"Then the Sikh just overall as a Sikh society they started feeling if that is what happens slowly and surely then what is the difference between us and Hindus?"

The Response:

Needed to reinforce their identity
Said: "We are different"
"We are not you"
That train started about 150 years later

But at the time (1760):

No such concept
Basically the same
Considered: "We are basically same"

Why No Sikh-Maratha Alliance

The Trust Problem

The Reality:

"Right now they were fighting for themselves. Marathas as outsiders. So there was no trust."

Why No Trust:

Thought: if Marathas got hold of Punjab
These are outsiders
Why should we allow them to take control?
"This is our part"
They live there day in and day out
"These are outsiders"

The Past Alliance (Before Panipat)

What Had Happened:

Before the Panipat battle
They had worked together
Had developed some alliance

But:

"It had not meaning they still were wary of Maratha power because Marathas were not there for sunshine and fellowship in Punjab."

The Reality:

Marathas wanted to control Punjab province
Get the resources for themselves
Difficult for both of them

The Conclusion:

"That alliance feeling had not developed fully."

Bhau's Failure: No Sikh Alliance

The Missed Opportunity

The Assessment:

"And that is part of Bahu's failure that he could not develop the alliance with the Sikhs. Had he developed it then it would have been a different conclusion of the battle."

What Could Have Been:

If alliance developed
Different conclusion of battle
Major strategic failure

The Core Issue: Punjab Itself

What the Battle Was Really About

The Central Negotiation:

Negotiations happening between Marathas and Abdali
Were all about Punjab
Sikhs were not involved with it

Bhau's Position:

"Punjab is part of India."

Abdali's Position:

"No, Punjab is part of my Afghan nation or Afghan Empire"
"The boundary between India and Afghanistan should be such that Punjab is within Afghanistan"

Bhau's Counter:

"We always have Punjab as part of India. We are not gonna give up on that. That is the sticking point between the two armies."

The Alternative: No Battle

The Key Point:

"Had Bahu said okay keep Punjab there would not be any battle at all. So it all hinged on the ownership of Punjab."

Where Is the Boundary:

Tussle: where is boundary between India and Afghanistan?
Abdali said: "Punjab is mine"
"If you agree to that then there is no battle"
"I will go home and you go home"

Why Abdali Wasn't Fighting for Delhi

The Real Objective

What Abdali Wanted:

Not fighting to loot Delhi again
Already done that
Nothing remaining in Delhi now
Just wanted Punjab as his province

Bhau's Dilemma:

"Bahu could not agree to that because Mughals always had Punjab as a province. So now it would be an insult to lose it to Afghanistan."

The Honor Problem:

Maratha force came to north to do battle
Cannot go home
Show face to Nana Sahib
People will say: "What did you do?"
"We sent you to do the battle"
"You came back without doing the battle"
"And gave away Punjab"

The Consequences:

"So he will be completely looked down upon. In those days he will be totally, I mean, he will be done with. He will not be leading any big armies or have any importance. People will just totally shun him because that was the honor that you lost because you wanted to save yourself."

The Reality:

"In those days cowardice is you're finished, you're done."

The Irony: Sikhs Excluded from Punjab Negotiations

The Situation

What Was Happening:

Entire Punjab province Abdali wanted
Marathas not even willing to give one inch of Punjab
It dealt with Punjab
Sikhs were powering Punjab
Punjab was their thing

But:

"They were not part of this negotiation at all."

Sikh Response to Outsiders

Their Strategy:

"The Sikhs wanted to protect Punjab from outsiders and whenever they were confronted with foreigners, outsiders, that wanted to control Punjab, they went to battle with them no matter who that power was."

The Principle:

Even if it is Abdali (Afghan)
Even if Marathas wanted to take control
Would go to battle
Would resist it
Considered themselves sons of soil
Would drive anyone out

The Ironic Situation

The Reality:

"And it was ironic that the whole fight was about Punjab, who gets to have Punjab and they were not party to that battle at all."

Their Status:

Just kind of bystanders
By this time: not become big power anyway
But coming up now
Slowly but surely

Key Players

Name	Role	Position
Sikhs	Emerging power in Punjab	Fighting both sides, protecting Punjab
Ahmad Shah Abdali	Afghan invader	Wanted Punjab as part of Afghanistan
Sadashiv Rao Bhau	Maratha commander	Could not agree to give up Punjab
Nanasaheb Peshwa	Peshwa	Would judge Bhau based on Punjab outcome

Timeline

Date	Event
1760-1761	Battle preparations, Punjab negotiations
1761	Battle of Panipat (Sikhs not involved)
After 1761	Sikhs harass Mughals and Afghans
50-60 years later	Sikhs completely control Punjab
150 years later	Sikhism becomes distinct from Hinduism

Geographic Context

Punjab:

Contested territory
Between India and Afghanistan
Sikh homeland
What the battle was really about

The Boundary Question:

Where does India end?
Where does Afghanistan begin?
Punjab in the middle
Both sides claiming it

Major Themes

1. The Real Winners Don't Fight

The Pattern:

Marathas and Abdali destroy each other at Panipat
Sikhs stay out of it
Watch from sidelines
Then harass the weakened survivors
Eventually take over completely

The Timeline:

Takes 50-60 years
But they win in the end
By not fighting the big battle
By surviving while others destroy themselves

2. The Outsider Problem

Sikh Perspective:

Marathas: outsiders (from south)
Abdali: outsiders (from Afghanistan)
Sikhs: sons of soil (live there day in and day out)
Will fight anyone who tries to control Punjab
Doesn't matter who

The Irony:

Both armies fighting over Punjab
Neither asking Sikhs
Sikhs would fight both
Yet excluded from negotiations

3. The Alliance That Never Was

What Existed:

Some past cooperation
Had worked together before
Developed some alliance

But:

Never fully developed
Still wary of each other
No trust
Marathas wanted control
Sikhs wanted independence

Bhau's Failure:

Could not develop this alliance
Major strategic error
Could have changed battle outcome
Missed opportunity

4. The Hindu-Sikh Unity (At That Time)

The 1760 Reality:

Considered same religion
Very congenial
Very friendly
Every Hindu family: eldest son becomes Sikh
Shared temples
No separation

The Later Split:

150 years later
Identity crisis
Sikhs losing distinctiveness
Needed to reinforce identity
Created separation
"We are different"

The Point:

At time of Panipat
No religious divide
Could have united
Based on cultural similarity
But didn't

5. Punjab as the Sticking Point

The Core Issue:

"It all hinged on the ownership of Punjab."

Abdali's Offer:

Keep Punjab
No battle necessary
Go home peacefully

Why Bhau Couldn't Accept:

Punjab always part of India
Would be insult to lose it
Mughals always had it
Can't go home without fighting
Would be called coward
Would be shunned
Career over

The Honor Trap:

Not about military necessity
About honor
About reputation
Can't back down
Even if strategically smart
Would be "done with"

6. The Cowardice = Death equation

The Cultural Reality:

"In those days cowardice is you're finished, you're done."

What It Meant:

Going home without fighting
After being sent to fight
Giving away territory
"You wanted to save yourself"
Would be looked down upon
Totally shunned
No importance
No leadership positions
Social death

The Pressure:

Forces unnecessary battles
Can't make pragmatic choices
Honor > life
Reputation > survival
Cultural imperative

7. Abdali's Limited Goals

What He Wanted:

Punjab only
Not Delhi again (already looted)
Not more territory
Just clear boundary
Afghanistan includes Punjab

What He Didn't Want:

Occupation of India
Long campaign
Extended stay
More battles than necessary

The Offer:

Simple deal
Give Punjab
Everyone goes home
No bloodshed

But:

Bhau couldn't accept
Not because bad deal
Because of honor

8. The Bystander Status

The Irony:

"The whole fight was about Punjab, who gets to have Punjab and they were not party to that battle at all."

Sikh Position:

Their homeland
Their territory
Their future
Being decided by others
Without their input
Just bystanders

Why:

Not yet big power
Still emerging
"Coming up now"
But not there yet
Slowly but surely

The Future:

They'll take it anyway
Once Marathas and Abdali gone
Patient approach
Long-term thinking
They win in the end

9. The Sons of Soil vs. Outsiders

Sikh Identity:

Live there day in and day out
Sons of soil
This is our part
Will fight any outsider

Who Are Outsiders:

Marathas (from south/Deccan)
Afghans (from Afghanistan)
Mughals (weakening)
Anyone not Punjabi

The Pattern:

Fight whoever comes
No matter who
Doesn't matter if Hindu or Muslim
Matters if outsider
Protect homeland

10. The 50-60 Year Plan

The Strategy:

Don't fight big battle (1761)
Stay out of Panipat
Let them destroy each other
Then harass survivors
Gradually take control
Takes 50-60 years
But complete victory

The Patience:

Not seeking immediate glory
Long-term thinking
Survival > heroism
Gradual expansion
Eventual domination

The Contrast:

Marathas: seeking immediate victory
Abdali: seeking immediate control
Sikhs: playing long game
Who wins ultimately?

Critical Insights

The Negotiation That Could Have Prevented Everything

Abdali's Offer:

Extremely simple
Extremely clear
Keep Punjab = no battle
Go home = no casualties

Why It Failed:

Not military reasons
Not strategic reasons
Honor reasons
Cultural pressure
Fear of shame
"Cowardice is you're finished"

The Cost:

Tens of thousands dead
Maratha power broken
Delhi vulnerable
North destabilized
All for honor
All avoidable

Bhau's Impossible Position

The Calculation:

Accept deal: shamed, career over, shunned
Fight and lose: honorable death, remembered as hero
Fight and win: glory, vindication, career secure

The Pressure:

From culture
From peers
From Peshwa
From history
Can't choose #1
Even if wisest choice

The Trap:

Honor culture
Means pragmatism impossible
Means flexibility impossible
Means compromise impossible
Forces unnecessary wars

The Sikh Master Plan

The Genius:

Don't fight the battle everyone's obsessed with
Stay alive while they destroy each other
Harass the weakened survivors
Gradually expand
Take 50-60 years
Win completely

Why It Worked:

No glory-seeking
No honor culture trap
Pure pragmatism
Long-term thinking
Patience
Survival first

The Lesson:

Winners of big battles ≠ ultimate winners
Those who survive longest win
Patience > courage
Strategy > heroism

The Alliance Failure

Bhau's Strategic Error:

Could not develop Sikh alliance
Even though:
- Both Hindu (at the time)
- Common enemy (Abdali)
- Geographic proximity
- Shared interests

Why It Failed:

Trust deficit
Marathas seen as outsiders
Wanting to control Punjab
Not just protect it
Sikhs wary
"Not for sunshine and fellowship"

The Cost:

No Sikh reinforcements
No local knowledge
No guerrilla support
Fighting alone
Against Afghan + Rohilla + Suja
Major disadvantage

The Hindu-Sikh Unity Missed

What Could Have Been:

United Hindu-Sikh front
Against Muslim invaders
Cultural unity
Religious solidarity
Overwhelming force

Why It Didn't Happen:

Marathas wanted control
Sikhs wanted independence
Control > unity
Empire-building > alliance
Short-term power > long-term cooperation

The Irony:

150 years later
Sikhs create separate identity
Because losing distinctiveness
But in 1760: still united
Could have leveraged
Didn't

The Punjab Paradox

The Situation:

Fight is entirely about Punjab
Who controls it?
India or Afghanistan?
Marathas or Abdali?

The Excluded Party:

Sikhs
Actual Punjabis
Sons of soil
Not consulted
Not involved
Just watching

The Ultimate Irony:

Neither Marathas nor Abdali get it
Sikhs get it
By not fighting
By waiting
By surviving

The Boundary Question

What's Really Being Decided:

Not just territory
Not just resources
But: where does India end?
Where does Afghanistan begin?
Identity question
National question

For Bhau:

Can't give up Punjab
Means giving up part of India
Means retreating boundary
Means Afghanistan advances
Unacceptable
Would rather die

For Abdali:

Natural boundary
Punjab traditionally contested
Afghanistan should include it
Clear border
Reasonable request (to him)

The Outsider Perspective

Who Is Insider:

Sikhs: we live here
Day in and day out
For generations
This is our land

Who Are Outsiders:

Marathas: from Deccan (south)
"You guys are not from here"
Abdali: from Afghanistan
Obviously foreign

The Principle:

Will fight any outsider
Doesn't matter Hindu/Muslim
Matters our land vs their control
Nationalism > religion
Local > imperial

The 50-60 Year Horizon

The Timeframe:

Not 5 years
Not 10 years
50-60 years
To complete control
To total victory

What It Required:

Patience
Consistency
Survival
Harassment
Gradual expansion
No rushing

The Result:

While others sought immediate victory
Sikhs played infinite game
While others sought glory
Sikhs sought survival
Survival won

What's Coming

The Situation (1760-1761):

Punjab is the sticking point
Abdali offers: keep it, no battle
Bhau can't accept (honor reasons)
Battle becomes inevitable
Sikhs watching from sidelines
No Sikh-Maratha alliance
Bhau's strategic failure

The Outcome:

Battle will devastate both sides
Sikhs will survive
Will harass weakened powers
Will gradually take Punjab
Will completely control it
In 50-60 years
Proving: patience wins

1760: The entire battle is about Punjab. Abdali says: keep it and there's no battle, we all go home. But Bhau can't accept. Why? Not military reasons. Honor. In those days, cowardice is you're finished, you're done. If he goes back without fighting, gives away Punjab, he'll be shunned, mocked, finished. His career over. So he chooses battle over compromise, death over shame. Meanwhile, the Sikhs - the actual Punjabis, the sons of soil - they're just watching. Not included in negotiations about their own homeland. Both sides want to control Punjab. Sikhs want to drive out ANY outsider - Maratha or Afghan, doesn't matter. Bhau failed to develop Sikh alliance even though both Hindu at the time, could have changed everything. But Sikhs were wary. Marathas not there for "sunshine and fellowship" - they wanted control. So Sikhs stay out. Watch the outsiders destroy each other. Then spend 50-60 years gradually taking over. No glory. No heroism. Just patience. Just survival. Just victory. The real winners of Panipat didn't fight at Panipat. They just waited.