Hearing of these deliberations and the combined army’s plan to march against him, Raghuji vacated his camp at Khatwa-Burdwan and began to march back from the western parts of Bengal towards Birbhum. The Peshwa and Aliwardi marched together for a few days, but seeing the Nawab’s pace too slow and they would not be able to chase Raghuji’s agile cavalry, Nanasaheb sent him a message that he would separate and go by a different route so that he could overtake Raghuji. The Peshwa then took leave of the Nawab and followed Raghuji, who had crossed Burdwan. The two armies clashed at Bendu Baadi near Panchet on 10 April 1743 (possibly Bendara, just north of Bishnupur) in Manbhum district (Manbhum is now broken up into Purulia and Dhanbad). The majority of the Bhosale army had marched ahead, while some camp followers and heavy baggage had remained behind. Those were robbed by the Peshwa forces. Although Raghuji himself had gone ahead to Panchet. From Panchet, the Peshwa went back to Gaya, while Raghuji turned back towards Nagpur.
A memo written by Gangadhar Govind Patwardhan, who accompanied Nanasaheb, describes the events of the time, “From Kashi and Gaya, Nanasaheb moved towards Bengal. There were talks with Aliwardi Khan in progress. According to the agreement he paid twenty-five lakh rupees. Pilaji Jadhavrao was in talks with Bhosale. Raghuji dispatched Bhaskarpant with six thousand men on Maqsudabad (Murshidabad). Then the Shrimant ordered Pilaji Jadhav, that if Bhosale sends an army against Aliwardi, I will have to march against him. Accordingly, a letter was dispatched to Bhosale. However, he would not listen. Four or five villages away from Gaya, we accosted Bhosale. He could not stand and fight. He ran away. Our army chased him and brought elephants and horses from his camp.”
Mahadev Govind Hingne wrote to his son Bapuji about the whole story that occurred at Delhi in relation to Raghuji and the Peshwa on 27 April 1743 as follows, “For so many days, under the pretext of meeting Raghuji, and since the time he rode off from Gaya, the Peshwa captured so many cities upon cities, and collected tributes. So many good people committed Johar along with their families. (The Peshwa) fought at so many different fortresses. Due to this, it seemed most of the general public went against him. Even to the sovereign, various people displayed their opposition (to the Peshwa). Upon that a news report arrived that Shrimant and Mahabat Jung met each other. Their treaty came about through due pledges. The Shrimant has warned about the treasury, and has prepared himself for defeating Raghuji Bhosale. After receiving this news report, the Badshah and the Vazir have begun feeling confident that Nanasaheb is loyal, and he would issue strict warning to Raghuji. Whoever were expressing any other untoward thoughts, have all been proven wrong. Through God’s will, Raghuji must have been taught a lesson. Received only this much news.”
Bhaskarram was at Medinipur, and hearing of the Peshwa’s march, began his return journey to Nagpur through Odisha. The Peshwa passed through Panchet and then took the route back to Pune via Gaya. All Maratha troops had left Bengal by May 1743 before the onset of monsoons. The Peshwa returned to Pune after eighteen months from the campaign that began in December 1741.
After the expulsion of Raghuji from Bengal, Mohammedshah is reported to have looked at the dancing and singing of beggars, and on 6 May 1743, a mimicry of baffoons. On 11 May 1743, the newsletter reports, “… From the window of the Rangmahal witnessed the combat of wild buffaloes and took his meal. Then a tigress sent by the Vazir was let loose in the arena (enclosed with nets), the buffalo caught the tigress on its horns and flung it down to the ground, then the elephants which the Badshah used to ride were made to charge the tigress.”
On 20 May 1743, the Peshwa camped on the bank of the Bhagirathi. In relation to this affair, the Peshwa wrote to Ramchandrababa, “Through the grace of Shree, we went into Bengal and vanquished the one whose name starts with R. Everybody was impressed with our strength, to ensure that they act according to our instructions. The Chauth income expected from Mahabat Jung and the sovereign himself was acquired. The forces of the one whose name starts with R had encamped in the Bengal province. We displayed to them our strength. The sovereign desires that our forces go there and resist them.”
The author of Siyar writes of Bhaskarram’s flight and the Peshwa’s calling off the pursuit as a ‘pretence’. The entire episode, therefore, seems a ‘staged battle’ to achieve one’s ends without really chastising Bhaskarram or Raghuji, “His (Bhaskarram’s) distress afforded Balajirao a full opportunity to retire on his side. The generalissimo (Peshwa) under pretence of executing the Imperial order, and succouring the Viceroy (Aliwardi), had in reality put him under contribution as well as his whole country; and having now received the arrears which he pretended, and carried some other points, he retired to his dominions in Deccan; and his camp and equipage were already far off…”
To be continued…
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