Winter Sets In & Holkar's Questionable Character (Late December 1759 - Early January 1760)

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

Abdali Joins Najib (Late December 1759)

The Union of Forces

After Crossing Yamuna:

• Abdali went to Saharanpur
• Joined Najib Khan
• Rohila Khand location

Who Are the Rohilas:

• Najib Khan's allies
• Other Rohilla commanders
• Afghan ethnic group in India
• Based in Rohilakhand region

Combined Armies:

• Now moved towards Delhi
• On left bank of Yamuna

Holkar's Ideology: Old-School Warfare

His Belief About Abdali

What Holkar Thought:

"Abdali was overrated."

His Assessment:

• Didn't believe Abdali was that dangerous
• Thought people exaggerated his capability
• This was wrong assessment

What Holkar Used to Say:

• To Abdali: "You will be the first one to be shot if at all"
• "You are the celebrity, right?"
• Used to belittle Abdali
• Said Abdali "has no real guts to be leader of battle formation"

The Reality:

"Dattaji turned out to be wrong and Abdali turned out to be correct."

Foreshadowing:

• This will come back in future chapters
• Holkar's underestimation will matter
• We're just getting warmed up
• Actual battle is far away
• But something may be happening soon

The Winter Problem

Height of Winter in North India

The Climate Reality:

• December 1759 - peak winter
• North India = very cold
• Marathas not accustomed to cold
• Their flimsy clothes

The Maratha Disadvantage:

• Came from the Deccan (Khan)
• Much warmer and hotter place
• Not used to winter business

Why Their Clothes Were Flimsy:

• In Deccan, resist heat by wearing less
• Put as little clothes as possible
• Makes sense in hot climate
• Terrible in north India winter

The Fog Factor

North India Winter Conditions:

• Thick fog in morning hours
• Especially winter months (3 months)
• Until 11 or 12 o'clock
• Then sun disperses it

The Impact:

• Visibility affected
• Heavy thick fog cover
• Even today this happens
• Tactical disadvantage

Climate Notes:

• Very conducive for fog formation
• Consistent phenomenon
• Predictable but unavoidable

Afghan Climate Advantage

The Preparation

Why Afghans Were Ready:

• Coming from colder climate
• Usually carried protective clothing
• Used to cold weather

The Home Advantage:

• Afghanistan much colder than north India
• For them, north India winter = mild
• Their attire adjusted for Afghan weather
• Even colder than nearby areas

The Result:

• Not affected by cold
• No big deal for them
• Ready for conditions
• While Marathas suffered

The River Defense Strategy

Burari Ghat: The Critical Point

Who Was There:

• Sabaji Shinde held post
• Burari Ghat location
• Just north of Delhi

Why This Location:

• To prevent Abdali from crossing Yamuna
• The ghat = slope of Yamuna river
• Where Abdali could come up if crossing

The Strategy:

"If you catch him while he is crossing, then you can destroy his army when it is most vulnerable."

• Really take them out
• Best place to be situated
• Catch enemy at weakest moment

Dattaji's Position: Majnu Katila

Where He Was:

• Just south of Burari Ghat
• Also at a ghat (Majnu Katila)
• On Yamuna's west bank

The Coordination:

• Dattaji south of Sabaji
• Both covering Yamuna crossings
• Best guess: Abdali will cross river
• Come over to Burari Ghat

The Logic:

• Catch enemy where most vulnerable
• While crossing river
• Can't fight back effectively
• Destroy the army
• Guessing game though

Malhar Rao Holkar: Still in Rajasthan

The Tribute Business

What He Was Doing:

• Trying to close his affair in Rajasthan
• Getting pending tributes from Madho Singh
• Trying to capture Fort of Barwada

Barwada Location:

• Called south
• Between Tonk and Sawai Madhopur
• Southeast of Jaipur city
• Nearly 175 kilometers from Delhi

The Problem:

• Not far from where action was
• Hide and seek between Abdali and Dattaji
• If he had dropped tribute business
• Could have come just in time

Madho Singh's Secret Alliance

Working with Najib Khan

The Conspiracy:

• Madho Singh working in secret conjunction with Najib Khan
• Detained Holkar in Rajasthan
• By offering stiff resistance

The Strategy:

• Keeping Holkar busy
• Instead of letting him easily go north
• In cahoots with Abdali and Najib
• But no one knew it at the time

The Fort Siege

December 1759:

• Holkar brought his guns
• Forced fort to capitulate
• In mid-December 1759

Meanwhile:

• When Dattaji crossed Yamuna to face Abdali
• Holkar still busy with siege
• Getting some results
• But wasting time

The Holkar Problem: A Troublesome Figure

His Character Assessment

General View:

"Malhar Rao is also troublesome figure. You will see later on also."

The Accusation:

• A lot of people say
• He didn't play proper role in actual battle
• Let down the Marathas

Why:

1. Had soft corner for Najib Khan
2. Was an old timer

The Age Factor

His Age:

• At the time: 50 plus
• Not in his prime fighting age

What This Means:

• Less aggressive
• More cautious
• Not as capable physically
• Different priorities

Holkar's Warfare Ideology

Trained Under Bajirao I

His Background:

• Was aid to Bajirao I
• Went on northern campaigns with him
• Saw Bajirao in action
• Bajirao was his teacher

His Ideology Matured During Bajirao I's Time:

• That's when he learned warfare
• Formed his tactical beliefs
• Based on Bajirao's methods

The Old-Style Fighter

His Understanding:

"You never confront the enemy one-on-one in a flat land. Just don't do it."

What He Believed:

• Suddenly pounce on enemy
• Or use surprise tactics
• Never comfortable with flat land engagement
• Both armies engaged until battle ends
• Not used to that fighting style

His Preference:

• Cavalry man
• Didn't believe in heavy artillery
• Wanted old-style fighting

The Relevance Problem

Why His Style Didn't Work

The Geography:

• Northern plains of India
• All flat land
• Between Ganga and Yamuna = Doab
• Called "the hour" (between two rivers)

The Doab Characteristics:

• Extremely flat land
• Best agricultural land you can find
• Plenty of water (sweet water)
• Flat land
• Extremely good quality soil

The Strategic Problem:

• No hills
• No forts (or only regular forts, not mountain forts like Shivaji had)
• Those forts easily conquered
• Not mountain forts
• Can't use Shivaji's tactics

The Conclusion:

"The style of fighting he was used to or he wanted to fight it had little relevance in the northern plains of India."

The River Crossing (Late December 1759)

Why It's Possible Now

December = More Feasible:

• Winter month
• River levels lower
• If tried in monsoon = extremely difficult

The Memory:

• Same river where Dattaji needed Najib's help
• Just a few months ago (no, that was Ganga)
• Wait, different river - this is Yamuna
• But same principle applies

The Crossing:

• December conditions favorable
• Probably crossed at low lying land
• Different areas where can cross easily
• Month of December made it possible

Holkar's Belated Response

Getting the Message

December 27, 1759:

• Holkar got Dattaji's message
• Calling for help
• Began preparations to join Shinde

The Problem:

• Already too late
• Was 375 kilometers away

Finally Leaving Jaipur

January 2, 1760:

• Holkar finally left Jaipur
• Moved towards Delhi
• To join Dattaji

The Assessment:

"Perhaps he did not sense the urgency of Dattaji's situation."

But:

"Ahmad Shah Abdali did."

The Race Against Time

Abdali's Awareness

What He Knew:

• Holkar now coming
• Timing was perfect
• Needs to destroy Dattaji before Malhar Rao's army shows up

The Implication:

• Window of opportunity
• Dattaji isolated
• Holkar still days away
• Must strike now

Key Players

Timeline

Geographic Context

Key Locations:

• Saharanpur: Where Abdali joined Najib (Rohilakhand)
• Burari Ghat: River crossing point, just north of Delhi (Sabaji's position)
• Majnu Katila: South of Burari Ghat, on west bank of Yamuna (Dattaji's position)
• The Doab: Flat land between Ganga and Yamuna
• Barwada Fort: Between Tonk and Sawai Madhopur, 175km from Delhi
• Jaipur: Where Holkar was stuck, 375km from Delhi

Critical Insights

The Climate as Weapon

Winter's Impact:

• Marathas: Flimsy clothes, suffering in cold
• Afghans: Prepared, used to colder weather
• Fog: Reduced visibility, tactical disadvantage
• Not conducive for Marathas

Why It Matters:

• Physical discomfort = reduced effectiveness
• Can't see well in fog
• Morale impact
• Natural advantage to Afghans
• Timing of invasion deliberate

The Technology vs. Tradition Debate

Holkar's Problem:

• Trained under Bajirao I
• Believes in old tactics:
  • Light and fast
  • Cavalry-based
  • Surprise attacks
  • Never one-on-one in flat land

The Reality:

• Northern plains = all flat land
• No hills, no mountain forts
• Old tactics have little relevance
• Need heavy artillery
• But Holkar doesn't believe in it

The Generation Gap:

• Holkar represents old guard
• 50+ years old
• Set in his ways
• Can't adapt to new warfare

The Questionable Character

Evidence Against Holkar:

1. Soft corner for Najib Khan - potential conflict of interest
2. Wasted time in Rajasthan collecting tributes
3. Didn't sense urgency of Dattaji's situation
4. Old-fashioned tactics inappropriate for terrain
5. Underestimated Abdali - thought he was overrated
6. "Let down the Marathas" in the actual battle (foreshadowed)

The Implication:

• Not fully committed
• Personal interests > collective goal
• Will be a problem in coming battle

The Conspiracy Theory

Madho Singh's Role:

• Secret conjunction with Najib Khan
• Deliberately detained Holkar
• Offered stiff resistance to Barwada siege
• Kept Holkar busy in Rajasthan

Why:

• In cahoots with Abdali
• Part of Abdali's political warfare
• But no one knew it at the time
• Worked perfectly

The River Defense Strategy

The Logic:

• Yamuna = natural barrier
• Catch Abdali while crossing = most vulnerable
• Can destroy army then
• Both Sabaji and Dattaji positioned for this

The Problem:

• It's a guessing game
• Abdali already crossed
• Now joining Najib
• Strategy didn't work
• Abdali outmaneuvered them

The Timing Perfection

Abdali's Awareness:

• Knows Holkar is coming
• Knows Holkar is 375km away
• At least week to 10 days travel
• Window of opportunity
• Must strike before Holkar arrives

The Math:

• Dattaji: 25,000 troops
• Abdali + Najib: 60,000+ troops
• Ratio: 2.5:1 or worse
• Holkar: Still days away
• Perfect time to attack

The Ideological Divide

Bajirao I's Legacy:

• Taught: Never fight one-on-one in flat land
• Light and fast tactics
• Guerrilla warfare
• Cavalry supremacy

The New Reality:

• Must fight in flat land
• No choice
• Heavy artillery essential
• Old tactics don't work

The Conflict:

• Old guard (Holkar) vs. new needs
• Can't adapt in time
• Stuck in outdated ideology
• Will cost them dearly

What's Coming

The Setup:

• Abdali + Najib combined = massive force
• Dattaji isolated with 25,000
• Holkar finally coming but still ~10 days away
• Winter conditions favoring Afghans
• Dattaji positioned at river crossings
• But Abdali already crossed
• Perfect storm

The Race:

• Can Dattaji survive until Holkar arrives?
• Will Abdali strike before reinforcements?
• Will Holkar even fight properly when he gets there?
• Is Holkar secretly sympathetic to Najib?

The Foreshadowing:

• "We're just getting warmed up"
• "The actual battle is far away"
• "Something may be happening here"
• Holkar will "let down the Marathas"
• His underestimation of Abdali will matter

Late December 1759 - Early January 1760: The pieces are in position. Dattaji shivers in his flimsy Deccan clothes while thick fog rolls across the flat lands. Holkar, 375 kilometers away, finally leaves Jaipur - a week too late - still believing Abdali is overrated. Meanwhile, Abdali knows exactly what he's doing. He's joined Najib. He's got the numbers. He's got the weather. He's got the timing. And he knows Holkar is coming. But he also knows he's got about ten days to destroy Dattaji first. The window is open. The trap is set. And nobody in the Maratha camp understands just how perfectly Abdali has orchestrated all of this. The politics have been won. The geography favors him. The climate favors him. The timing favors him. All that's left is the violence.