There was a Bundela Sardar named Arjun Singh Raja Dhandhere. Since his province was captured forcefully by Sabha Singh, he had arrived at Pune to seek the Peshwa’s help. He sat in front of the Peshwa’s house in protest from 1743 up to 1746. Meanwhile, Sabha Singh enticed Arjun Singh’s elder son to align with him, and began a war with the younger one. The battles went on for two to three months. Having left no other option, the younger son committed Johar and laid down his life. The dispute went on growing. Arjun Singh was sitting at Pune with such tenacity, that the Peshwa could not but try resolving his problem. Sabha Singh was his benefactor on one hand, while on the other hand, Arjun Singh had kept tenaciously demanding succour. Caught between the two, the Peshwa could not think of a resolution of this dispute. So, he asked Shinde-Holkar to resolve the matter by writing many request letters. “Arjun Singh has come to seek our succour. Four years have gone past. Ignoring him would be inappropriate. So, we should allow him to enjoy whatever villages and fortresses he used to have before. Do not add or take away anything. Ensure that this settlement is done under the treaty that is being agreed with Sabha Singh. In the year that we went to Bengal, Sabha Singh had captured one of Arjun Singh’s locations which should be returned back to him. If his elder son comes for your meeting, refuse to meet him, and settle Arjun Singh in his rightful place. We have given him our word (28 October 1746).” It is not clear what was the conclusion of this affair.
As much as his bravery and valour was effective in stabilising the Maratha power in Malwa and Bundelkhand, there is no doubt, that the diplomatic wisdom of Ramchandrababa Sukhthankar was also equally effective. Many Sardars and diplomats kept on working in this region for ten to twenty years continuously. But in all of them, the Peshwa primarily trusted this Ramchandrababa. Ramchandrababa used to manage the policies of all the rulers in the north, kept all the Sardars like Shindes, Holkars and others happy, and would enjoin them in the central policy, since Bajirao’s time. The main ideas and instructions issued by the Peshwa are seen to be issued to Ramchandrababa. The Peshwa would entrust him with risky responsibilities through his letters or meeting him often. The Peshwa stationed so many people like Govind Ballal, Antaji Mankeshwar, Dado Bheemsen, etc. on the northern responsibilities, but the moment he got the opportunity, Ramchandrababa’s creative mind primarily flourished and proved to be useful. He was an understanding, quiet, and calculative man. Thinking with foresight, and perfectly recognising in which outcome the end profit or loss lay, he got various kinds of objectives accomplished through everyone, using his soft ways. He brought a kind of firm solidity to the Maratha control. The work that he carried out in the north, he later repeated in the administration at Pune, and accomplished many things that proved to be beneficial to the kingdom, under the auspices of Nanasaheb and Bhausaheb.
His equal in ability, appointed by the same Peshwa, there was a steward serving Holkar family named Gangadhar Yashwant (Chandrachud). But he could never work like Ramchandrababa. However, Gangadhar Yashwant had an inherent warrior wisdom, which Ramchandrababa did not have. Both of them were stewards appointed by the Peshwa. So, in a way, they were reins from the hands of Peshwa. These stewards appointed by the Peshwa would ensure that the Sardars were kept within their remit, if they began hurting the primary objectives through their selfish interests or their adamant nature. Sakharam Bapu could be termed as a disciple of this Ramchandrababa. Sakharam Bapu was the later rein that was applied to Raghunathrao. Another disciple of Ramchandrababa was Bhausaheb.
Ranoji and Ramchandrababa used to absolutely dote over each other through a lifelong friendship. This was disturbed later during Jayappa’s time. The moment the Peshwa thought it would hurt the objective, he recalled both to Pune and reasoned with them. One of the letters mentions, “Jayappa and Ramchandrababa were given leave to depart. At the end, (Shrimant) whispered to them separately, that they both hold appropriate perspective towards the other and act accordingly. After the two bade farewell and left, only Sakharampant, Bhau, me, Dada and father Nana were left behind. Nana spoke to Dada, ‘Vadaj Khair Ki (everything seems normal hereafter)?’ Dada replied, ‘Khairach Aahe (Right!)’ The subtext was, while reasoning with both of them, one of them would use comic timing, while the other would speak strictly, this was demonstrated that day.”
From such letters Nanasaheb’s skill to get things accomplished sometimes through friendly banter, while sometimes through awe of his office. The above incident where Jayappa was convinced seems to have been from 1746-47.
To be continued…
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