MARATHAS IN JAMMU

                                 

                ( Photo Bahu Fort ,Jammu ) 

MARATHAS IN  JAMMU

Ahmed Shah Abdali invaded India for eight times between 1748 and 1767, following the collapse of Mughal Empire. To maintain his huge army  created by Nadir Shah for invasions, Ahmed Shah Abdali also  plundered  wealth   from many temples in India including Vrindavan, Mathura, Varanasi and Golden Temple . Apart from Marathas, the Sikhs also  gave toughest fight and resistance to Afghans  in many battles and plunder campaigns. The valour of Baba Deep Singh, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia ,Hari Singh Nalwa and many more   is well recorded .In 1757, Jat prince Jawahar Singh with 5000 men had also offered tough resistance against Ahmad Shah Abdali's forces near Mathura .

Balaji Bajirao alias Nanasaheb was the Peshwa of Maratha Empire  when Abdali attacked India in 1761. Bajirao was very capable leader who rather than depending on old leadership of Marathas promoted young and aggressive military commanders like Holkar, Shinde, Dabhade, Gaikwad under his rule.Bajiro was heavenly born cavalry leader and perhaps the best ever cavalry general in the history of Indian subcontinent followed by Rajput legend Bappa Rawal, his cavalry was as effective as that of Mongols. Every 2 riders would have 3 horses and would change their horse after respective horse is exhausted.Marathas were a cavalry heavy force under Bajirao.

In the  battle fought by Maratha army against the invader Ahmed Shah Abdali in 1761 at Panipat, Marathas were defeated due to superiority of Afghan armoury. However, the Marathas gave the toughest fight in which about 40,000 Marathas lost their life. The Afghans lost about 30000 soldiers . There was an explicit instruction from Maratha ruler to his forces to return with victory news only. Consequently , after the defeat of 1761, many Maratha soldiers moved to hilly principalities of Punjab and Jammu and lived there for the remaining part of their lives .Many a Brahmin soldiers became Sanyasin or priests for livelihood . One can trace many such people with Maratha ancestry in these places .Some of the Marathas were taken to Afghanistan as prisoners after the war. Members of the descendants of prisoners of wars can still be found at least in Bugti and Marri tribal areas of Baluchistan.

 In Jammu and Himachal Pradesh, some people with surnames ; Sathe ,Ranade , Agnihotri, Padhye( Padha) ,Pant and Pawar   could  possibly  be  from this linkage . The background of Dogri short story writer Bhagwat Prasad Sathe confirms  my belief.

 Bhaskar Rao Sathe, the ancestor of Bhagwat Prasad  Sathe fought  Abdali's forces  at Panipat as member of Maratha army. After the defeat of Maratha troops , he moved to   Ramnagar( Jammu ) and  settled there. The Dogra Rajput  Raja appointed him as priest and Kathavachak.  One day ,  during a religious congregation  at Purmandal  ,Bhaskar Rao Sathe met his son  whom alongwith other members of his family, Bhasker had kept at Varanasi. It was in Varanasi that the son had learnt about his father's presence in Jammu hills. A Sadhu had advised him to go to Purmandal  and try his luck to trace his father as  Sadhus from the length and breadth of the country would be present over there on a particular  auspicious day. And there the son met his father. A male member from this Sathe clan married a Brahmin girl from Bijbihara and the family were entrusted the priesthood  duties of the Shiva temple built on main highway by Dogra rulers in Bijbihara  .Bhagwat Prasad Sathe , the doyen of Dogri prose is from this Sathe clan of Marathas. Similar could be the story of some Upadhye or  Pawar or Pant or Ranade families of Jammu. I happened to know one Ranade family in Basholi during the period I headed the Basholi branch of Punjab National Bank. I am also informed that Baru Brahmins  of Jammu are from Assam .

Bhagwat Prasad was born in December 1910 at Ramnagar, a small town in the lower Siwaliks, about 30 miles to the east of Jammu. Situated on a plateau 2700 ft above the sea level, it has a salubrious climate and a beautiful setting among hills and streams. Ramnagar had been the capital of Bandral Rajput rulers till the beginning of the 19th century. Like true Kshatriyas, the Dogra Rajput rulers of Jammu welcomed all  essentially, traders, priests, artists, artisans and people who could contribute towards prosperity and development .The scholarship of Jamrnu  Dogras was Hindu Sanatana Dharma-oriented. The Rajas of Jammu had been deeply religious people believing in , the doctrine of “Atithi Devo Bhavah” and they and their queens had numerous temples built, making Jammu a city of temples.

 

There is a Dogri folk song that gives a hint about the desire of every young man to serve Dogra Rajput  Rajas of Jammu  for their benevolent conduct  :-

" Kuthaan di karni adiya chakri

Kuthaan di hai muhim( wife to husband )

Jammu dhi karni adiye chakri..( husband to wife) "

(Where do you want to serve ,my love 

where do you plan to go?

I want to serve  Jammu Kingdom ,my love)

So long  so much , Next time more ..

.( Avtar Mota)

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