The Collapse of Maratha Offensives & Doab Strategy

Marathi History Book Reading Session Summary

The Strategic Situation Post-Bundele

The Maratha Camp Crisis:

• 40-50,000 dependents in addition to fighting forces
• Includes women, elderly men, pilgrims visiting temples/holy sites
• Bazar Bungi (support personnel): cooks, servants, porters, logistics handlers
• All must be fed but don't contribute to actual combat
• Supply lines severely restricted and dwindling

Climate Disadvantage:

• Northern winters extremely cold
• Marathas from Deccan unprepared for harsh weather
• No proper cold-weather clothing (dressed for southern climate)
• Biological adaptation issues—bodies not accustomed to freezing temperatures
• Becomes existential crisis combined with supply shortage

Bundele's Death & Its Significance

The Ambush (December 20, 1760):

• Afghans used deception: flew Naro Shankar's flag from Delhi
• Bundele thought reinforcements were arriving
• Afghans under Atai Khan (10,000+ troops) attacked by surprise
• Bundele attempted to flee but couldn't mount horse in time
• Son (Bharaji) couldn't save him despite trying twice to help him mount
• Beheaded after 30 years of loyal service to Peshwa

Atai Khan's Fate:

• Ironically, Atai Khan himself was killed during Panipat battle just one month later
• Killed while sitting on elephant during battle by a Maratha cavalryman
• One month gap between Bundele's death and his own

Head as Message:

• Bundele's head first sent to Najib Khan (Abdali's agent in India)
• Then forwarded to Abdali himself
• Sent to Bhau on December 22, 1760
• Psychological weapon: proof of supply strategy's destruction

The End of Maratha Strategic Options

Bundele's Supply Choking Plan Destroyed:

• Bundele's death ends any hope of starving Abdali's camp
• This was the Maratha's "last resort" strategy (Manasubha)
• No other commander could effectively operate in Doab like he did
• Naro Shankar (Delhi commander) was too distant and isolated
• Yamuna crossing during winter flooding prevented reinforcement

Why No One Could Replace Bundele:

• Doab was geographically detached from Delhi
• Required ability to move independently with small force
• Bundele had built relationships with local landholders
• Geographic isolation meant commanders from Delhi couldn't easily reach or operate there

Geographic & Logistical Barriers

Delhi's Isolation:

• Delhi sits on western bank of Yamuna
• To access Doab requires crossing Yamuna
• Winter flooding made crossing extremely difficult
• Bundele could operate because he was already positioned there
• New commanders couldn't establish supply operations once he was gone

Kashiraj Pandit: The Multilingual Courtier

Background:

• Originally worked for Peshwa
• Later transferred to serve Shuja Uddhawla's kingdom
• Bilingual: fluent in Indian languages AND Farsi (Persian)
• Valuable as translator and administrator

Role in Abdali's Camp:

• Present in Abdali's camp because his boss (Shuja) was there
• Shuja was allied with Abdali
• Kashiraj's skills essential: reads/writes Farsi for documents from Iran
• Acts as bridge between Persian/Iranian administrative world and Indian languages
• Important courtier for translating diplomatic/administrative correspondence

Timeline

Key Insights

Supply Crisis Deepens: With Bundele gone, Marathas lose their only effective tool for economic warfare. They're now fully dependent on direct military engagement.

Camp Composition Problem: The 40-50,000 dependents aren't just extra mouths—they're politically necessary (pilgrims, merchants, families) but militarily useless. They drain resources while contributing nothing to fighting capacity.

Winter as Enemy: Cold isn't just discomfort—it's a strategic weakness. Unprepared soldiers need extra fuel, food, clothing. Afghans from cooler climates have advantage.

Message in the Head: Abdali sending Bundele's head to Bhau isn't just cruelty—it's tactical. It says: "Your supply strategy is finished. Your best commander is dead. You have no alternatives."

Geographic Isolation: Doab's separation from main Maratha forces meant whoever controlled it dominated supplies. Bundele's death means Abdali can now supply himself without hindrance.

Where We Left Off: The last viable Maratha strategy has been eliminated. Bundele's death represents not just the loss of a commander but the end of any path to victory without direct battle. Marathas must now commit to pitched combat with limited supplies, in cold weather, against an enemy with intact supply lines. The strategic noose is tightening around Bhau's camp.

Bundele was the kind of commander who understood that controlling supply lines meant controlling outcomes. He nearly won the war without a battle. But when Abdali decided to stop playing defense and sent Atai Khan, the game changed. One old man couldn't fight ten thousand fresh troops arriving from Afghanistan. With Bundele's death, the Marathas lost their last chance at indirect victory. Now only the field would decide it.