Ramchandra Malhar dispatched Malhar Krishna Alagiwale to Orchha, from where some revenues were collected. A letter from 30 June 1742 describes, “You wrote about the news at Delhi, and about the meeting between Jaisingh’s son and Abhay Singh, that was conveyed. We were satisfied reading the reports from Shinde-Holkar. The strength of the Swami’s penance is huge. Due to its influence, the servants secure excellent success. It was excellent that you encamped there. The Shrimant cantoned in Malwa along with his whole force. This way, everything here is fine.”
On 22 July 1742, his wife Gopikabai gave birth to Nanasaheb’s first son, who was named Vishwasrao. Nanasaheb was congratulated by Shahu, and Holkar expressed his happiness at the news.
The Peshwa himself informed Ramchandrababa on 20 September 1742, “Even when we had demanded the estimate about which of the Mamlatdars (revenue officials) of this province should be asked for how much revenues; later, who should be asked to provide what kind of supplies; since the month of Ashadh, the detailed accounts have not yet arrived even when Dussehra looms. Send this immediately. You know very well the expenses of the army.”
The exact date of this betrayal by the Orchha principal is not documented in the available papers. In a letter dated 30 December 1742, Govindpant Bundele refers to that affair as follows, “Bodsa’s Zamindar betrayed. This year’s revenues were taken over by him, and he also plundered the villages and outposts. Some new soldiery and guards have been left with Naropant. Some of the brethren of Bodsa principal had been living at Churkhi. Naropant attacked them and a battle ensued. Men fell on both sides. After that, the opponents sued for peace. A treaty was put in place. Our men are now behind other outposts.” This confirms that the Orchha principal had betrayed Ranoji Shinde in the month of November 1742.
Orchha’s Raja Veersingh Deo’s tribute was overdue, and the Peshwa dispatched Ranoji Shinde’s son Jyotiba and his accountant Malhar Krishna Kshirsagar to collect it. On 13 April 1743, it was agreed that Prithvi Singh would pay an amount of four lakh rupees. However, even as the negotiations were in progress, Prithvi Singh attacked the Maratha camp and killed Malhar Krishna along with a hundred other men. A letter from Mahadevbhat Hingne to his son Bapu of 27 April 1743 says, “They stayed at Jhansi on the way. The Orchha’s principal betrayed us. He killed Malhar Krishna and a few others through treachery. Besides, they also killed five to ten Brahmins including Mahadev Krishna, Antaji Krishna, and a hundred to a hundred-and-twenty-five young men, servants and soldiers. The camp was looted. They have also besieged the fort of Jhansi. Jhansi is under attack. Dhondo Dattaji is firing guns from the fort. But no help can reach him from outside. Malharpant’s son and son-in-law both were at Orchha who were also killed. Let us see what happens… no ruler had ever betrayed the Shrimant in this manner before. All this happened due to the fort of Jhansi. However, the Shrimant will do the needful.”
Prithvi Singh’s men crossed the river Betwa towards the camp of Ranoji Shinde’s son Jyotiba who was at Varvasagar, and unaware of the attack on Malhar Krishna. The Orchha ruler’s men swooped on the camp and killed Jyotiba. Jyotiba was the first, but would not be the last, of Ranoji Shinde’s sons to be killed in the mid-eighteenth century.
As the refuge of the weak and the unscrupulous, assassinations were a means to rid oneself of a strong enemy and was used more than once in the next two decades. However, Jyotiba’s death precipitated the end of Prithvi Singh’s rule. Nanasaheb promptly sent an army under Naro Shankar Dani, who imprisoned the ruler of Orchha and plundered his city. The king was placed in the open on a fort’s bastion in chains. The province of Jhansi was annexed, and villages were given as Jagirs to the families of the murdered men. The year ended with the Maratha rule consolidated in Bundelkhand and Malwa. Nanasaheb then sent his emissaries to meet the Badshah at Delhi seeking the Chauth of Bundelkhand, Malwa and Allahabad provinces.
“After this, Shrimant dispatched Naro Shankar Raje Bahaddar along with force. They attacked Orchha. They arrested the king, heaped ignominy on him by running a donkey-plough all over the principality, dug it up, and rendered it desolate. The king was clapped in irons and was kept imprisoned on one of the turrets of the fort. Shrimant’s control was established everywhere. The disorder that had prevailed vanished. After that, the king was given a fixed area of control, in which the location of Jhansi was given to the Marathas. For the manslaughter that had been committed, Malhar Krishna was granted the village of Varvasagar, and Ranoji Shinde was granted some villages from the Orchha domains as compensation. Naro Shankar administered the realms up to 1756.”
To be continued…
NDHistories 