The Final Collapse: Negotiations Breakdown & Starvation Crisis

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

The September 16 Letter: What Enemies Are Saying

What Bahu Reports to Peshwa:

• Najib Khan and Suja Uddhavla negotiating terms
• Proposed boundary: Sirhind (not Sindhu)
• Marathas should stay away from Delhi
• These are Abdali's/Rohila's demands being communicated

The Border Problem:

• Sirhind is too far south
• Sirhind = Baluchistan region (barren desert)
• Loses all of Punjab
• Loses all fertile northern territory

Suja's Role:

• Middleman between camps
• Not 100% in Abdali's camp
• Trying to negotiate compromise
• But his proposals still favor Abdali/Rohilas

Bahu's Counter-Position: Attaq as Boundary

Bahu's Demand:

• Boundary should be at Attaq (far to the north/west)
• Marathas should have right to protect Mughal emperor
• This is more lenient than some previous positions

Why Attaq?

• Raghunath Rao (earlier Peshwa) reached Attaq
• Aurangzeb went even further (toward Kabul)
• So Attaq is actually a concession from historical precedent
• Shows Marathas willing to compromise somewhat

What He's Saying:

• "I will take Attaq as boundary"
• "But I must have say in protecting Delhi"
• "No dictation of terms from outside powers"
• "These are internal Indian affairs"

The Unity Message

"Sardar Doghe Hi Bahut Saaf Aahe"

• Rough translation: Both commanders (Shinde/Holkar) are loyal and content
• There is perfect harmony in councils
• We are united in our command structure

What This Really Means:

• Trying to project image of unity
• Claiming internal solidarity
• "Don't try to divide us"
• But the reality is quite different (separate deals happening)
• This is propaganda for consumption by enemy/mediators

The Starvation Crisis: "Sarva Peech Potaatsa"

The Core Problem:

• "The problem we are facing is of stomach"
• Literally: No food to eat
• Broadly: Resource shortage
• This is the existential crisis

Why Money Won't Solve It:

• Even if they had money, where to buy food?
• Citizens around them are hostile
• Not enough food available in region
• Have to source from far away
• Transportation takes time and logistics
• Money is useless without supply chains

The Animal Problem:

• Animals need food too
• Don't have enough fodder
• Animals starving alongside soldiers
• This weakens cavalry and transport
• Losing military capacity as supplies shrink

The Loan Situation: "Savkari Bandha"

Bahu's Desperate Request:

• Moneylenders won't give loans
• No access to credit
• Even offering attractive terms, no takers
• Why? Too risky to lend to army in field
• Financial system has broken down

What Happened to Expected Revenue:

• Tributes not arriving
• Collections delayed or non-existent
• Tax collectors not cooperating
• Government structure collapsed
• Money promised is not materializing

The Bundela Failure

Govind Pan Bundela's Three Tasks:

1. Build pontoon bridge across Yamuna
2. Bring Shuja to Maratha side (alliance)
3. Provide funds and supplies

Reality:

• Bundela couldn't do ANY of these
• Bundela is old (60 years old—very old for era)
• Bundela has only 8,000-10,000 troops
• These are NOT battle forces (meant for tax collection)
• Not trained/equipped for major operations

The Historical Note:

• Few years earlier, Bundela asked Peshwa for 25,000-30,000 fighters
• Said: "I need real army because I'm in critical position"
• Peshwa couldn't spare them
• Now that war came, Bundela can't handle it

The Tragedy:

• If Peshwa had invested in Bundela's force
• Bundela could have done his tasks
• Would have relieved supply crisis
• Might have changed entire campaign outcome
• But strategic reserves didn't exist

The Search for Hidden Treasure

The Hope:

• Mughal Treasury must have hidden wealth somewhere
• Maybe underground, in bunkers, secret chambers
• If found: Could fund entire campaign
• Would solve money crisis instantly

The Effort:

• Searched everywhere possible
• Looked in palaces, forts, buildings
• Even searched emperor's personal spaces
• Except bedrooms (line they wouldn't cross)
• Chose restraint over sacrilege

The Result:

• Found some silver plating
• Melted it down for coins
• Yielded limited cash
• Not the massive treasure hoped for
• Emperor's treasure was already long gone (previous rulers looted it)

The Imad-ul-Mulk Silver Protest

What Happened:

• Silver plating melted to mint coins
• Suraj Mal protested this desecration
• Said: "You're insulting the emperor!"
• Made big noise about it

The Hypocrisy:

• Suraj Mal's companion Imad murdered TWO emperors
• Delhi was looted THREE times
• Imad had caused massive instability
• Now Suraj Mal complaining about silver plating?
• Zero moral credibility

What This Shows:

• Northern politics completely rotten
• No principles, pure opportunism
• Using "respect for emperor" as excuse for political maneuvering
• Everyone complicit, everyone hypocritical

Bahu's Financial Accounting (September 12)

What He's Trying:

• Detailed accounting of money spent vs. received
• List of loans taken
• Daily expense breakdown
• Asking Peshwa: "How should I plan if this drags on?"

The Core Question:

• If battle resolves quickly: No problem
• If campaign drags on: How do I sustain it?
• Where will money come from?
• What should I do with existing treasury?

His Proposal:

• Take collections meant for Peshwa
• Use half for campaign
• Later repay with loans
• Essentially: Borrow from Peshwa's future revenue to fund present

Why This Matters:

• Shows he's run out of normal funding options
• Asking to raid Peshwa's revenue streams
• Desperate measures for desperate situation
• Campaign is bleeding money unsustainably

The Letter Pattern

First Phase (June/July):

• Angry at overall situation
• Blaming others for not doing enough
• Hard tone, not diplomatic

Second Phase (August):

• Trying to placate/explain position
• Softer tone, more explanatory

Third Phase (September):

• Showing stress and difficulty
• Almost breakdown tone
• Request for help and guidance
• "I don't know what to do, please advise"

The Trajectory:

• Moves from anger → attempt at diplomacy → desperation
• Psychological breaking down
• Recognizing situation beyond his control

The Manpower Situation

What Bahu Had:

• ~65,000 trained soldiers (core force)
• ~35,000 additional (Shinde/Holkar contingents, hired groups)
• ~25,000 noncombatants (pilgrims, old people, women, children)
• Total: ~125,000 people
• Plus uncounted animals

Fitness for Battle:

• Many troops never seen long-range artillery
• Many skeptical of new tactics
• Not unified command structure (multiple clan leaders)
• Morale deteriorating from hunger
• Army degrading in combat effectiveness

The Noncombatant Problem:

• They eat but don't fight
• They consume supplies
• They slow movement
• They require protection
• Dead weight in combat situation

The Bigger Question: Why Came North?

The Stated Reason:

• To defend Hindustan against foreign invader
• To prevent Abdali hegemony
• Sacred duty (not selfish ambition)
• No other power could do it

The Northern Powers' View:

• See Marathas as exploitative
• Worry about Maratha domination
• Think Marathas will never leave
• Don't believe it's about principle
• Think it's about expansion

The Reality:

• Both are true and false simultaneously
• Marathas are defending principle
• Marathas are also expanding power
• Northern rulers are right to be cautious
• But they're also selfish and unhelpful

The Fundamental Problem

Bahu's Dilemma:

• Can't fight without supplies
• Can't get supplies without money
• Can't get money without winning
• Can't win without army in good condition
• Circular dependency with no way out

The Timing Curse:

• Came in monsoon season (worst for war)
• Yamuna impassable for months
• Supply lines completely broken
• Couldn't source food locally (hostile territory)
• Couldn't wait (money running out)
• Couldn't retreat (honor and commitment)
• Trapped by season and circumstances

Timeline

Key Phrases

"Sarva Peech Potaatsa" = "The problem is of stomach"

• Literally: Food shortage
• Metaphorically: Survival crisis
• Existential challenge that dominates everything

"Savkari Bandha" = "Moneylenders closed"

• Credit has dried up
• Financial system broken
• Normal economic functioning ceased

"Sardar Doghe Hi Bahut Saaf Aahe" = "The two commanders are perfectly clear/loyal"

• Propaganda message
• Intended for enemy consumption
• But reality is more complicated

Bahu's Psychological State

The Stress Indicators:

• Anger at situation (early letters)
• Attempts at explanation (middle letters)
• Breakdown into desperation (late letters)
• Asking for guidance (losing confidence)
• Expressing health concerns (asking about Peshwa's health)

What He's Realizing:

• Campaign is unsustainable
• Normal solutions not working
• External help needed (from Peshwa)
• Personal limitations becoming clear
• Can't control situation through force of will

Where We Left Off: September 16, 1760. Negotiations have completely collapsed. Bundela can't deliver on any of three tasks. Supply crisis is acute and worsening daily. Treasures can't be found. Loans won't materialize. Soldiers are starving. Money is gone. And monsoon is keeping everyone trapped. Bahu has done everything possible within normal parameters. Now he's grasping for solutions. The entire campaign is approaching a crisis point. Something has to give—either they fight immediately despite conditions, or they begin slow collapse.

By September, Bahu had learned the hard way that military victory isn't the same as strategic victory. Taking Delhi was easy compared to holding it. Keeping an army of 100,000+ people fed while waiting for monsoon to end proved impossible. Every day cost more than he had. Every day of waiting meant more starvation. He was trapped by geography (monsoon), trapped by logistics (no supplies), trapped by politics (can't negotiate with unreliable allies), trapped by timing (came at wrong season). He won the battle for the fort. But he was losing the war of attrition. And time was running out.