The Boundary Dispute & The Holkar Rejection

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

The Two Competing Visions for India's Future

Bahu's Core Philosophy:

• Internal Indian problems should be solved by Indian powers
• Abdali (an external foreign power) has no business interfering in Hindustan's affairs
• Marathas will decide who rules Delhi and Mughal policy
• This was the reason Bahu came north in the first place

Abdali's Demands: Completely unacceptable on all fronts:

1. Boundary at Sir Hind (not Sindhu River)

   • Would give Abdali control of Punjab
   • Would give Abdali control of Multan
   • Essentially demanding all fertile northern territory

2. Control of Mughal succession

   • Shah Alam becomes Mughal emperor (Abdali's choice)
   • Shuja becomes Wazir (Abdali's choice)
   • Najib Khan becomes Mirabakshi (Abdali's choice)
   • Abdali dictating internal Indian politics

3. Marathas restricted to south of Chambal River

   • No Maratha say in Delhi affairs
   • No Maratha influence on emperor
   • Undo 40 years of Maratha expansion (back to 1720 status quo)

The Logic Problem:

• Abdali wanted Marathas to give up everything gained since Bajirao I (1720)
• But Bahu came north specifically to cement Maratha control of Delhi
• These demands were mutually exclusive
• No common ground whatsoever

The Geographic/Geopolitical Breakdown

Bahu's Counter-Position: Sindhu River as Boundary

• West of Sindhu = Afghanistan
• East of Sindhu = India (includes Mughal territory)
• This line includes western Baluchistan today
• Baluchistan is barren, desert, no irrigable land
• But it marks clear separation between Afghan and Indian territories

Why Sindhu vs. Sir Hind Matters:

• Sir Hind = too far south, loses Punjab entirely
• Sindhu = maintains Maratha access to Punjab and northern territories
• Difference: Hundreds of kilometers of fertile territory

The Historical Precedent:

• During Aurangzeb era: Mughal control extended even beyond Attaq (far north/west)
• By Bajirao I (1720): Marathas started expanding north
• Now (1760): Marathas control regions north of Narmada
• Abdali wants to erase this entire expansion = impossible for Peshwa to accept

Najib Khan's "Compromise" Proposal

The Offer:

• Attaq and west of Attaq = Abdali's territory
• Marathas confined to south of Narmada
• Middle region = Mughal emperor's control (includes Punjab)
• More palatable than Abdali's demands but still unacceptable to Marathas

Why Marathas Couldn't Accept It:

• Holkar and Shinde operate north of Narmada
• This proposal would compress their operating space to near zero
• Would eliminate their power base
• Would mean giving up 40 years of conquest

Holkar's Dramatic Response:

• Was personally fond of Najib Khan
• BUT insulted by the proposal itself
• Kicked out Najib's messenger in anger
• Said: "This is not acceptable because I operate here"
• Willing to let Bahu's stricter demands stand rather than accept this compromise
• His anger showed personal relationships couldn't override territorial interests

The Strategic Reality

What Bahu Was Defending:

• Maratha control of Mughal structure
• Maratha say in choosing emperor and wazirs
• Maratha presence in northern plains
• All territorial gains since first Bajirao

What Abdali Was Demanding:

• Return to pre-Maratha status quo (1720)
• Complete withdrawal from northern affairs
• Afghan control of wealth-producing regions (Punjab)
• Abdali as kingmaker instead of Marathas

Why No Negotiation Was Possible:

• Both had incompatible end-states
• Compromise meant someone giving up core interests
• Bahu couldn't retreat without losing the campaign's purpose
• Abdali couldn't compromise without losing face/legitimacy

The Ideological Divide

Bahu's View:

• Marathas = Indian power defending Hindustan's interests
• Abdali = outsider with no legitimate claim
• Indians should decide Indian affairs

Abdali's View:

• I defeated you militarily
• I will decide the terms
• You will accept my boundary and my choice of rulers
• This is the new reality

The Gap:

• Neither could accept what the other was offering
• Neither could see legitimate authority in the other
• Both willing to fight to the death for their vision

Timeline

Key Concepts

"Payab Nahi" (No Bottom/No Shallow)

• Yamuna is bottomless—can't be crossed
• Metaphor: These disputes have no bottom; can't find resolution
• Geography = political destiny

Status Quo Ante (1720)

• Abdali wants to return to this
• Marathas refuse to erase 40 years of progress
• This refusal makes war inevitable

The Compromise Trap:

• Najib's proposal looked like splitting the difference
• Actually just meant everyone lost something
• Holkar understood: better to fight for what you want than settle for less
• Sometimes compromise is worse than conflict

Why Holkar's Rejection Mattered

Symbolic Importance:

• Even friendly overtures from the other side are rejected
• Shows Marathas unwilling to negotiate fundamentals
• Demonstrates commitment to current territorial position

Strategic Importance:

• Holkar & Shinde must maintain northern operating space
• Any shrinkage threatens their power base
• They'd rather risk everything in battle than lose territory gradually

Personal Dimension:

• Holkar respected Najib Khan personally
• But could not accept offer that benefited Najib at his expense
• Personal relationships secondary to institutional interests
• Shows loyalty to Maratha confederation > individual friendships

The Fundamental Problem

No Half-Measures Possible:

• Either Marathas control Delhi politics or Abdali does
• Either Punjab is in Indian or Afghan sphere
• Either Chambal is boundary or Sindhu is
• Either Marathas have northern say or they don't

The Stakes:

• For Marathas: 40 years of expansion, empire-building, prestige
• For Abdali: Proving he's supreme in Central/South Asia
• For the region: Who will be dominant power going forward

The Dilemma:

• Can't negotiate when positions are mutually exclusive
• Can't war when both are exhausted
• Can't wait because resources running out
• Must fight, though no one wants to

Where We Left Off: Boundary negotiations have completely collapsed. Abdali has made unacceptable demands. Najib's compromise has been rejected by Holkar. Both sides are firmly committed to incompatible visions. The only remaining question is: who blinks first? Who breaks ranks and makes a concession? Answer: Neither can afford to.

The boundaries they were arguing about were never really about lines on a map. They were about power, legitimacy, and who gets to decide the future of India. Abdali wanted to impose an external order. Marathas wanted to build an internal one. You can't split the difference between those two things. You have to fight to the finish. And that's what they were about to do.