Bankaji’s passionate battle occurred on 8 July. Bankaji displayed extreme tenacity at this time, and only due to that, a battle almost lost turned around and the Marathas secured victory. The moment the Pratinidhi began his own methods, Mathurabai recalled Bankaji from the campaign. Sarlashkar Anandrao Somvanshi was about to leave the Pratinidhi’s force. Shahu had written a letter to him protesting this. Raghunath Hari, who was Bankaji’s aide, wrote to Bajirao and said they were leaving the campaign due to the Pratinidhi’s interference, “When we were at Chiplun, Pratinidhi was wooing us. But we came away. Siddi Saat came to meet him. The Siddi met and deceived the Pratinidhi. Now he (Siddi Saat) has made preparations to fight. The Pratinidhi is gradually learning what the Habshi is like. Eight days later, the Shyamal (dark-skinned) attacks him now and then. Anjanvel is a distant affair, now even Gowalkot looks difficult (to get). Earlier, the Siddi had no help. If the Pratinidhi had not interfered, we would have won both the forts in fifteen days or two. The rains are very heavy. It takes three to four days to cross one river.”
The immediate danger before Siddi Saat passed, and before long heavy rains began lashing the Konkan coast. This gave Siddi Saat the respite to rearrange his army and attack the Pratinidhi. The outcome of differences between the Pratinidhi and Bankaji was that the latter left the campaign and returned to Sekhoji. Sekhoji and the Pratinidhi did not see eye to eye after that and the Pratinidhi had to face Siddi Saat’s aggression alone. The embattled Pratinidhi asked Shahu for help. Shahu in turn wrote to Chimaji Appa to go to the Konkan. However, Chimaji did not do so. An angry Shahu wrote, “If you do not go, I will.”
Finally, Pilaji Jadhavrao was asked to go. Not much was achieved though, and the Pratinidhi’s campaign ended inconclusively. Bajirao was trying really hard to capture Janjira. Much of the realms under Abyssinian control had been captured. Only four to five strong stations like Janjira and Anjanvel remained in their hands. Still, the Siddis were fighting with utmost passion. They worked all over and brought help from outside. They also began discussions to enter into a treaty with Shahu through the Nizam. Since there were some differences between the Pratinidhi and Peshwa, the campaign never acquired the level of strength needed for a victory. They used to complain about each other to the Chhatrapati. To ensure he could get the real story, Shahu had to especially dispatch someone he could trust on the campaign and get the facts straight. Peshwa’s assistant wrote, “Pandurang Govind Prabhu had been sent by Rajashree Swami to Janjira. He arrived yesterday, Friday evening. He related the news to the Swami, that Rajashree Pantapradhan himself informed the Shyamal (dark-skinned), that they should not worry. He would not break their position. He did not want to cross swords with them. Initially he did not want to come on the campaign. But he had to come due to his master’s insistence. Now they should not worry about anything. He would not trouble them. This was what he had informed the Shyamal (dark-skinned). Due to this, the Shyamal (dark-skinned) were fearless. The total number of soldiers in Janjira were five hundred. This general news was related to Rajashree Swami by Pandurang Govind. Hearing all this, he became very sad. Rajashree Narba too was very sad and said, ‘Till today, the Konkanasths have been largely famous for their loyalty, but this incident has broken my misconception.’ Therefore, they were sad. Here, the preparations have begun that Rajashree Swami will himself come to Raigad. Rajashree Narababa would be sent to Rajpuri. Yamaji Shivdeo and Udaji Chavhan will be sent to Anjanvel. Such are the preparations. Rajashree Swami said, that Ambajipant has gone to Rajpuri, if he tells Pradhanpant some good things, and through that if the objective is achieved, then excellent. This is the whole situation here you should be aware of. Pratinidhi is being respected a lot. He is the sole accomplisher of tasks, the whole fount of trust. When the Swami dispatched some encouragement protocol garments and rewards, Rajashree Narba and Yamajipant interceded on your behalf that unless he sent the rewards for Pradhanpant as well, Rao (Pratinidhi) would not accept the same, so upon both their insistence, the rewards were sent for both of you.” This displays the events going on at the time. Such incidents would always create trouble between Bajirao and other diplomats.
Although help from Surat did not reach Janjira till September 1733, Bajirao was worried that the British might send help to the Siddi. He therefore wrote a letter to the British at Mumbai, that they would not permit their fleet to interfere with his operations; and shortly afterwards he invited them to mediate between himself and the Siddi, sending an envoy to them, and another to Rajapur. The British of course, did not help him as he was allied with Angre, their arch enemy. In fact, soon after, they sent four ‘cruisers’ against Angre and in the following year, they also managed to send the Siddi some gunpowder.
To be continued…
NDHistories 