Bhau's Northern March & The Holkar-Najib Relationship (April-June 1760)

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

The False Rumors: Abdali Leaving?

April 18, 1760 - From Barhampur

Bhau's Movements:

• Moving from Barhampur
• Going further north toward Narmada
• April 18: dealing with loans/debts of 4 lakh rupees at Ronj

The Propaganda Campaign

The Rumor Mill

What Was Being Said:

"Abdali won't stay here during the summer months. By probably May or early June he'll be gone."

The Reality:

"This turns out to be incorrect. It was basically rumor - a false rumor."

The Purpose:

"There was constant talk of Abdali going back to his motherland or mother country. That may have been to pump up the morale and make good feeling for everybody."

Who Was Spreading It:

• Maratha sources
• Nana Fadnavis (clerk/official)
• Maybe others trying to boost morale
• Create optimism

The Rohilla Panic: Why Abdali Can't Leave

Najib Khan & The Rohillas

Their Desperation:

"Najib Khan and the Rohillas - it wasn't good for them that Abdali goes back. So they were constantly telling him that you cannot go back unless you get this Maratha problem solved."

Why They Were Terrified:

"Rohillas were terribly afraid because if Abdali is gone then they will be wiped out by Sadashiv Rao [Bhau] and his force."

The Reality:

"They stand no chance without Abdali's backing."

The Pressure:

• Abdali didn't want to stay that much
• But under constant pressure from Rohillas
• Can't leave them to face Marathas alone
• "No going back" until problem solved

Why Marathas Would Be Vengeful

The Grudges

Reason #1: Dattaji's Death

"They led directly to the killing of Dattaji Shinde."

• Major reason for vengeance
• Direct responsibility
• Blood debt

Reason #2: Najib Khan's Character

"Najib Khan was singled out as a treacherous and very wild personality."

• Known traitor
• Brutal reputation
• Dangerous man

The Holkar Connection: Mercy & Paternal Bond

Why Najib Khan Survived

The Relationship:

"He still survived because of Holkar. He'd been shown mercy by Holkar before because Holkar considered him as his son."

The Bond:

"They both respected each other in that capacity. He looked up to Holkar as a kind of father figure and the other way around."

The Dynamic:

• Holkar = father figure
• Najib Khan = son figure
• Mutual respect
• Protection relationship

Would This Ever Change? The Question

The Future Uncertainty

The Question:

• Will this relationship ever change?
• Does Holkar survive the Battle of Panipat?
• What does he think of Najib Khan after?

The Day Before Battle: January 14, 1760

Sadashiv Rao's Instructions to Holkar

The Meeting:

"Before one day before the battle - 14th of January - it began a couple days earlier. Sadashiv Rao Bhau kind of senses what things can happen adversely, takes Holkar aside."

The Responsibility Given:

"If things were to go south then I give you the responsibility to save as many women and children as you can and especially my wife."

Who Came:

• Bhau's wife came with him
• Many other commanders' wives
• Women and children in camp

The Plan:

"Find a safe passage for them and take them to Suraj Mal Jat's court. His area - they could temporarily seek asylum or something like that."

Why Suraj Mal:

• Safe territory
• Then they could go south to safety from there
• Better than anywhere in Mughal Empire
• Mughals playing double game

The Mughal Double Game:

• On one hand: wanted Marathas (because of contract)
• On other hand: wanted Maratha power to diminish
• Can't trust them for safety

The Battle Turns Bad: Holkar's Escape

Afternoon of January 14, 1760

When Things Went South:

"When the battle started turning bad for Marathas after one or two o'clock in the afternoon, Holkar makes - he is looking for a safe passage."

What He Did:

"He sent word to Najib Khan because Najib Khan is in the front."

The Deal:

• Najib Khan gets the message from Holkar
• Gives a safe passage to Holkar and whoever was with him
• Deliberate arrangement

Who Escaped:

"Holkar comes out of the whole battle alive along with Sadashiv Rao's wife."

How It Happened:

"There was a safe passage given deliberately by Najib Khan because of their relationship."

The Escape Route: To Suraj Mal's Territory

The Journey

The Meeting:

"They meet and [Najib Khan] says: 'If you go this way nobody will bother you. You can get out of this place.'"

The Carrier:

• One guy carried Bhau's wife on his back
• All the way to Delhi
• Out of Delhi heading south

The Destination:

"That's where Jaat Suraj Mal Jat kingdom begins. He brought [her] there and she stays there for a few weeks because she is in a safe zone."

The Final Return:

"Then she goes back to Pune. That's what the story is."

Holkar's Role in Battle: Did He Fight?

The Account

His Participation:

"Holkar comes out alive and he says that he didn't fight - he fought only for the first few hours maybe."

His Priority:

"Then he basically said okay now things are looking bad I'm gonna save this lady and some other people also and he gets out."

The Caveat:

"But it may be totally true that there is no witness to this."

• No one can verify
• Holkar's own account
• May or may not be accurate
• "Nobody knows, nobody has [proof] or anything"

Holkar's Philosophy: Against Frontal War

His Beliefs

The Core Philosophy:

"Holkar never believed in the frontal war. He never ever believed in it - like two armies fighting each other like they did in Panipat because it was calamity."

What He Believed In:

"He believed in surgical strikes and Ghanimi kawa (guerrilla warfare) and all that stuff. And this [frontal battle] he didn't like at all."

His Style:

• Hit and run
• Surgical strikes
• Guerrilla tactics
• Shivaji's methods
• Not massive pitched battles

The Personality Conflict: Bhau vs Holkar

The Tension

The Dynamic:

"There was a dynamics between [Bhau] and Holkar. Bhau kind of looked down upon Holkar - just a little bit - for whatever reason. And Holkar resented that."

The Issue:

• Bhau's arrogance
• Dismissive attitude
• Holkar felt disrespected
• Resentment building

The Diplomatic Language: "The Rich One"

How They Referred to Peshwa

The Term:

• People used to refer to Peshwas as "the rich"
• Not in material sense
• "Somebody who is a man of means, a man of honor"
• Honorable personality

The Usage:

"An honorable personality is going - making progress step by step."

Meeting Suraj Mal Jat: The Confluence

Getting Close to Agra

Where They Met:

"Now because [Bhau] was getting close to Agra - and that's where Suraj Mal Jat's area begins - so that's where they met along with Holkar and some other northern Maratha troops."

Holkar's Position:

"Holkar was already in and around Delhi basically harassing Abdali's forces by doing surgical strikes but he didn't have the wherewithal to have a frontal battle anyway."

Why He Was Careful:

• Had taken a beating weeks or months ago
• Very careful not to confront them directly
• "Whatever he can do but anyway..."
• Preserving his forces

The Merger:

"They met and they kind of merged and started making plans how to fight this fight."

The Geographic Context: The Doab

Where Everyone Was

The Fertile Strip:

"[Doab] is another name for the fertile area between Yamuna and Ganga."

Abdali's Position:

• At Anupshara (in the Doab)

Jahan Khan & Najib Khan:

• Crossed rivers (not clear which direction)
• Moving in the Doab area

Madho Singh: The Secret Ally

Playing Both Sides

His Position:

"Madho Singh is internally on the side of Abdali, though he hasn't joined him per se. He's just scheming and conspiring with Abdali."

What He Was Doing:

• Not joining openly
• Helping with information
• "Whatever" support
• On Abdali's alliance
• Won't fight directly

With Whom:

• Has "good books" with someone (text unclear)
• Good equation with certain parties

Nana Purandare's Reports

The Intelligence

Who Was Writing:

• Nana Purandare writing to Nana Saheb Peshwa
• Providing updates on northern situation
• May 22, 1760 letter mentioned

Suja-ud-Daula: The Shia-Sunni Problem

The Complicated Alliance

The Positive Meeting:

"Suja talked to Abdali and that created a lot of positive environment."

But:

"That does not mean he wants to fight on Abdali's side."

Why:

• He went and stayed with Abdali
• But there was cultural conflict between forces
• Suja = Shia
• Abdali = Sunni

The Differences:

"Their customs, their culture, festivals - everything is different. And they had conflicts."

Who Will Float, Who Will Sink?

The Waiting Game

The Powers in North India:

"The rest of the powers in northern India are trying to see who will float and who will sink."

The Calculation:

• Trying to guess who's going to win this battle
• Want to go to that side
• Hedging their bets
• Waiting to see

The Reality: Abdali's Real Intentions

The Truth Behind the Rumors

The False Hope:

"Abdali is preparing to go back to his own country. Basically these guys are creating false rumors for Nanasaheb Peshwa to feel more optimistic that Abdali is going back before summertime."

The Logic:

• Maybe no big battle
• Rest of problems in north easy for Bhau
• Rohillas not that big of a problem
• No real opposition without Abdali

But Here's the Crux:

"Abdali wants to go back but Najib Khan won't allow him to go back because Najib was dead scared what will happen in that case. He will be surely killed."

The Reality:

"He was scared - without Abdali he's dead man walking."

The Historical Echo: Shivaji's Route

Narwar Valley (June 2, 1760)

The Location:

"It rings a bell but I've forgotten - when Shivaji was crossing the valley in Narwar coming back from Agra."

The Story:

• Crossing Narwar valley
• Mughal police station there
• When crossing with his colleagues
• Says "I am Shivaji" or something like that
• Famous moment

The Geography:

"Narwar there is a kind of a mountain pass or something like that."

Now (June 2, 1760):

"He [Bhau] on the second of June - where is he? Gwalior."

Gwalior:

• Has entered Gwalior
• There was like a kingdom there
• Vassal kingdom basically
• Mughal emperor had become weak
• People becoming semi-detached

The Distance Problem: 300 Kilometers

Gwalior to Anupshara

The Challenge:

"The distance wasn't too bad - 300 kilometers."

But:

"Within those two locations Gwalior to Anupshara there were two big rivers and a small river. So that was the problem."

The Issue:

"It was not the distance but the terrain and the rivers."

The Plan vs Reality: Direct Battle

What Should Have Happened

The Original Plan:

"The plan was that he will directly go to battle with Abdali. That was the plan - no waiting around."

Why It Didn't Happen:

"But it didn't happen like that because of the rivers. He could [not] cross rivers - no way."

The Monsoon Timing: The Fatal Problem

June 2nd = Too Late

The Situation:

"Now second of June - what is happening on second of July? It's monsoon season. So within a week monsoon will begin - big time. River expands."

If Only...

"Had he reached there maybe two months ago then it was possible."

Why:

"In summer time the rivers become very shallow and they are not a big problem."

The Military Problem: Cavalry Can't Function

Why Monsoon = Disaster

The Wet Ground:

"The monsoon was just on the verge of unleashing and it was going to be tough to cross all those rivers. Especially the cavalry cannot function."

Why:

"Because the horses cannot go on a soil that is totally wet and it becomes messy for the horses to traverse."

The Infantry:

"Maybe the foot soldiers can fight but not the horses. It's just too muddy and horses cannot [function]."

The Distance Problem:

"You can't traverse the distance without horses. You're not going to walk all the way - 300 kilometers to walk will take several - two, three months maybe - without horses."

The Scale:

"We are talking about 120,000-100,000 people. It's a huge logistical challenge. It's not a joke."

1760: The Early Monsoon

That Year Was Worse

The Timing:

"In that year 1760 the monsoon started a little early and it was just humongous rain."

Normal Pattern:

"Generally that time it used to start by sixth or seventh of June."

What Happened:

"But it started a little early. Now second of June he's in Gwalior. So it started around second, third of June."

The Deluge:

"Once it starts, the whole three, four days are full of rains. It just - everything becomes soggy and wet and it just is horrible."

Indian Monsoon:

"Monsoon in India is not like anywhere else."

Key Players

Timeline

Critical Insights

1. The False Hope Strategy

Why Spread Rumors:

• Boost Maratha morale
• Make troops feel optimistic
• "Abdali leaving soon anyway"
• No big battle needed

The Reality:

• Rohillas won't let Abdali leave
• They're "dead men walking" without him
• Abdali under pressure to stay
• Big battle inevitable

2. The Holkar-Najib Relationship

The Paternal Bond:

• Unusual relationship across enemy lines
• Father-son dynamic
• Mutual respect
• Previous mercy shown

Why It Mattered:

• Saved Holkar's life at Panipat
• Saved Bhau's wife's life
• Allowed escape from total disaster
• Personal relationship > political alliance

The Questions:

• Was this planned beforehand?
• Did Bhau know about this relationship?
• Was Holkar's "responsibility" a cover for escape plan?
• Did he really fight at all?

3. The Witness Problem

No Verification:

• Holkar says he fought for first few hours
• Then focused on saving women
• But "no witness to this"
• Only his account

The Suspicion:

• Maybe he left earlier?
• Maybe never really fought?
• Used "responsibility" as excuse?
• Preserved his forces deliberately?

4. The Philosophical Split

Holkar's Beliefs:

• Never believed in frontal warfare
• Surgical strikes only
• Guerrilla tactics (Ghanimi kawa)
• Shivaji's methods
• Panipat-style battle = "calamity"

Why This Matters:

• Fundamental disagreement with Bhau's plan
• Never bought into the strategy
• Left first chance he got?
• Or genuinely trying to save civilians?

5. The Personality Conflict

Bhau's Arrogance:

• Looked down on Holkar
• "Just a little bit"
• Dismissive attitude

Holkar's Resentment:

• Felt disrespected
• Built up anger
• Less likely to cooperate?
• More likely to abandon him?

6. The Monsoon Trap

The Fatal Timing:

• June 2: reaches Gwalior
• June 2-3: monsoon starts (early!)
• 300 km to go
• 2 big rivers + 1 small river
• All flooding now

The Cavalry Problem:

• Can't use horses in mud
• But can't move 100,000+ people on foot
• Takes 2-3 months walking
• Stuck

The Plan Derailed:

• Was supposed to go directly to battle
• No waiting around
• But rivers made it impossible
• Forced to wait out monsoon?

7. The "If Only" Scenario

Two Months Earlier:

• Rivers shallow in summer
• Could cross easily
• Reach Abdali quickly
• Fight before monsoon

But:

• Situation not critical enough in March-April
• By time it was urgent = too late
• Forced into bad timing
• Timing doomed the campaign

8. The Cultural Conflicts

Suja-ud-Daula's Problem:

• Met with Abdali
• "Positive environment"
• But Shia vs Sunni = cultural conflicts
• Different customs, festivals
• Can't really unite

The Alliance Problem:

• Even potential allies have issues
• Religious divisions
• Cultural incompatibility
• Weak commitment

9. The Hedging Behavior

Northern Powers:

• Waiting to see who wins
• "Who will float, who will sink"
• Not committing
• Playing both sides
• Madho Singh secretly helping Abdali

The Problem:

• No solid allies
• Everyone hedging bets
• Can't trust anyone
• Isolated

10. The Rohilla Desperation

Why They Won't Let Abdali Leave:

• "Dead men walking" without him
• Marathas will wipe them out
• Led to Dattaji's killing = vengeance coming
• Najib Khan = treacherous reputation
• No chance alone

The Pressure:

• Constantly begging Abdali to stay
• "Can't go back until problem solved"
• Won't let him leave
• Abdali trapped too

Geographic Context

The Route:

• Barhampur (April)
• Ronj (April 18)
• Narmada area
• Narwar valley (historic Shivaji connection)
• Gwalior (June 2)
• 300 km to Anupshara (in Doab)
• 2 big rivers + 1 small river in between

The Doab:

• Between Yamuna and Ganga
• Fertile area
• Where Abdali positioned
• Where battle will happen

Delhi Area:

• Holkar operating around Delhi
• Doing surgical strikes
• Harassing Abdali's forces
• Not strong enough for frontal battle

Where We Left Off

The Situation:

• Bhau at Gwalior (June 2)
• Monsoon just started (early!)
• 300 km to go, multiple rivers to cross
• Can't use cavalry in mud
• 100,000+ people stuck
• Holkar already operating near Delhi
• Suraj Mal will meet Bhau near Agra
• Abdali wants to leave but Rohillas won't let him
• Najib Khan = "dead man walking" without Abdali
• Everyone waiting to see who wins

The Questions:

• How long stuck by monsoon?
• When can they cross the rivers?
• Will they reach Abdali before he leaves?
• Is Holkar reliable given his resentment?
• Will the father-son relationship between Holkar and Najib matter?
• Can they trust any of these northern allies?

The race against time was already lost. June 2nd and the monsoon arrives early - right on schedule to destroy any hope of a quick campaign. Bhau is 300 kilometers away with multiple swollen rivers in between and 100,000 people who can't move through the mud. Meanwhile, false rumors are being spread that Abdali is leaving - but the truth is darker: Najib Khan has Abdali in a death grip. "You can't leave until the Maratha problem is solved." And the Maratha problem is stuck in the monsoon, watching the rivers rise, wondering how they'll ever cross. The father-son bond between Holkar and Najib Khan will matter later - when Holkar uses it to escape with Bhau's wife on someone's back while the battle is lost. But that's months away. Right now, in June, with the rain pouring down, the only question is: can they even reach the battlefield?