Surajmal Jat: The Shrewd Survivor (July 1760)

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

Suja's Continuing Hope for Peace

His Viewpoint:

"If this issue of the friction between Afghans and Marathas, if that can be resolved by some kind of a give and take and no battle, no violence, then that will be the best outcome."

Why:

Now feeling uneasy even having joined Abdali
With Marathas also: feels uneasy
Neither here nor there
Stuck in middle
No good position

Surajmal Jat: The Most Shrewd Politician

The Unofficial Title

The Reputation:

"There is a reason why Surajmal Jat was called as the most shrewd politician of his era."

The Clarification:

Not official title
But consensus at the time
Very shrewd
Well conversed with diplomacy
How to get things with giving minimal stuff
That was the general understanding

Why He Survived: Geography and Diplomacy

The Location

Where His Kingdom Was:

South of Delhi
But not too far away
Strategic position
In the thick of things

The Survival Story

The Challenge:

"During many, many frictions, wars, battles, this kingdom had survived because Surajmal Jat or his predecessors were well versed with the art of diplomacy and trying to not get involved in battles of other people."

Why This Was Hard:

Not far away from lots of clashes
Area full of all kinds of issues
Battles
Violence
Stuff like that

How They Did It:

Art of diplomacy
Not getting involved in others' battles
Survival strategy
Playing politics well

The Formula

What Made It Possible:

"It was all possible because Mr. Jat, his statesmanship and his shrewdness along with his power."

The Result:

Kept kingdom away from lots of bloodshed
Through combination of:
- Statesmanship
- Shrewdness
- Power (military capability)

The Test of His Shrewdness

Why Now Was Critical

The Situation:

"Now was the time for Surajmal Jat's, how do you deal with different parties and apply the kind of logic to get what you want but not give in too much."

The Challenge:

Both armies going to get into his territory
Had to side with one or the other
No way he could stand neutral
That's why it was a test

The Risk:

Neither could he join with Abdali (risky)
Had to toe the line
So far had stayed away
But now: what happens?

Surajmal's History with Abdali

The Previous Siege

What Happened:

"Before the previous attack by Abdali, Surajmal had turned it to be fruitless."

The Details:

Abdali had attacked Surajmal himself before
Laid siege to his fort
Soldiers falling prey to cholera or something
Already summer
Finally gave up on siege
Had to get out of it

The Result:

Nishfar = unfruitful, didn't succeed
Abdali couldn't really do damage to Surajmal
In previous invasions

The Other Siege (Different Incident)

Another Time:

During Raghunath Rao's time
Marathas got out through tunnel
Afghan army got in
Took possession
But that was before this

The Pattern:

Last time: fruitless
Afghan soldiers were tired
Especially when summertime came
Not used to summer season in India
Too hot for them

Why Afghans Wanted to Leave

The Reasons:

Too hot (not used to it)
Missing families
Missing lifestyle
Stuff like that

Their Intention:

Never to settle in India
Didn't like it there
Loot and go back
Not for too long

Maratha Soldiers: Same Problem

The Parallel:

"Marathas also had the same problem. Maratha soldiers, unless it was Shinde and Hawker, otherwise they wanted to go there, do their job and come back."

The Difference:

Didn't want to stick around
Unless you are Shinde or Holkar armies
Those were based in north
Others wanted to go home

Abdali Wants Surajmal Too

The Need

Why Abdali Needed Him:

"Abdali needed Surajmal to be on his side to oppose Sudarshi Rao Bahu's strong army."

The Reasoning:

Already has Suja-ud-Daula on his side (done)
But still: to make sure victorious position
Wanted also Surajmal Jat on his side
Can't afford to lose him now

The Strategy:

Build up alliances
Maximize forces
Ensure victory
Surajmal was powerful
Would help take on Bhau without too much trouble

Surajmal's Response: Hard No

The Rejection

What Abdali Did:

Sent his request
Sent his demands
"Join me"

Surajmal's Response:

Figure of speech: he just totally rejected it
Said: "None of that is going to happen"
"I'm not joining your side"
Hard no

Why Surajmal Wasn't Conflicted Like Suja

The Difference

The Contrast:

"He was not in so much of a dilemma as Suja Udola was."

Why:

He wasn't Muslim
It wasn't holy war (for him)
Different considerations

The Camaraderie Factor

His Feelings:

Probably had little bit of sympathy
Not sympathy exactly
Kind of camaraderie with Sadashiv Rao Bhau
Because both Hindu

The Eyewitness Advantage

What Surajmal Had Seen

The Critical Difference:

"Mr. Jat had seen a lot of these atrocities up close. He knew exactly what these people are capable of and how they have handled in the previous..."

The Contrast:

Bhau and Nana Sahib were deep in the south
Ignorant to how savage Abdali and comrades were
Depending on:
- Eyewitness accounts
- Hearsay
- This and that

Surajmal's Knowledge:

Had seen exactly what happens
With his own eyes
Close to the action
First-hand experience

The Impact of Proximity

Why It Mattered:

He knew
Wasn't messing around
Wasn't wishy washy
Had survived these brutal invasions
Had seen Abdali's way of dealing
Saw the route (carnage)
What happens

The Location Factor:

Not too far away
Little bit south of Delhi
Maybe within 150 kilometers
That's it
Pretty close by

The Geographic Context

Under the Thumb

The Reality:

Under thumb of all the Mughals
And now Abdali
Very close to all the action
Can't escape it

The Vassal History

During Mughal Strength:

Were basically kind of vassal of Mughals
When they were strong
But after Aurangzeb's death
About 30-40 years later
Whole Mughal empire started collapsing

The Liberation Process:

People within kingdoms who were vassals
Started feeling more liberated
Were only namesake in Mughal empire
Started saying: "We will do whatever we want"
As Mughals became weaker
"Screw you, we will do whatever we want"

The Independence Feeling:

Started growing with time
But Aurangzeb's time: no way
He was so strong
Would simply crush you

The Jat People

Who They Are

The Characteristics:

Surajmal had forefather during Aurangzeb's time
Was his vassal, loyally
Jat people: fairly battle-hardened
Very (tough)

Martial People:

Kind of martial people
Even today: in Indian army in large numbers

Not Sikhs

The Clarification:

They are not Sikhs at all
Nothing to do with Sikhism
They are Hindu

The Turban:

Don't wear Sikh turban
But turban is worn in India in variety of cultures
Especially lot of farmers
But not Sikh type turban

The Tradition:

Turban wearing: tradition in northern India
Even in Maharashtra: lot of farmers wear turban
But it's not the Sikh turban
Sikh turban is different
You can spot it

Surajmal Rejects Abdali (Again)

The Clear Position

What He Said:

"Ato Abdali, screw you. I'm not coming on your side."

The Previous Condition:

Remember earlier he told him:
"You sit on throne of Delhi"
"Then I will join you as a result"
Several pages ago

The Rejection:

Now rejected the proposal of alliance with Abdali
Clear and final

Waiting for Bhau's Protection

The New Situation

What Surajmal Was Doing:

"Now Suraj Mal was waiting for Bahu to come into his province or into his kingdom because he had already declined Abdali's alliance offer."

The Danger:

Now he was in danger
Since said no
Abdali could attack him
Attack his forces
Needed now Bhau's protection

Why Bhau's Arrival Matters

The Expectation:

Expecting Bhau would come
Secure his territory
At least the area around there

The Logic:

"The moment Bahu comes closer then Abdali won't try to get in there because then that will lead to battle right then and there."

The Strategy:

If Bhau's camp is nearby
Abdali won't venture in that area
Battle won't be pretty
Everybody knew: battle going to be extremely violent
Lots and lots of people going to die
Everybody was very careful

The Delayed Battle

Why No Immediate Fight:

Weren't messing around
Won't start it immediately
Just like that
Had very potent weapons
Going to be very messy

The Prerequisites:

"It had to be well thought of, well prepared and all politics has to be taken care of before they actually begin shooting at each other."

The Process:

Signing up alliances
Two alliances
Signing up people on their side
Before starting any hostile activity
That's the politics

The Timeline:

Until that is over
No way they will go back
We know eventually takes until next year
January or February

The Only Northern Ally

The Distinction

The Unique Position:

"So now that is the distinction of Surajmal. He was the only king in the northern India who was willing to get into the Maratha alliance."

The Commitment:

Willing to explicitly
Enter their coalition
Not just talk
Actually join

The Past Friction

What He Remembered:

He had gotten into some trouble during Holkar
Holkar's son was killed (at his fort)
Then Holkar got angry
Laid a siege
All that happened

But:

"Still the relationship was fairly friendly between Marathas and Surajmal Jat. They were still getting along."

The Decision:

He said: "Okay, fine"
"I will go on the Maratha side"

Still Hedging: Contact with Suja

The Multiple Connections

The Reality:

"And even though he was thinking about Maratha alliance, he was still in touch with Suja Udawala."

Why:

Everybody was angling
See which side is going to win
That was critically important
Whichever side wins
They wanted to throw their lot on that side
Everyone's looking around
Seeing what moves is everyone else making

The Alliance with Holkar and Imad-ul-Mulk

Starting in 1760

The Welcome:

"Starting in 1760, Surajmal Jat had welcomed both Holkar and Imad Hurmult, who was the wazir of the Mughal Empire."

The Timing:

Getting along with both those parties
Holkar probably given up previous anger
Given up enmity
One year prior he had welcomed them
(Actually same year - July 1760)

Surajmal's Real Ambition: Rule Delhi

The Self-Interest

The Reality:

"So you have to understand now, Mr. Surajmal Jat's also intention is to get something for himself, not because Hindu that was there."

What He Wanted:

To get something in the Mughal Empire
Some position
Some power
Self-interested

The Plan with Imad-ul-Mulk

The Conspiracy:

"Imad Hurmult and Surajmal Jat were thinking of kicking out the emperor and basically running the whole show in Delhi."

The Details:

Ending the Mughal Empire as they know it
May have some "stupid guy" as emperor
Just for the heck of it
But basically: "Both of us will manage the Mughal Empire"

Surajmal's Ambitions:

Even though kingdom was fairly small
His ambitions were tall
Trying to conspire
Take down whole Mughal Empire
Or be in charge of it
Along with Imad-ul-Mulk

The Goal:

"I want to be the henchman of the Mughal Empire along with Imad Hurmult."

Using Marathas, Not Being Used by Them

The Strategy

The Calculation:

If Marathas can help me: so be it
But would not allow Marathas to control Mughal Empire
"I'm sitting here"
"I want to be the guy"
"A powerful guy"
"I'm in the north"
"You guys are not from here"

The Regional Resentment

The Pattern:

"So both Rajputs and Surajmal Jat, they considered Marathas to be kind of coming in between, you know, your southern power."

The Message:

Stay in your place
We want to handle northern politics
Northern power structure
You can help us
But beyond that
Don't try to control us

The Limited Alliance

Surajmal's Thinking:

Split loyalties
But decided: supporting Marathas is best chess move
For now
Wanted to get rid of emperor
With help of Marathas
Form alliance with Imad-ul-Mulk
Marathas go back
That's his thought

The Usage:

"So make use of Marathas. To whichever degree possible."

Key Players

Name	Role	Position
Surajmal Jat	Jat king	Only northern ally willing to join Marathas
Ahmad Shah Abdali	Afghan invader	Wants Surajmal but rejected
Sadashiv Rao Bhau	Maratha commander	Surajmal waiting for his protection
Suja-ud-Daula	Nawab of Awadh	Joined Abdali, still in contact with Surajmal
Malhar Rao Holkar	Maratha commander	Past enmity with Surajmal but reconciled
Imad-ul-Mulk	Mughal wazir	Conspiring with Surajmal to rule Delhi
Raghunath Rao	Maratha leader	Referenced in past siege

Timeline

Date	Event
Aurangzeb era	Jats were vassals to strong Mughal empire
Post-Aurangzeb	30-40 years: Mughal collapse, Jats more independent
Previous years	Abdali's siege of Surajmal's fort (failed - cholera, summer)
Previous years	Holkar's son killed at Surajmal's fort, siege
1760	Surajmal welcomes Holkar and Imad-ul-Mulk
July 1760	Abdali requests Surajmal join him
July 1760	Surajmal rejects Abdali completely
July 1760	Surajmal waiting for Bhau to come protect him
July 1760	Still in contact with Suja (hedging bets)
Ongoing	Conspiring with Imad-ul-Mulk to rule Delhi

Geographic Context

Surajmal's Kingdom:

South of Delhi
About 150 kilometers away
Not far from action
Strategic location

The Position:

Close to all the conflicts
Under thumb of Mughals (when strong)
Under threat from Abdali
In the thick of things
Can't stay neutral

The Hot Climate:

Major factor
Afghans not used to it
Want to leave in summer
Same with some Maratha soldiers
Only Shinde/Holkar armies stay

Major Themes

1. Shrewdness Through Survival

The Reputation:

Most shrewd politician of era
Not official title = consensus
Earned through decades of survival

How He Did It:

Geography (close but not too close)
Diplomacy (avoiding others' battles)
Power (military capability)
Statesmanship (knowing when to act)

The Formula:

Not just strength
Not just diplomacy
Both together
Plus timing
Plus knowing when to stay out

2. The Eyewitness Advantage

Surajmal vs. Bhau/Nana Sahib:

Surajmal: seen it first-hand
Bhau/Nana: heard stories
Huge difference

What He'd Seen:

Abdali's atrocities
Up close
How they handle things
What they're capable of
The route (carnage)
The brutality

The Impact:

Wasn't conflicted like Suja
Knew exactly what he was dealing with
Not wishy washy
Hard no to Abdali
Based on knowledge, not ideology

3. The Climate Weapon

Why Abdali Failed Before:

Summer too hot
Afghans not used to it
Soldiers getting sick (cholera)
Missing families
Want to go home
Never intended to settle

The Pattern:

Come in winter
Raid, loot
Leave before summer
Can't sustain long campaigns
Climate defeats them

Surajmal's Knowledge:

He knew this
Seen it happen
Could wait them out
Geography + time = defense

4. The Only Northern Ally

The Uniqueness:

"He was the ONLY king in the northern India who was willing to get into the Maratha alliance."

What This Shows:

How isolated Marathas were
How hostile north was
Surajmal's pragmatism
His risk-taking
His strategic thinking

The Contrast:

Rajputs: hostile or neutral
Suja: forced to join Abdali
Other Muslims: with Abdali
Surajmal: only one willing

5. The Forgiveness Factor

What Happened:

Holkar's son killed at Surajmal's fort
Holkar got angry
Laid siege
Big conflict

But Now:

Relationship fairly friendly
Getting along
Past enmity: set aside
Welcomed Holkar in 1760

What It Shows:

Pragmatism over grudges
Strategic alliances
Can forgive when necessary
Politics > personal feelings

6. The Hedging Strategy

The Reality:

Committed to Maratha alliance
But still in contact with Suja
Watching both sides
Seeing who's winning
Everyone angling

The Logic:

Critically important which side wins
Want to be on winning side
Keep options open
Don't burn bridges completely
Until absolutely necessary

7. The Real Ambition: Delhi

The Conspiracy:

With Imad-ul-Mulk
Kick out emperor
Both rule Delhi together
Use Marathas to help
Then send Marathas back south

The Irony:

Kingdom fairly small
But ambitions tall
Wants to control Mughal Empire
Not content with what he has
Reaching for much more

The Calculation:

Marathas can help
But won't control
Use them, don't be used
"I'm in the north, you're from south"
"Stay in your place"

8. The Regional Resentment

Northern Powers' View:

Marathas: southern power
"Coming in between"
Want to handle own politics
Own power structure
You can help
But don't control us

The Pattern:

Rajputs feel this
Surajmal feels this
Common northern sentiment
Marathas as outsiders
Even when helping

9. The Vassal to Independent Arc

The History:

During Aurangzeb: total vassals
Would be crushed if resisted
No independence possible

The Transition:

After his death (30-40 years)
Mughal empire collapsing
Former vassals feeling liberated
Only namesake in empire
"Screw you, do whatever we want"

Surajmal's Position:

Part of this liberation
No longer true vassal
Independent actor
But still close to Delhi
Can't fully escape orbit

10. The Martial Heritage

Jat People:

Battle-hardened
Martial people
Even today: large numbers in army
Not Sikhs (Hindu)
Different turban tradition

The Survival:

This heritage helped
Could defend themselves
Not pushovers
Respected for military capability
Essential to survival strategy

Critical Insights

The Geography-Diplomacy Formula

Why He Survived:

Close enough to matter (150km from Delhi)
Far enough to have buffer
Strong enough to defend
Smart enough to avoid fights
Diplomatic enough to negotiate

The Balance:

Not too weak (would be crushed)
Not too strong (would threaten others)
Not too far (would be irrelevant)
Not too close (would be absorbed)
Just right for survival

The Eyewitness Effect

Why Surajmal Chose Differently Than Suja:

Suja:

Muslim
Far from action (Lucknow)
Heard stories
Religious pressure
Conflicted
Eventually caved

Surajmal:

Hindu (no religious pressure)
Close to action (150km from Delhi)
Saw it first-hand
Knew exactly what Abdali capable of
Not conflicted
Hard no

The Variable:

Proximity to horror
Seeing vs. hearing
Direct knowledge
Makes all the difference

The Climate as Alliance-Breaker

Why Abdali Failed:

Previous siege of Surajmal
Summer came
Too hot
Soldiers sick (cholera)
Want to go home
Had to leave

The Lesson:

Afghans can't sustain in India
Climate defeats them
They know it
Must raid and leave
Can't stay long-term

Surajmal's Knowledge:

Seen this pattern
Knows they'll leave
Just has to survive
Until summer
Or until they get homesick

The Ambition Paradox

The Reality:

Small kingdom
Tall ambitions
Wants to rule Delhi
Conspiring with Imad-ul-Mulk

The Strategy:

Use Marathas to kick out emperor
Then rule jointly with Imad-ul-Mulk
Send Marathas back south
"Don't control us"

The Contradiction:

Needs Marathas
But resents them
Wants their help
But not their influence
Alliance of convenience
Not conviction

The Only Ally Problem

For Marathas:

One northern ally
Out of many kingdoms
Everyone else: hostile or neutral
Shows isolation
Shows vulnerability

For Surajmal:

Taking huge risk
Standing alone
Against northern consensus
Could be punished
If Marathas lose

The Stakes:

If wrong: ruined
If right: rewards
But incredibly risky
Most others playing safe

The Forgiveness Calculus

What Happened:

Holkar's son killed (at his fort)
Major incident
Siege in response
Should be permanent enmity

But:

Forgave
Reconciled
Now allies
Working together

Why:

Politics > emotions
Strategic necessity
Bigger threats exist
Can't afford grudges
Pragmatism wins

The Lesson:

In politics: forgive when useful
Don't let personal feelings
Override strategic calculation
Grudges are luxury
Survival demands flexibility

The Hedging as Weakness

The Strategy:

Committed to Marathas
But still talking to Suja
Watching both sides
Keeping options open

The Problem:

Shows uncertainty
Lack of full commitment
Others can see this
Weakens alliance
Neither side fully trusts

The Necessity:

Can't afford to be wrong
Stakes too high
Need insurance
But insurance costs trust

The Regional Identity

The North-South Divide:

Northerners see Marathas as southerners
"Stay in your place"
"Don't control us"
Regional resentment
Even from allies

The Implication:

Even if Marathas win
Northern powers won't accept rule easily
Will resist
Will conspire
Unity fragile

For Marathas:

Winning battle not enough
Must win acceptance
Very difficult
Regional identities strong
"You're not from here"

The Tall Ambitions

The Irony:

Smallest player
Biggest ambitions
Wants to rule Delhi
Mughal Empire itself

The Logic:

Sees weakness
Sees opportunity
Why not reach?
Power vacuum exists
Someone will fill it
Why not him?

The Reality:

Probably unrealistic
But not impossible
Stranger things happened
Mughal Empire really collapsing
Maybe he could
With right allies
At right moment

The Make-Use-Of Strategy

Surajmal's Thinking:

"Make use of Marathas. To whichever degree possible."

The Attitude:

Instrumental
Transactional
Use them
Don't be used
Get what you need
Then...?

The Problem for Marathas:

Their "ally" using them
Not true partnership
Will dump them
Once gets what he wants
Know this going in?
Probably
What choice do they have?

What's Coming

The Situation:

Surajmal rejected Abdali
Only northern ally for Marathas
Waiting for Bhau's protection
Still talking to Suja (hedging)
Conspiring with Imad-ul-Mulk
To rule Delhi jointly
Planning to use Marathas
Then send them back south

The Questions:

Will Bhau arrive in time?
Will Abdali attack before that?
Can Surajmal's hedging work?
Will conspiracy with Imad-ul-Mulk succeed?
Can Marathas trust their "only ally"?
Will regional resentment undermine alliance?

The Stakes:

Surajmal took huge risk
Standing alone among northern powers
If Marathas lose: he's ruined
If Marathas win: he wants Delhi
But Marathas might not give it
Complex game
Many ways to lose
Few ways to win

July 1760: There's a reason Surajmal Jat is called the most shrewd politician of his era. For decades his small kingdom survived 150 kilometers south of Delhi by perfect balance of power and diplomacy, strength and timing. He's seen Abdali's atrocities first-hand - not stories, not hearsay, but with his own eyes. When Abdali asks him to join, he doesn't hesitate like Suja. He says: screw you, I'm not coming. He's the ONLY northern king willing to join the Marathas. Everyone else is hostile or neutral or forced into Abdali's camp. But here's what the Marathas don't know: Surajmal's conspiring with Imad-ul-Mulk to kick out the Mughal emperor and rule Delhi themselves. His plan? Use the Marathas to help, then send them back south. "I'm in the north, you guys are not from here. Stay in your place." His kingdom is small but his ambitions are tall. And he's still talking to Suja, hedging his bets, watching to see which side wins. He forgave Holkar for his son's death because politics matters more than grudges. He's playing chess while everyone else plays checkers. But he's taking a massive risk. Standing alone. If he's wrong, he's ruined. If he's right, he wants Delhi. The only question is: will Bhau get there in time to protect him? Because now that he's rejected Abdali, he's a target.