Since the time Chhatrasal’s two sons, Hirdesa and Jagatraj, had received the Peshwa’s support, they had been trying to dominate the other smaller principalities and had been expanding their power. After Hirdesa died in 1738, his son Sabha Singh grew up to be a great nuisance. Jagatraj was alive till 1758 and used to act as per the Maratha directives and would survive. The Peshwa had granted the revenue official position of his realms to Govind Ballal Kher.
Bundelkhand remained an area of unrest that needed the presence of a Maratha army in later years. The Jhansi fort was already commanded by Naro Shankar. The Marathas crossed the Yamuna into the Doab at Auraiya, and the fort of Churkhi, near Jalaun, was captured by Ranoji’s son Jayappa with Malharrao Holkar in 1745. Churkhi outpost was comparatively small, but there, Jayaji Shinde had to fight passionately to achieve success. This was handed over to Govindpant Bundele to administer. There was a battle with the ruler of Datia. The following year the Maratha forces attacked Kalinjar fort and took the fort of Jaitpur, further consolidating their hold on Bundelkhand. So many such affairs had arisen in Bundelkhand alone. These affairs and battles of the Bundelas went on for the next two to three years.
The moment the Peshwa received the grant-notification giving the Subedar office of the north Hindustan, the importance of Delhi diminished progressively and the political centre of north Hindustan shifted to Pune-Satara. In the month of May 1746, Shinde and Holkar captured the famous and strong fort of Jaitpur where Bajirao had defeated Mohammed Khan Bangash in 1730. Due to that the whole Maratha heartland became very happy, and Maratha influence increased all around. The Bundelas began disrespecting the Marathas on the basis of support extended by Bangash. Therefore, Shinde and Holkar fought passionately to capture the location upon the Peshwa’s orders. The two Bundela kings began running away. In the month of April 1746, the Maratha Sardars besieged the fort. The Bundelas were frightened. Shinde-Holkars informed the Peshwa in a letter dated 5 May 1746 that the station was captured. The Peshwa felicitated his Sardars by sending a letter as follows, “The Bundelas had maintained much ammunition and artillery atop the fort including Jejala, harquebusiers, and other ammunition. One thousand of our men died, four thousand were injured. We understand from your detailed letter that you have captured the fort today. We were satisfied hearing all this. Bravo to you and your men. What does Jaitpur amount to, once brilliant warriors like you have set their minds to capturing it!” This letter is dated 7 June 1746.
Jaitpur railway station lies 67 miles from Jhansi on the Jhansi-Banda line. The name of the railway station is Bailatal. Twenty miles further from Bailatal another station Mahoba had become famous at that time. There is no indication available which shows who were these Bundela kings and from where. Chhatrasal’s grandson Sabha Singh was probably their chief.
Nanasaheb wrote to an aide, “Jaitpur was taken by siege and blowing up two mines. Rajashree Jayappa and Malharba wrote of this, which gave me great satisfaction. It was a difficult fort to take. Yet, all of you worked hard and won it.”
Again, in July 1746, the Peshwa asked, “I have not heard from you since you went on the campaign against the Bundelas at Kalinjar. I have no letter from you. Where are you, what are your plans? Have the Bundelas come to terms or have they decided to fight?”
The Bundela king of Datia had also begun the project to keep troubling the Marathas. Actually, Bundelas, who were fiercely independent, were not ready to accept the Maratha power over them. The Peshwa had taken up an enterprise to establish his control everywhere. In such a situation, Shinde-Holkar had begun an experiment to not allow all the Bundelas to unify, catch each one separately, and subdue them individually. No wonder then, that such battles lasted years on end. On 20 October 1746, the Peshwa wrote to Ramchandrababa, “The Karhara fort was captured by the Datia’s ruler. You have written that they have begun to evade payment, and have been harassing people in the Jhansi province. I have a letter from Naro Shankar. Without the Datia’s ruler being shown the same result like that of the Bodsa’s (Orchha) ruler, they won’t hand over the control quietly. So, ensure that you join Naro Shankar along with your forces and the task is accomplished through force.”
To be continued…
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