Samsher Bahadur..The Nawab of Banda

The Death Anniversary of Baji Rao I, falls on the 28th of April. I thought it befitting to write about his son from Mastani... 

 Samsher Bahadur

The Nawab of Banda

As I was reading about him I couldn't help comparing him to Veer Karna of the Mahabharat. Like Karna he was a great warrior, but there ends the comparison because unlike Karna he was well looked after at the Shaniwarwada, and given all the training that was required.

This then is the story of the great warrior who proved his mettle in the Battle of Panipat.

As is the case with so many in the 17 and 1800's, the character sketch of Samsher is not well recorded. There is a notation in the Peshwa Chronicles, 

 " On the day of Ramzan (28th Jan 1734), a son was born at Shaniwarwada and the naming ceremony was held." Could this have been Samsher? 

His name is assumed to be that of his maternal uncle (Samsher Khan). His second name was Krishna Singh and as per the records he would be known as Samsher Bahdur Krishnasingh.

He was left an orphan after the deaths of both Baji Rao and Mastani consecutively at the tender age of 6 years. From then on Nana Saheb Peshwa brought him into Shaniwarwada and devoted his love, time and attention in bringing him up.

It is said that Samsher had the height, build and looks of Baji Rao and was an able warrior.

The uproar that had taken place during Baji Rao, Mastani's period seemed to have had no detrimental effect on the young lad. Like the other children in the Wada, he too was trained to be an administrator and warrior.

Under the keen tutelage of SadashivRao Bahu Peshwa, he mastered the arts of Commerce and warfare. He was equally proficient in the Marathi language and the Deonagari and Modi scripts, prevalent at that time.

Samsher's first tryst with the enemy was in 1753 when he was sent to the North with Raghunath Rao Peshwa. He had to leave the battle half way as there was trouble brewing in the Konkan and he was needed there.This assignment was against Tulaji Angre and Samsher won the battle convincingly, by capturing the Ratnagiri Fort in 1756.

He was awarded the title of 'Sardar' (General) by Nana Saheb Peshwa.

Samsher proved his prowess in war and was present in all the campaigns which the Marathas led during that period.

So strong was his faith in Samsher, that Nana Saheb apart from sending him to war, also sent him as a Statesman and Diplomat. There are instances recorded of bringing about peace and harmony with the descendants of Chatrasaal in Bundelkhand and also the royal families of Jaitpur.

The title of 'Saheb Naubat ' was conferred upon him for his heroic deeds and intelligent statesmanship.

After an intense battle in Udgir in 1759, followed the battle of Panipat. On 14th Jan. 1761, Samsher was gravely injured and was brought to Bharat pur. Suraj Mal Jat tried his best to save him but Samsher succumbed to his injuries all the while grieving for the loss of Bhau Saheb Peshwa. His last dying cries were 'Bhau Bhau'.

His wife Meher Bai and son Ali Bahdur were brought back to Pune with great respect and lived in Shaniwarwada at the Mastani Mahal.


"It matters not how you came into the world.
 For your action and deeds speak another language."

Thus ends the story of another hero not written or revered.


Courtesy: पेशवे  घराण्याचा  इतिहास  by Pramod Oak

Suraj Mal Jat

Maharaja Suraj Mal Jat  1707 - 1763

                                                                       Lohgarh Fort Bharatpur
                                            

 While researching about the Maratha Era, I came across Maharaja Suraj Mal, who played an important part before and after Panipat.

My footfalls took me all the way to Braj, Mathura, and Deeg. Far away from the Maratha stronghold. This was then, Jat territory. I would like to introduce to you, Maharaja Suraj Mal.

At the time of his birth, the Jats were making their presence felt under his father Badan Singh, in and around the Jamuna.

Who then was Suraj Mal and what role did he play to make him so powerful in 1757.

The Jats were known as tillers of their land and also as warriors. Badan Singh (Suraj Mal's father), had consolidated the Jat faction to a certain extent and prepared an army to defend his land. The tribe was lawless and it was Suraj Mal who turned this to his advantage into an army of warriors, so feared that it shook the Mughals, Marathas and Rajputs into noticing and respecting them. He ruled his kingdom from Bharatpur.

Suraj Mal was an astute, shrewd and powerful warrior. His war strategies and the desire to keep his land safe from all intruders from within and foreigners was his foremost priority.

There are many incidences in his life which give credence to this.

I will take you through some of them.

With Safdar Jung:

Safdar Jung was named the Wazir of Delhi by Prince Ahmed after Muhammad Shah died in 1748. There was constant strife amongst the Turrani and Irani factions and Safdar Jung who was a Shia, had many enemies in court. The Rohillas of Rohilkhand opened a new front against him. Knowing how powerful the Jat ruler was, the Wazir did not want to alienate him. Suraj Mal on the other hand, had an expanding kingdom to rule but no Imperial recognition. Hence both parties needing each other extended a hand of friendship towards each other.

In the Wazir's time of need, Suraj Mal fought by his side. Before Malhar Rao Holkar came to the aid of the warring factions, an astute diplomatic move by Suraj Mal, assured the Wazir of his office and the viceroyalties  of Oudh and Allahabad.

Suraj Mal saved his ally from ruin but made an enemy in Imad who had proposed to be the emperor of Hindustan.

Suraj Mal and Ahmad Shah Abdali:

With tact and diplomacy he averted an open war with Abdali. The message he sent says it all.

In Qudratullah's - "Jam - i - Jahan Nama", a passage summarises his negotiation with Abdali.

" You have not conquered India yet. If you have taken hold of an inexperienced child ( Imad-Ul-Mulk Ghazi-ud-din ), who held Delhi, what is their to be proud of? Why this delay in attacking me? I have spent large sums of money on these forts. The Shah can fight with me and the world will remember that a Badshah came from Vilayat and conquered Delhi, but was helpless against an insignificant Zamindar."  

The forts were so strong that Abdali returned back to Delhi and could never defeat Suraj Mal. Not only his arrogance but also his supreme confidence in his ability shines through in this message.

Seige of Kumher Jan - May -1754:

It was here that Suraj Mal defied a combined army of about 80,000 troops of the Mughals and Marathas. Again through negotiation and still not losing any territory, Suraj Mal acquired further greatness and achieved the glory of being able to bargain with 2 chiefs, ( Raghunath Rao and Malhar Rao Holkar with Imad), who in their own armies were equal in rank with him, and could impose on them his conditions for a treaty. The combined forces had laid seige on Kumher for 4 months and although the fort was stocked with provisions, there was shortage of water. Credit should also be given to his wife Rani Hansia whose bold initiative brought about the break of the siege and helped Suraj Mal emerge unscathed.

Panipat:

 2 severe blows were dealt to the Marathas while they prepared for war with Abdali. One was the defection of Shuja-ud-daula to the Abdali camp and second was the sudden desertion and departure of  Suraj Mal from Delhi.

There are four main reasons for this desertion given by historians:

1) The families of the Marathas were not sent to Gwalior. Suraj Mal had insisted that a light army with no burdens would be able to move quickly.

2) The Wazirship was not offered to Ghaziuddin-Imad-Ul-Mulk

3) The removal of the Gilt and silver ceiling at the Diwan-E-Khas.( Suraj Mal was completely against this).

4) The management of Delhi was not given to Suraj Mal. (This was not possible at the time as rightfully the throne belonged to Shah Alam the Emperor).

There are conflicting theories about his reasons for the desertion, as is bound to happen amongst historians, but the fact is, he left the Marathas to fight the battle against Abdali, without his backing.

To his credit, unlike Shuja-ud-Daula of Oudh, he did not join Abdali and secured his kingdom from the marauders. After Panipat, all the battle weary who came into his territory, were given food, clothing and shelter.

He also built beautiful forts and palaces in Bharatpur, Deegh, Kumher and Weir. Aside of these gardens, lakes, palaces and temples were also built by him, each structure more aesthetically beautiful than the other. The poet Somnath in his poetry "Sujan Vilas' has described it extensively.

   

   Deegh Palace                        

In his death, as in his life, Suraj Mal has attained glory. He died in a fierce battle against Najib-ud-daulah at just 56 years of age depriving the Jats of a great Statesman, and Military leader.

Maharaja Suraj Mal's great and unrivalled achievement was to create a kingdom bringing together all the Jat factions and gaining them respect, as a formidable force, in the uncertain times of the 18th Century.

Courtesy: Maharaja Suraj Mal.  K. Natwar Singh

Courtesy: History of the Marathas. G.S.Sardesai 

Photographs: Google Images and the book Maharaja Suraj Mal

                                

Solstice at Panipat - A Review

I am back after a long hiatus.
The year 2011 is the 250th year of Panipat. The war that changed the course of History.
It is also the war, which up until this day, we remember with scorn. Even today, the Marathas look back in shame and are weighed down by the defeat in Panipat. "जीवाचे पानीपत झाले" ( My life is lost like Panipat), is a common phrase.

Yes we lost that war, but is it fair to condemn the thousands of warriors , who lay down their lives. Fighting for freedom?
India for Indians being their belief and their sole objective. Living each day through all adversities? Miles away from their homeland, braving the rains and the cold, in unknown terrains, without food and shelter for months on end?
They were brave and fearless, these Marathas and it is our duty to give them their due respect and honour each and every one of them.
It was the day of Makar Sakrant when the great Sadashiv Rao Bhau Peshwa and the 19 year old Vishwas Rao lost their lives amongst many others.
What more befitting a way, than to pay tribute to them 250 years later, than with a book describing those times.
Named aptly "SOLSTICE AT PANIPAT". It is written by Dr Uday Kulkarni. An army Doctor by profession and an intense researcher of history.
When I hear people talk about Panipat, I hear anger, bitterness and scorn. I could cite ignorance as one of the major reasons and hearsay as the other for this attitude.
Panipat was not caused in a day. It was a conglomeration of events which occurred over a period of time. Right from the time Baji Rao Ist. became the Peshwa, till January 1761. The seeds of Panipat were sown in 1720 and the seed became a huge unavoidable battle in 1761.
As the great historian Mr. Ninad Bedekar writes in the Forward to the book:
"There are Three main Questions that are asked about Panipat"
1) Why was the battle fought by the Marathas and the Afghans?
2) How was it fought in Panipat?
3) What happened after the battle at Panipat in 1761?
Dr. Kulkarni has answered these questions with great elan. His research has been thorough. He has taken the time and immense effort to visit the places around and in which the campaign took place. Relating the event with the help of maps and drawings, he has made the book true to life.
His exact depiction of the year and a half which led to the war, and the circumstances in which the campaign met its end are written with a precision of a history researcher.
I would suggest that every person who is an avid reader of Maratha history or interested in the bygone era must read this book.
I end with an excerpt from "Evan Bells"
The battle of Panipat was a triumph and a glory for the Marathas. They fought in the cause of "India for the Indians, while the great Muhammadan princes of Delhi, Oudh, and the Deccan stood aside intriguing and trimming. And though the Marathas were defeated, victorious Afghans retired and never interfered in the affairs of India".