Dattaji Shindia : The best general of Peshwa Balajirao

Dattaji Sindhia was the second son of Ranoji Sindhia and Minabai alias Nimbabai . Minabai gave birth to three sons of Ranoji , Jayappa, Dattaji, Tukoji .Jayappa was the eldest among the three and Tukoji, the youngest .Dattaji Sindhia distinguished himself in the campaign of the Doab(Safdarjung-Pathan war) of 1751 for the first time .Dattaji was a first-rate soldier in courage and enterprise, though lacking in sagacity and diplomatic tact. Peshwa aptly characterized Dattaji in a letter of 30 Aug. 1755, "Dattaba's nature is that of a [mere ] soldier; hence he presses violently on at the wrong time and place." Dattaji was the ablest general in those times .He was young , daring and a loyal  soldier of Peshwa . This is  evident from Raghunathrao’s letter to Peshwa dated 16^th February 1757 “Abdali is strong  it requires very great resources to chastise him. Send Dattaji Sindhia quickly to me from the Deccan” .

After the assassination  of Jayappa  Sindhia on 25th July, 1755 in Nagore during the Marwar campaign  Dattaji became the head of the Sindhia family and guardian of young Jankoji , the son of Jayappa . Jankoji was proclaimed as the new chief  and the legal successor of Jayapa and all official letters were issued in his name and under his seal, and the writers of the time used the word Jankoji where Dattaji was the person really concerned. After this unfortunate  assassination ,Dattaji and Jankoji rose to the occasion and  conducted the war all the more vigorously, having received speedy reinforcements from the various Maratha captains who were on duty at different places. Antaji Mankeshwar immediately started from Bundlekhand and successfully prevented Madho Singh of Jaipur and other Rajput parties from reaching Nagore for Bijay Singh's succour .  Bijay Singh was soon brought to his knees mainly by the Sindhian arms, although he tried to organize a formidable coalition of northern powers, including the Emperor, his Wazir, Najib-ud-daula, the Rohilla, Pathans and others, in order to put down the Marathas . By the end of the year Bijay Singh's position became so untenable that submission to Sindia's mercy was his only way of escape. He paid Dattaji a personal visit in January 1756 and agreed to the terms that were imposed. Bijay Singh  agreed to pay a fine of 50 lacs, ceded Ajmer and Jalore, and gave his cousin Ram Singh a half share of his kingdom. Dattaji kept possession of Ajmer and had it strongly garrisoned for defence.[The provinces of Agra and Ajmer were handed over to Peshwa by the Mughals in 1752] . He gave away Jalore to Ram Singh . After ending this Marwar campaign Dattaji returned (June-1756) to his own fief of Ujjain  and then proceeded to Pune .  Here in Pune Dattaji and Jankoji Sindhia  trained Viswasrao , the eldest son of Peshwa  and participated in the Sindakhed campaign of 1757 against the Nizams .

 After Raghunathrao and Malharrao extended Maratha rule to Lahore , Peshwa dispatched his most daring soldier to carry on the further affairs of North Hindustan  after  settling the affairs with Nizam .Dattaji married Bhagirathibai in March 1758 and left Pune in May .Dattaji reached Delhi towards the end of 1758 .  The Sindhia chief  was assigned the duty of 1.) reducing the burdens of Maratha treasury 2.) Settling the affairs of Delhi 3.) Managing the Maratha control over Panjab 4.) to Crush Najib Khan , 5.)to  take  Benares, Ayodhya and Allahabad from Shuja-ud-daula 6.)to lead an expedition into Bihar and Bengal , and occupy Patna immediately .Dattaji somehow managed the affairs of Delhi and entrusted the management of Punjab into the hands of Sabaji Sindhia( a Sindhian kinsman) . Dattaji then turned eastwards to take on Najib Khan and then lead the campaign in Bihar and Bengal .  But Dattaji  somehow fell into the trap of Najib Khan and he tried to utilise the services of this treacherous Rohilla chief Najib Khan for crossing the Ganges and proceeding further to Bihar. Dattaji waited for the construction of the bridge and spent his time for performing his religious ceremonies and holy dip in the Ganges at Garhmukteshwar . Towards the end of June the monsoon arrived, the river rose in floods and Najib Khan urged that the operations of the bridge could not be pushed on. Dattaji saw through Najib's game clearly and began counter measures to defeat it. Najib Khan had taken shelter in Shukartal , Dattaji continued the siege of Shukartal till 15th December 1759 . Dattaji could not continue his enterprise  because he received more alarming news from the west about the fifth invasion of Abdali . Sabaji Sindhia escaped from Punjab to join the Sindhian camp at Shukartal. Dattaji decided to prevent Abdali from reaching Delhi and he turned towards Karnal on 24^th December a battle was fought between the Sindhian army and the Afghans at Taraori (south-east of Thaneshwar) . Where Dattaji received a setback and the Afghan army crossed the river Jamuna and entered the Doab . Soon after Abdali crossed  the river Najib came out of his hiding place to join his Patron .Dattaji quickly rushed to Delhi and encamped in the vicinity of Majnu's hillock, two miles to the north of Delhi and posted his men to guard the fords along the river Jamuna. Meanwhile Hafiz Rahmat Khan, Dundi Khan, Mulla Sardar, Sadullah Khan and other Rohillas chieftains of Rohilkhand  joined Abdali.

In the morning of  10^th January 1760 , the Rohillas of Najib Khan attempt a crossing at Barari-ghat  . Sabaji Sindhia who was guarding the ghat resisted the enemies with his few men, after reporting the attack. Dattaji rushed from his camp on a horse to prevent this intrusion darting his spear at the enemies . But the Rohilla snipers hidden in the bushes were waiting for this opportunity , they shot down Dattaji with a bullet shot. The Bhaubakhar describes his death as when Dattaji fell off his horse with a bullet wound and was lying there on the battle field . Raghoba Pagnis said to Rajaram Chopdar, “ Do you go up to Qutubshah and say to him that Dattaji Shinde lies wounded on the field and that he should take him off the field .”Rajaram Chopdar saw Qutb Shah on his elephant and having known him for long, saluted him said in the Muslim tongue, "Saheb, our Patil has fallen, please save him." Qutb Shah asked him to take him there. Upon reaching Dattaji he asked him, “Will you fight us again”. To Which he replied bravely “Bachenge to aur bhi ladenge .” Enraged, Qutb Shah unsheathed his sword, kicked Dattaji over, and beheaded him, despite Rajaram's pleas . Dattaji’s body was cremated by Rajaram Chopdar.

Viswasrao : आमचा विश्वास पानीपतात गेला

Viswasrao was the eldest son of  Peshwa Balajirao from his first wife Gopikabai  on 2nd March 1742. Viswasrao had inherited the looks of his grandfather Bajirao and had even exceeded his charm .G. S. Sardesai writes that there was no one more handsome in Peshwa’s family than Viswasrao . Raghunath Yadav author of one of the Panipat Bakhar had stated “पुरुषांत देखणा विस्वासराव व बाईकान्त देखणी मस्तानी”  . On 2nd May , 1750  Viswasrao married Lakshmibai, the daughter of Sadashiv Hari Dikshit Patwardhan, a leading banker in Poona town.

 Viswasrao was trained by  Dattaji and Jankoji Sindia and he undertook his first military campaign against the Nizams in the Sindakhed Campaign(1757). Peshwa gave the command of the impending campaign to his eldest son Vishvasrao, then only  fifteen years old , in order to afford him experience for his future position in the State. Damaji Gaikwad and other chiefs joined the army in due course. The Maratha forces under Viswasrao left Poona on 27 August in the direction of Aurangabad, the Peshwa and Sadashivrao halted on the Godavari to watch the operations beyond. Aurangabad was the main objective for the Marathas to reduce and for the Nizam to defend. Hostilities began in November. Nizam Ali was put in charge of the campaign by Salabat Jang. As the Marathas were marching upon Aurangabad, they received news that Ramchandra Jadhav a powerful Maratha commander in the Nizam's service was coming rapidly from Bhalki to remove the threat to the capital. In order to prevent Jadhav attacking the Peshwa's army before Aurangabad, Dattaji learning that Ramchandra Jadhav was at Sindkhed quickly moved upon that place and at once invested it. These surprisingly quick movements were most effective. The small rampart of Sindkhed was not likely to hold out long. Nizam Ali with Ibrahim Khan Gardi at once marched from Aurangabad to Sindkhed, in the wake of Dattaji's men to relieve the pressure upon Jadhav, which increased every moment when swarming Marathas quickly gathered from various , directions. A fierce struggle between the two opponents raged for nearly a month round that small place. Nizam Ali and, Ibrahim Khan effected a junction with Jadhav and tried to break out all in a body through the Maratha cordon on 12th December under the shelter of their powerful artillery. A fierce battle was fought continuously for four days at the gate of Sindkhed, when Nagoji Mane a supporter of Jadhav was killed along with many of his followers. On 16th December darkness set in towards evening and the combatants parted. Victory remained with the Marathas. The next few days decided the fate of the campaign. Hordes of Maratha cavalry came sweeping upon the Nizam's forces. On 17th December Nizam Ali acknowledging defeat sent Vithal Sundar to the Maratha camp begging for terms. Peace was concluded by the Nizam ceding to the Peshwa territory worth 25 lakhs along with fort Naldurg. Ceremonial visits by the two principals at Sakharkhedla ratified and confirmed the treaty on 29th December 1757.

Two years later on  9th November 1759 Kavi Jang, the keeper of Ahmadnagar surrendered the place to the Peshwa on receiving a handsome reward in money and jagir. This led at once to a fresh outbreak of hostilities between the two neighbours. Peshwa entered it with due pomp on  29th November . Sadshivrao , Raghunathrao , Viswasrao and most of other chief Maratha Sardars too assembled in Ahmadnagar.

 Nizam Ali's army in order to counter this military gain of Marathas moved first to Bedar and then to Dharur. Sadshivrao , Raghunathrao , Viswasrao moved South-east from Ahmadnagar .The Nizams sent their main army ahead to the fort of Dharur and stayed with their slow moving artillery .The Maratha armies quickly rushed in the direction of Bidar to prevent the Nizams from reaching  Dharur . Battle began between Marathas and Nizams on 20th January near Udgir, about 50 miles northwest of Bidar. The Nizam army marched out from Udgir in a hollow square and slowly moved towards Ausa , skirmishing all along the way . Fifteen miles before they could reach the fort they were surrounded by the Marathas on all the sides .Marathas then fell upon their rear . On 3rd February ,1760 the Nizam army was completely routed at Ausa and Nizam Ali accepted his defeat and sued for peace. Viswasrao displayed great archery skills in this Battle .

When Sadshivrao Bhau was appointed to lead the Panipat campaign , Viswasrao was appointed as the nominal head of the Maratha army . It has been stated in Marathi chronicles that Gopikabai ,the wife of Peshwa did not wanted Bhau to be promoted to higher offices as she feared that this may harm the prospects of her own family members . After the victory of Udgir , she became cautious about the rising fame of Bhau and when she came to know that Bhau was leading a large army in North . She insisted on sending Viswasrao along with Bhau to battle against Abdali as she did not wanted Bhau to take all the accolades after defeating Abdali and wanted Viswasrao to play a bigger role . By sending Viswasrao as a nominal head she also ensured a check over Bhausaheb  as she feared that he might set up an independent principality of his own in North when enjoying supreme command there without a partner .Few Historians have expressed a view that the appointment of Viswasrao for the campaign had nothing to do with Gopikabai‘s opinion , it was entirely the Peshwa‘s own decision. So that Viswasrao could get the requisite experience in the north, while few others claim that Bhau asked for Viswasrao‘s presence as the Peshwa‘s son would provide some weight to Bhau's own authority.

After the victory in Delhi a Darbar was held and Viswasrao was presented homage by Maratha sardars. False rumours spread around  that Viswasrao was placed  as the emperor and when Bhausaheb came to know about these facts he deposed  the Mughal  Emperor Shah Jahan Sani and  proclaimed  Shah Alam as the emperor and appointed  his son Jawan Bhakht as his regent  . After the victory at Kunjpura a  grand Durbar was held at which gold was presented to Viswas Rao on 19th October, coinciding with the occasion of the Vijaydashmi .

In the finale battle of Panipat , Viswasrao led the troops of Huzarat  and came down heavily on the Afghan centre under Shah Wali composed of 16,000 Durranis . The Maratha cavalry  around 13,000 strong broke up the enemy's centre killing or wounding three thousand Afghans in Shah Wali‘s post  . “The Marathas drank them up like the water of an ocean” .Shah Wali himself was left with hundred or two hundred horses and fifty zamburak camels  and the remaining Durranis in the Afghan centre fled from the battle field .Unfortunately between 2 and 3 P.M. Viswasrao after receiving a sword cut in the neck and an arrow wound on his left eye-brow fell from his horse Dilpak with a bullet shot . Viswasrao‘s body was brought to Bhau who ordered it to be placed on his own riding elephant in the rear seat of which Bapuji M. Hingane was seated .To Vishvasrao Sadashivrao was deeply attached. Bhau himself had trained Viswasrao himself and had been his constant guardian and companion in the wars of South India .At the time of departure from Patdur the weeping mother of Viswasrao , Gopikabai was promised by Bhau about the safety of her son. The boy had returned his uncle's affection and seems to have loved him more deeply than even his own father. The kaifiyat reports a letter by Viswasrao to Peshwa “You will surely get other sons like me , but not other brothers like Bhausaheb” .Viswasrao’s body was later found dead on a elephant  by Barkhurdar Khan’s men and his body was criminated by Kashiraj . There is a common pun in Maharastra आमचा विश्वास पानीपतात गेला which  is definitely due to the loss of Viswasrao at Panipat.

Balwantrao Mehendele : The right Hand man of Bhausaheb

Balwantrao Mehendele was the right hand man of Sadashivrao Bhau . He was also a Chitpawan Brahaman and was the maternal uncle of Nana Phadnavis  and his  father's mother was the sister of Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath. He was also the brother of the first wife of Sadshivrao , Umabai.  Balwantrao was married to Laxmibai who accompanied her husband in the Panipat campaign . She bore him a son who survived the disaster at Panipat and became famous by the name Appa Balwant.

Balwantrao’s carrer was given a push by Peshwa Balajirao. He accompanied Peshwa and Sadashivrao in a number of expeditions in South India and stood by the side of Peshwa in all the wars against Tarabai and Damaji Gaikwad . In the Karnatak campaign of 1757 Peshwa returned in May after leaving Balawantrao as his deputy to finish the remaining work of the expedition .Nawab of  Kadappa, which claimed the districts of Kolar, Hoskot and Balapur once forming the Jagir of Sahahji the father of Shivaji , was subjugated by the prowess of Balavantrao Mehendale. Abdul Majid Khan the Nawab of Kadappa was a man of valour and resources. In the fierce engagement fought between Sidhout and Kadappa on 24th September 1757, the Khan was killed along with four hundred of his men. The same night Kadappa was captured. Balwantrao then  levied contributions from the Palegars round about Sira, Hoskote, Mulbagal and other places . He was ordered to capture Bednur and Chitradurg , but growing tension between the Marathas and Nizams which led to the battle of Sindakhed (December -1757) called him away northwards . After the Maratha victory at Sindakhed Balwantrao along with Gopalrao Patwardhan and Visaji Krishna Biniwale led a campaign in South India upto the seas on the eastern coast of India. In the battle of Udgir , Balwantrao played a very important role and acted as the deputy of Sadashivrao . It was he who  used to lead  the troops of Huzarat as the right hand man of Sadashivrao  .When Sadashivrao was chosen to lead the Panipat campaign , Balwantrao  accompanied him to North India. Like Sadshivrao this was also the first campaign of Balwantrao in North India.

Almost all Marathi chronicles of Panipat campaign like Bhausahebanchi Bakhar and Bhausahebanchi Kaifiyat accuse Balwantrao of being  arrogant, hot headed and abusive. He is said to be making fun of old Malharrao Holkar and Jankoji Sindhia  on various occasions  and has been portrayed as a villain in the Panipat Campaign  . Infact  Balwantrao was a man of sharp tongue  and these accusations cannot be termed totally wrong .  It was he who insisted on crossing river Chambal and proceeding to North India rejecting the advice of Malhararo . Balwantrao was dispatched from Mathura along with Imad-ul-Mulk and Surajmal Jat to capture Delhi .Balwantrao captured the city but failed to capture the Red Fort. It was actually  the cannons of Ibrahim Khan which forced the Afghan keeper to deliver the fort.

He accompanied Sadashivrao and Maratha army to Kunjpura and thence to Panipat .In the surprise attack of Jankoji Sindhia on 22nd November , Balwantrao failed to render timely support and was so criticised on this point . On 7th December 1760 the Rohillas led by Najib Khan’s brother Sultan Khan fell upon the Marathas. The assailants reached the very edge of the Maratha trenches . The Rohilla foot soldiers took advantage of intense darkness of that night  and penetrated inside the trenches . The Gardi musketeers and Balwantrao with the Huzurat horses fell heavily on the Afghans and drove them back with great slaughter. Najib‘s uncle Khali-ul-Rehman  was killed in the battle and over three thousand of the Rohilla infantry fell in the field and even among those that survived most were wounded very badly . Unhappily in the moment of victory a chance bullet struck Balwantrao Mehendale at around 7 PM at night, who was leading the charge . He fell down from his horse with a bullet in his chest while trying to stem the flight of his men by galloping up to the exposed front line during the first Afghan onrush. The Rohillas crowded upon the fallen General ; one slashed at his face ; another began to sever his head in order to carry it away in triumph. But half a dozen Maratha horsemen galloped up to the spot and rescued their chief's body from mutilation, though with the neck half cut through. The engagement ceased about three hours after nightfall. His body was saved from mutilation by Khanderao Nimbalkar. Sadashivrao felt deeply the loss of Balwantrao, who was his staunch supporter and advisor .After this incident the morale of the Maratha army deteriorated day by day and never again was any serious offensive attack carried out by the Marathas. The loss of this Brahman General was never compensated .  Had Balwantrao lived till the battle of Panipat , he must have led the charge of the Huzarat instead of Viswasrao and the panic created after Viswasrao was shot must have had  less effect . Balwantrao's widow Laxmibai committed sati and was burnt with her husband's body leaving behind a son of 14 years named Krishnarao under the care of Bhau The boy survived the disaster and was later famous by the name Appa Balwant .