"God has been kind. We ran for 20 coasts and reached Patawadi. Left all our treasure in baggage and traveling day and night reached Kotputli. Malhar Ji Holkar has come and was stunned seeing the state of the army of Shinde."

The Assessment:

"Now he is planning his moves. Abdali is moving against the Jat. He has an army of 80,000. The army over here is trembling like a cane."

Holkar's Force:

"Holkar has 7 or 8,000 good troops with him. Nobody dares to confront Abdali openly. Wherever they [Marathas] run, Abdali follows."

Abdali's Plan:

"Abdali's plan is to unite Madho Singh, Awadh's ruler and the Jat and cross the Chambar and come to Ujjain."

Geography Note:

Ujjain = just south of Chambar river

Why Holkar Won't Fight

The Reasons Explained

Problem #1: Outnumbered:

Holkar has 7-8,000
Abdali has 80,000
Outnumbered 10 to 1

Problem #2: Fighting Style:

Doesn't believe in frontal warfare
Doesn't want to do it open that way

Problem #3: Knows Abdali's Strength:

Seen it in action
At least heard first-hand accounts
Knows needs much bigger army

Malhar Rao Holkar: Now the Tallest Leader

The New Reality

His Position:

"Malhar Rao Holkar, now the tallest Maratha leader in the north, had to restore the confidence of the armies at Kutli."

The Situation:

Shinde army was panic stricken
After short battle at Burari Ghat
Death of Dattaji
Jankoji injured (bullet wound in arm)

Holkar's Counter-Attack Plans (Late January 1760)

Planning the Response

Who Plans:

Malhar Rao
Gangadhar Tatya (his chief aide)
Planned counter attack with their smaller army

The Movement

January 23, 1760:

Malhar Rao started from Kutli
Two weeks after Dattaji's death
Moved to Kanaud (present day Mahendragarh)
In Mewat Territory southwest of Delhi

The Strategy:

Lay in wait
Looking for which way Afghans moved

Abdali Moves Against the Jats (January 27, 1760)

The Campaign

January 27, 1760:

Abdali moved from outskirts of Delhi
Against the Jats
Left for Shergarh near Mathura

February 4, 1760:

Laid siege to Surajmal's fort at Dig

The Plan:

Then planned to head for Jaipur
To obtain funds from Madho Singh

The Change:

But on hearing Malhar Rao in Mewat Territory near Delhi
Headed in that direction

Holkar's Movements (February 1760)

The Cat and Mouse Game

February 22:

Malhar Rao moved to Bahadurgarh west of Delhi
Then to outskirts of Delhi
At Kalka Devi temple

February 28:

From here crossed the Yamuna
Headed for Sikandarabad

The Direction:

Crossed from west bank to east bank
Exactly what Dattaji had done month and half earlier
And died in battle
Except now crossed with no one there

Clarification:

Dattaji died at Burarighat on western coast of Yamuna
In middle (island formed)
Not necessarily crossing
Just fighting from western direction

Abdali Sends Jahan Khan (Late February 1760)

The Pursuit

What Happened:

Abdali hearing of Holkar's proximity to Delhi
Headed for capital
Sent his general Jahan Khan
Across Yamuna after Holkar
With large army
Chased him

The Reports to Peshwa (March 1, 1760)

Gangadhar Tatya's Letter

March 1:

"We will go to the Rohila territory soon. The Gilcha's move will be known soon. By some measure we have to instill fear in Gilcha. So our troops become like lions."

Note:

Gilcha = Afghan troops with Abdali
Rohilas = Afghan soldiers who settled in India (under Najib)

Raja Keshav Rao's Letter

March 1, 1760:

"Holkar and Jankoji are in Narnal district and Abdali, Najib Khan and Dunde Khan Rohila with a large force and heavy baggage in Alawar district."

The Economic Warfare:

"Holkar is cutting off supplies to Abdali's army and prices are high in his camp."

The Demands:

"Abdali has demanded payment from Madho Singh and Surajmal and promised to expel the Marathas to the south."

The Responses:

"However, Surajmal has replied that he should first take the throne, properly deal with the Marathas and then he will pay. Madho Singh has given a like reply."

The Strategy:

Both saying: "We'll pay you later"
Will assess which is stronger side
Before extending support
Smart

Why:

If Marathas come back after they paid
Marathas will finish off the other troops
They'll have lost everything
So: "You deal with Marathas"

The Benefit:

If they fight each other
Come out weaker
Benefits smaller parties (Rajputs, Suraj Mal Jat)
Good if they stay out of big conflicts

The Other Demands:

"Abdali has called the absentee emperor Shah Alam II and Shuja Uddawla and asked them for money. Let us see whether they come."

Holkar's Strategy (March 1760)

Over a Month of Maneuvering

The Reality:

"Over a month had passed since both Abdali and Malhar Rao had been moving in the vicinity of Delhi."

Holkar's Approach:

Intent on avoiding open conflict
With his smaller force
Relied on quick movements

The Plan:

Confident of being able to attack Rohila homeland
Creating diversion for Abdali's allies
By attacking Najib's land where Rohilas live
Can maybe break up their coalition

The Sikandarabad Action (March 1760)

The Raid

What Holkar Did:

At Sikandarabad
Thoroughly looted the city
Left his army with Diwan Gangadhar Tatya
Moved on towards Anupshah

The Goal:

To cross the Ganga
Enter the Rohila territory

The Result:

He did cross

The Decision: Who Goes North?

The Three Commanders Discussed

The Options:

Raghunath Rao - Brother of Peshwa
Sadashiv Rao Bhau - Cousin of Peshwa
Vishwas Rao - Son of Peshwa

Raghunath Rao: The Experienced One

His Advantages

What He Knows:

Knows the lay of the land
What is what
Politics of north
Been there before
Knows players

Unlike Bhau:

Bhau had never been to the north
This would be big reason (for problems later)
Not just that they lost battle
This would be major factor

Vishwas Rao: The Young Heir

Who He Is

The Basics:

Son of Nana Saheb Peshwa
19 years old
Young and inexperienced

Why Send Him: Official Reason

The Purpose:

To maintain prestige of Peshwa
Not just prestige

The Real Reason:

"Vishwas Rao in the eyes of his father, Nana Saheb, he will be the next Peshwa."

The Training:

Has to gain experience of actual warfare
In those days, Peshwa or people who would be kings
Had to have actual warfare experience
Otherwise unqualified

The Decision:

Vishwas Rao going
Has to gain experience
Under leadership of Sadashiv
Because Sadashiv Rao was experienced commander

The Hidden Motive: Nanasaheb's Self-Preservation

The Real Question

What Nanasaheb Thought:

"If you are Nana Saheb, what would you have in your mind?"

The Answer:

"I wouldn't want my cousin to get all the credit"

Exactly:

"Nana Saheb has this thought in his mind of self preservation."

The Fear:

If Bhau is big hero
He comes back having won
He can say: "I am the Peshwa"
He will be

Why:

This was biggest ever invasion
If he defeats Abdali = tremendous accomplishment
Since maybe Aurangzeb, no one such a big threat
Fight of their lives

The Threat:

"Then Sadashiv Rao would be at the very top of the list to be [Peshwa]."

The Solution: Shared Credit

The Arrangement

What Nanasaheb Wants:

That credit to be shared with Vishwas Rao
And by extension himself kind of

The Structure:

When force goes north (huge force)
Head of campaign was Vishwas Rao
Officially

The Reality:

Actual strategies and implementation
To be done by Sadashiv

The Result:

Credit will definitely go to Vishwas Rao
Because he's the Senapati
Representative in north

The Claim:

Can claim: "My son got experience"
"Plus he won the campaign"
"He's the big boss"

The Army's Confidence (Departure)

High Spirits

When They Left:

Confidence extremely high
Pumped up
"We're going to smash these people"

Why:

Had best of warriors
Had artillery
French trained people
Thousand of them
Ibrahim Khan chief of artillery
Leading them

The Technology:

Tremendous confidence we'll win
Artillery able to deliver shells
One to two miles
Depending on how you send them
Extremely high spirits

The Ages of Key Players

Young Commanders

Sadashiv Rao Bhau:

29 years old
Real head of campaign

Vishwas Rao:

19 years old (Satra)
Titular head

Ahmad Shah Abdali:

About 35 years old

Nana Saheb Peshwa:

Little older
Not too old
Maybe around 45

The Reality:

Generally they were all young people
Those who were involved
In their prime

Key Players

Name	Role	Age	Status
Ahmad Shah Abdali	Afghan invader	~35	In Delhi, appointed governor, staying summer
Yakub Ali Khan	Governor	—	Abdali appointee in Delhi
Suraj Mal	Jat king	—	Defiant response to Abdali, sheltering Imad
Imad-ul-Mulk	Former wazir	—	Fled to Bharatpur
Najib Khan	Rohilla commander	—	Convinced Abdali to stay
Malhar Rao Holkar	Veteran commander	~50s	Maneuvering, avoiding open battle
Gangadhar Tatya	Holkar's aide	—	Planning counter-attacks
Jahan Khan	Afghan general	—	Chasing Holkar
Sadashiv Rao Bhau	Real commander	29	Chosen to lead, experienced
Vishwas Rao	Titular head	19	Official leader, gaining experience
Raghunath Rao	Veteran	—	Not chosen despite experience
Nanasaheb Peshwa	Peshwa	~45	Orchestrating response

Timeline

Date	Event
Late Jan 1760	Abdali appoints governor in Delhi
Late Jan 1760	Imad flees to Suraj Mal
Jan 23, 1760	Holkar leaves Kutli
Jan 27, 1760	Abdali moves against Jats
Feb 1, 1760	Hingani writes report
Feb 4, 1760	Abdali besieges Dig
Feb 22, 1760	Holkar at Bahadurgarh
Feb 28, 1760	Holkar crosses Yamuna
Late Feb 1760	Abdali sends Jahan Khan after Holkar
Mar 1, 1760	Multiple reports to Peshwa
Mar 1760	Holkar raids Sikandarabad
Mar 1760	Decision made: Bhau + Vishwas Rao go north

Critical Insights

The Summer Decision: Unprecedented

Why It Matters:

First time in 12 years
Since 1748 first invasion
Always left before summer
Afghan army hates Indian heat

The Implications:

Shows commitment to destroying Marathas
Not just raiding anymore
Strategic shift
Willing to suffer for goal

The Risk:

Army unhappy
Nothing to loot
Heat unbearable
Morale problems coming

Najib's Influence

The Power:

Convinced Abdali to stay
Against his instincts
Against economic sense
Against Afghan army's wishes

Why It Worked:

Najib's local perspective
If Abdali leaves = Marathas return
Najib at their mercy
All this for nothing
Must finish the job

The Relationship:

Abdali trusts Najib
Relies on his local knowledge
Najib = boots on ground
Symbiotic relationship

The Economic Stalemate

Nobody Paying:

Suraj Mal: "Win first, then I'll pay"
Madho Singh: Same response
Shah Alam II: Called but may not come
Shuja Uddawla: Called but may not come

The Strategy:

Sitting on fence
See who wins
Then support winner
Smart politics

The Problem for Abdali:

Came for money
Not getting money
Staying costs money
Running out of funds
Summer = expensive

Holkar's Guerrilla Campaign

The Tactics:

Avoiding open battle
Quick movements
Cutting supply lines
Raiding cities
Attacking Rohila homeland

Why It Works:

Can't catch him
Smaller, more mobile
Knows terrain
Frustrating Abdali

The Limit:

Can harass but not defeat
Can't drive them out
Just buying time
Until main army arrives

The Vishwas Rao Decision: Politics Over Strategy

The Military Logic:

Send Raghunath Rao (experienced)
Or send Bhau (proved himself)
Don't send 19-year-old

The Political Logic:

Must send heir
For experience
For legitimacy
For credit

The Hidden Logic:

Self-preservation
Can't let cousin get all glory
Must share credit
Protect succession

The Structure:

Vishwas Rao = official head
Bhau = actual commander
Confused command structure
Who's really in charge?

The Self-Preservation Instinct

Nanasaheb's Fear:

Bhau defeats Abdali alone
Biggest accomplishment in generation
Can claim Peshwa-ship
Threatens Nanasaheb's son

The Solution:

Send son along with cousin
Son gets official credit
Even if Bhau does work
Secures succession

The Problem:

Divided command
Confused authority
Political consideration > military necessity
Will cause issues

The Confidence Gap

The Maratha Army:

Extremely high spirits
Best warriors
French artillery
Ibrahim Khan
"Going to smash them"

The Reality Check:

Abdali has 80,000
Abdali has experience
Abdali has allies
Abdali has political skill
Abdali staying through summer (committed)

The Disconnect:

Confidence ≠ readiness
Technology ≠ victory
Overconfidence dangerous

The Age Dynamic

All Young:

Abdali: 35
Bhau: 29
Vishwas Rao: 19

What This Means:

Pride matters more
Honor over pragmatism
Less patience in negotiations
More likely to fight than compromise
Ego clashes likely

The Exception:

Holkar: 50s
More cautious
Won't fight openly
Survival over glory
But sidelined

The Two-Month Stalemate

February-March:

Holkar and Abdali circling
Near Delhi
Neither engaging
Just maneuvering

What It Shows:

Waiting for main Maratha army
Real battle not yet
This is preliminaries
Buying time

The Stakes:

Every day Abdali stays = costs money
Every day Holkar survives = preserves force
Every day = main army getting closer

What's Coming

The Setup:

Abdali committed (staying summer)
Holkar maneuvering (can't engage)
Bhau + Vishwas Rao coming north
Divided command structure
High confidence
French artillery

The Problems:

Vishwas Rao = inexperienced
Bhau = doesn't know northern politics
Nanasaheb = more concerned with credit than victory
Cavalry = still indisciplined
Political considerations > military strategy

The Opposition:

Abdali = committed
Not leaving
Will finish the job
Has political allies
Strategic genius

The Question:

Will divided command work?
Can they coordinate?
Will politics doom them?
Is confidence justified?

February-March 1760: For the first time in twelve years, Abdali decides to stay through the Indian summer. His army hates it. There's nothing left to loot. The heat is unbearable. But Najib convinces him: if you leave, the Marathas return. Finish the job. Meanwhile, Suraj Mal and Madho Singh tell him the same thing: win first, then we'll pay. Not before. Everyone's hedging their bets. Holkar's playing cat and mouse near Delhi, raiding cities, cutting supply lines, but he can't actually fight. He's outnumbered 10 to 1. He's just buying time. And in Pune, the decision is made: Sadashiv Rao Bhau will lead the campaign. But so will Vishwas Rao. Officially. Because Nanasaheb can't let his cousin take all the credit. Can't let him become the hero who defeated Abdali. So his 19-year-old son must share the glory. Divided command. Political considerations over military necessity. But the army is pumped. They have French cannons. They have Ibrahim Khan. They're going to smash these people. Right? Confidence is extremely high. As they march north toward a confrontation that will determine the fate of India.