = richer

The Lasting Impact:

"Cow was like a very useful and very important animal starting from those days. And they never forgot that."

The Sacred Status:

Led to the holiness
Said: "Don't kill cows"
Really important for prosperity
Essential to survival and growth

Holkar's Intervention

Trying to Prevent Violence

What Holkar Did:

Tried to tell Najib Khan
Explain to him
Convince him not to do such things

The Argument:

Going to disturb Hindu sensitivities
Raghunath Rao etc. are Hindus
Didn't stand for this killing of cows
Cow is holy animal in Hinduism
They don't like to see this

Najib's Response:

"No, I'm not going to stop cows slaughtered."

Raghunath Rao's Reaction:

Was irate
Decided to use violence using weapons
To solve this situation

Timeline

Date	Event
August 10, 1757	Maratha attack on Delhi begins
August 27-28, 1757	Ceasefire for Eid celebration
End of August 1757	Complete siege - nothing in/out of Delhi
September 3, 1757	Najib Khan surrenders
September 1757	Najib pleads to Holkar, gives money
September 1757	Najib promises to return Doab, not meddle
September 1757	Holkar gives safe passage to Najib
September 1757	Najib leaves Delhi for Rohilkhand
September 1757	Holkar installs friendly people in Delhi court
September 1757	All authority transfers to Raghunath Rao
September 1757	Cow slaughter incident
Next couple years	Najib will betray promises

Key Players

Name	Role	Status/Action
Najib Khan	Rohilla leader	Surrendered Sept 3, given safe passage, escapes
Malhar Rao Holkar	Maratha commander	Has soft spot for Najib, gives safe passage
Raghunath Rao	Peshwa's brother	Ultimate authority, irate about cow slaughter
Imad ul-Mulk	Wazir	Bitter enemy of Najib after Kutub Shah raid
Kutub Shah	Najib's guru	Raided Imad's residence, created rift
Nanasaheb	Peshwa (in Pune)	Raghunath Rao representing him
Grant Duff	British historian	Wrote about Holkar's power

Geography Summary

Rivers:

Yamuna (west) - starts in Himalayas
Ganga (east) - starts in Himalayas
Saraswati (underground now, mythical)
Chambal - tributary meeting Yamuna from south

Regions:

Doab - between Yamuna and Ganga, very fertile
Old Delhi - western bank of Yamuna
New Delhi - northwest of old Delhi
Agra - south of Delhi, also western bank

Strategic Points:

Prayagraj - where Yamuna meets Ganga
Rivers act as natural barriers
No bridges in this era
Monsoon makes them impassable

Key Themes

Geography is Destiny - Rivers as strategic barriers
The Holkar Mercy - Personal relationship over strategy
Najib's Deception - Shrewd politician playing for time
The Abhay Test - Will be betrayed within years
Religious Extremism - Najib's Jihadi mindset
The Abdali Card - Najib's ace in the hole
Cow Sanctity - Deep cultural/religious significance
Power Transfer - Marathas control Delhi court
Grant Duff's Assessment - Holkar most powerful leader
The Eid Ceasefire - Respecting religious observance
Kutub Shah Revenge - Creating permanent rifts
The Big Daddy - Abdali as ultimate power

Critical Insights

The Geography Lesson's Importance

Why They Taught This:

Rivers will be crucial going forward
Act as natural barriers
No way to cross during monsoon
Even otherwise difficult for armies

The Strategic Reality:

Elephants, horses, camels can't swim rivers easily
Big cannons can't be ferried
Bullock carts can't cross
No bridges exist

The Doab's Value:

Very, very fertile
Between two rivers (irrigation)
Wealth of the region
Worth controlling

The Flow:

Start small in Himalayas
Get bigger in plains
Meet at Prayagraj
Become Ganga
Empty into Bay of Bengal

Holkar's Fatal Mistake

The Decision:

Give safe passage to Najib
Based on personal relationship
Soft spot for each other
Reciprocated affection

Why It's a Mistake:

Najib is shrewd politician
Just playing for time
Has no intention of keeping word
Hates Marathas (except Holkar)
Will betray within couple years

The Prediction:

"Just within a couple of years, Najib Khan is going to completely behave exactly opposite. Going to throw it back in Maratha's face. Create big troubles."

Grant Duff's Warning:

Even British historian noted
Holkar most powerful Maratha leader
But his personal feelings
Override strategic necessity
Should have imprisoned Najib
Or killed him
Instead: let him go

Najib's Two-Front Strategy

Against Marathas:

Political Reason:
- Has big ambitions
- Wants to be big boss in Mughal areas
- Marathas only force that can stop him
- Must eliminate the threat
Religious Reason:
- Jihadi Muslim
- Thinks Northern India belongs to Muslims
- Can't tolerate Hindus (Marathas)
- Religious extremism
- True extremist

His Acceptance:

Can make peace with Mughal Emperor ✓
Can accept Mughal system ✓
But NOT with Marathas ✗
That's a bridge too far
Ideological line he won't cross

The Abdali Card

Najib's Trump:

"His big ploy was to make sure Abdali comes back. Abdali was his big daddy."

Why He Needs It:

Can't fight Marathas on his own
Army size insufficient
Resources not enough
Not a match

The Strategy:

Bid for time
Be patient
Wait for Abdali's return
Then strike

The Reality:

Right now: no Abdali around
So: good behavior for a while
But moment he got opportunity
Would go back on promises
Expel Marathas by any means

The Cow Slaughter Provocation

What Happened:

Najib slaughtering cows in his tent
Blood and meat along path
Right where Raghunath Rao taking dip in Yamuna
Unholy sight

Why It Matters:

Hindus are devout
Cannot allow cow slaughter
Deeply offensive
Religious violation

Holkar's Intervention:

Tried to explain to Najib
"This disturbs Hindu sensitivities"
"These people are Hindus"
"Cow is holy"
"Don't do this"

Najib's Refusal:

"No, I'm not going to stop cows slaughtered."

The Deliberateness:

Najib knows what he's doing
This is provocation
Testing boundaries
Religious warfare
Won't compromise even when asked

Raghunath Rao's Response:

Was irate
Decided to use violence
To solve this situation
About to escalate

The Cow's Historical Significance

The Post-Ice Age Role:

When humans emerged from caves
Started exploring
Used cow for:
- Transportation (ride it)
- Food (drink milk)
- Exploration (go places)

The Perfect Animal:

Tamable (could control)
Mobile (could travel)
Self-sustaining (eats plants)
Provides food (milk)
Don't need to carry supplies

The Wealth Measure:

Number of cows = wealth
More cows = richer
Every family counted cows
Status symbol

The Sacred Status:

Never forgot its importance
Essential to prosperity
Essential to survival
Therefore: don't kill cows
Became holy

Why It Endures:

Deep historical memory
Cultural significance
Religious protection
Goes back thousands of years

The Power Transfer Complete

What Happened:

Marathas control Mughal court
Ultimate authority: Raghunath Rao
All officials saluted him

The Hierarchy:

Raghunath Rao = ultimate authority
- Representing Nanasaheb Peshwa
- He's the brother (family connection)
- Authority Holkar can't match
Holkar = powerful but not ultimate
- Most powerful Maratha leader (Grant Duff)
- But still subordinate to Peshwa family

The Installation:

Holkar's men in Delhi court
Friendly people to Marathas
Friendly to Imad
Changed Abdali's appointees
Complete power shift

The Eid Ceasefire

What They Did:

August 27-28 = Eid celebration
Maratha stopped battle for two days
Complete ceasefire

Why:

To cater for Muslim feelings
During their festival
Respect for religious observance
Strategic tolerance

The Irony:

Showing respect for Muslim festival
While besieging Muslim-controlled city
Political calculation
Win hearts even while winning war

The Test of Abhay

What Abhay Means:

Giving the lease on life
Protection granted
Safe passage
Trust

The Prediction:

"How far this Abhay would hold... going to be tested (kasoti). Just within a couple years, Najib Khan is going to completely behave exactly opposite."

What Will Happen:

Throw it back in face
Create big troubles
All that talk (being slave)
Completely vaporized

Why:

Just meant to escape
No intention of keeping word
In tough spot (no Abdali)
Good behavior temporary
Waiting for opportunity

The Betrayal Coming:

Intent to kill Marathas
Expel them from North
Jihadi mindset
Ambitions for power
Will use Abdali when he returns

Foreshadowing

What This Sets Up:

Najib will betray - within couple years
Holkar's mercy - will be fatal mistake
Abdali will return - Najib's ace in hole
Cow slaughter - religious violence escalating
Raghunath Rao irate - about to use violence
Marathas control Delhi - but for how long?
Najib in Rohilkhand - regrouping, waiting
Jihadi extremism - ideological war
Rivers as barriers - will matter in battles ahead
Grant Duff's warning - Holkar's power and mistake
The Abhay test - will fail spectacularly
Two years - that's the timeline for betrayal

The Questions:

How will Najib betray them?
When will Abdali return?
Will Raghunath Rao attack over cow slaughter?
Can Marathas hold Delhi without Najib threat?
Will Holkar regret his mercy?
How will rivers affect coming battles?
What troubles will Najib create?

August-September 1757: Geography lesson first - rivers are natural barriers, no bridges, can't cross during monsoon, Doab is the prize. August 10: Marathas attack Delhi. By end of August: complete siege, nothing in or out. August 27-28: ceasefire for Eid, respecting Muslim festival. September 3: Najib Khan surrenders. But he's shrewd - pleads to Holkar, "Consider me your son." Gives big sum of money. "I'm your slave. I won't meddle. I'll return the Doab." Holkar has soft spot for him - reciprocated relationship. Gives safe passage. Grant Duff warns: "Holkar most powerful Maratha leader" but this is a mistake. Because Najib is jihadi extremist, has big ambitions, hates Marathas, waiting for Abdali's return - "his big daddy." Within couple years will betray everything, throw it back in their face, create big troubles. Najib escapes to Rohilkhand. Holkar installs friendly people in Delhi court. All authority transfers to Raghunath Rao. Then cow slaughter incident - Najib doing it right where Raghunath Rao bathing in Yamuna. Holkar begs him to stop - "disturbs Hindu sensitivities." Najib refuses: "No, I'm not stopping." Raghunath Rao irate, about to use violence. The test of Abhay is coming. It will fail.