Bhau's Secret Memoirs: Thoughts, Doubts, and Political Limits (Late 1760)

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

The Kaifiyat: Bhau's Unfiltered Thinking

What Is The Kaifiyat?

The Document:

"Bhau Sahib Kaifiyat" = Bhau's thoughts/analysis
Written by someone close to Bhau
Anonymous author (possibly Nanath Puranthi)
Based on observations of Bhau's thinking
Third-person account of his thoughts

Its Significance:

Not found in other official letters
More honest/unfiltered than formal correspondence
Reveals doubts and fears
Shows internal conflict
Authentic account of psychological state

The Authorship Question:

Not written by Bhau himself
Written by person close to him
Someone who witnessed events
Could interpret his thoughts/feelings
Likely survived the battle

The Author's Survival

The Challenge:

Had to survive the Panipat battle
Escape without major injuries
Return to Pune alive
Write account within a year
No small feat

The Validation:

Freshness of memory
Authenticity of details
First-hand observation
No time for embellishment
Real-time emotions captured

The Identity:

Possibly Nanath Puranthi
Courtier in Peshwa court
Went on northern campaign
Escaped after battle
Returned to safety

The Enthusiasm vs. Reality Gap

Early November: High Morale

The Confidence:

First month of skirmishes: excitement high
Enthusiasm ("Utsah") very strong
"Hooked up for the fight"
Feeling of invincibility
Optimistic expectations

The Reality Check:

Even with enthusiasm: needing supplies
Money running short by late November
Food supplies declining
Still wanting/needing material goods
Can't fight on excitement alone

The Problem

The Analysis:

Govindpant couldn't cut Abdali's supplies
Abdali not ready to attack Marathas
Both sides avoiding full commitment
Minor skirmishes only
Stalemate persisting

The Afghan Caution:

Abdali too smart to be reckless
Won't foolishly throw forces forward
Waiting for Maratha mistake
Testing rather than attacking
Strategic patience wearing Marathas

Vishwasrao's Desperation: The Letter to Peshwa

The Brother's Plea

The Context:

Vishwasrao Peshwa = Bhau's brother
Writing to their father (Nana Sahib)
Desperate plea for help
Critical resource shortage
Acknowledging Bhau's pride

The Key Quote:

"You'll get 10 sons like me"
"But not a brother like Bhau"
Acknowledging his uniqueness
Expressing his value
Desperate plea for support

The Honest Assessment

What Vishwasrao Reveals:

"We don't have the resources"
"Send more or else we're doomed"
"Brother won't tell you he needs help"
"He's in a risky position"
"We are in troublesome situation"

The Contradiction:

Bhau projecting confidence publicly
But actually desperate privately
Worried about losing face
Can't admit weakness to Peshwa
Vishwasrao forced to do it for him

Bhau's Pride Problem

The Issue:

Won't tell Peshwa the truth
Thinks admitting need = losing face
Supposed to be leading to victory
Given assurance of success
Can't now say "uncertain"

The Consequence:

Peshwa doesn't understand gravity
Can't provide appropriate support
Doesn't send reinforcements
Underestimates danger
Leaves campaign under-resourced

The Afghan Strength Reality

Vishwasrao's Assessment:

"Gilcha (Afghan army) appearing stronger"
Than originally thought
Reassessing upward
More formidable opponent
Than expected intelligence indicated

The Implications:

Initial estimates wrong
Afghans better organized
Abdali more capable
Threat level increasing
Situation more dire

The Stalemate Logic: Why They Can't Attack

The Battle Decision Dilemma

The Uncertainty:

"Consequences will be devastating no matter what"
Battle outcome uncertain
Both sides will lose heavily
Can't predict winner
Only guarantee: massive casualties

The Waiting Strategy:

"Tire out the enemy"
Let logistics do the work
Whoever runs out first: loses
Supply depletion = defeat
Attrition strategy

The Resource War

The Real War:

Not about tactics/fighting
About supplies/endurance
"Whoever gets tired or runs out = loses"
Easy to beat weakened opponent
They'll "agree to any surrender terms"

The Assumption:

Marathas thought they'd last longer
Had better supply position
Could outlast Afghans
Afghans would break first
Wrong assumption

Bhau's Strategic Limitations: The Statesman vs. Warrior Problem

The Political Context

The Bigger Picture:

War about territory control
"Boundary to be redrawn"
Where Afghanistan and India intersect
Not about Delhi throne
About regional dominance

Abdali's Position:

"Wants control of Punjab"
Claims it as part of his empire
Has appointed his own subedar
Has own officials in Punjab
Refusing to withdraw

The Maratha Position:

"That's not going to happen"
Punjab belongs to Mughal India
Afghans are foreigners
"All Indian powers should defend"
No budging on this

The Impossible Situation

The Sticking Point:

Nobody willing to budge
Abdali won't give up Punjab claim
Marathas won't accept his claim
Potential truce only "on our terms"
No middle ground available

The Coalition Problem: Bhau Couldn't Unite India

The Bhau Strategy

His Vision:

All Indian powers unite
Stand together against Afghans
Afghans = total foreigners
Should have united defense
Common cause against invasion

The Reality:

Only Marathas willing to fight
Rajputs didn't join
Suraj Mal Jat didn't join
Others neutral or opposed
Suja Uddaula ambiguous
No unified Indian response

The Leadership Failures

The Political Weakness:

Bhau couldn't make Indian kings unite
Couldn't build coalition
Couldn't create common cause
Failed at political strategy
Left alone to face Afghans

The Commander Weakness:

"Not a good politician and not a good commander either"
Fought like warrior on ground
But should have been general/statesman
Supposed to coordinate strategy
Not get personally involved in fighting

The Role Confusion

The Wrong Job:

"Supposed to be general and statesman"
"Not supposed to get on ground fighting"
Got personally involved in battle
Lost oversight of bigger picture
Fought like warrior instead of commanding

The Desperation Mounting

The Crisis Indicators

The Reality:

Enthusiasm declining
Money decreasing
Supplies running short
Funds running short
"In a pickle"

The Psychological State:

Mounting stress
Growing doubt
Pressure building
No relief in sight
Crisis deepening

The Impossible Choice

The Options:

Start battle in hurry: devastating
Wait indefinitely: unsustainable
Negotiate: requires Punjab concession (unacceptable)
Get reinforcements: Peshwa won't send
Cut Abdali's supplies: Bundele can't do it

The Result:

Trapped in stalemate
No good option
Every choice bad
Time working against them
Crisis point approaching

The Hidden Desperation

What Wasn't Said Publicly

The Private Reality:

Bhau very worried
Situation more dangerous than admitted
Younger brother forced to beg for help
Peshwa doesn't understand
Command structure failing

The Challenge:

Pride preventing honesty
Face-saving preventing pragmatism
Confidence projection preventing realism
Bravado preventing asking for help
Doomed by own pretenses

Key Themes

The Kaifiyat Truth - Reveals thoughts hidden from official record
Pride vs. Pragmatism - Bhau won't admit desperation
Brother's Burden - Vishwasrao forced to tell truth Bhau won't
Peshwa Ignorance - Doesn't understand actual situation
Coalition Failure - Couldn't unite Indians against Afghans
Role Confusion - Warrior instead of statesman/general
Stalemate Unsustainable - Can't last indefinitely
Mounting Desperation - Crisis point approaching

Where This Leads: Beneath the confident letters sent south, Bhau is privately terrified. The Kaifiyat reveals the real thinking: this is more dangerous than admitted, resources are critical, Afghans stronger than expected. Vishwasrao is forced to be the voice of reason his brother won't be. Peshwa in Pune has no idea how dire things are. And Bhau's failure to unite other Indian powers means the Marathas stand alone. The stalemate is unsustainable. Something must break soon. And when it does, it will be catastrophic.

What Bhau thought at night, in his tent, away from public view. That's what the Kaifiyat reveals. Not the confident letters sent south. Not the warrior confidence shown to troops. But the real thinking. The doubts. The fears. The calculation that whatever happens in this battle—win or lose—it will be devastating. That the Afghans are stronger than anyone expected. That the Marathas stand alone because he failed to unite India. That the stalemate is unsustainable. That something must break. And that when it breaks, it might not break his way.