What our textbooks don't tell us: Why the Rajputs failed miserably in battle for centuries

[doppelganger]

Right..Strength is light cavalry... light means there weapon is Talwar, spears and knife. About food..Bhakar and onion and chillies only...cloths one blanket, one pair of dhotar and shirt.....that's all .... and nothing more than that

Very light armor. Which came later during the northern campaigns.

 

[Ajai Ghale]

They were also undisciplined as completely shown when they charged the afghan front line during the battle,except Ibrahim khan gardi 9000 men who were aligned on European line & kill the most number of abdali man than any other

Even Jat Raja of Bharatpur/Mathura who had Grudge with them advised the Marathas to Atleast leave the womenfolk under his supervision .... But Marathas didn't heed his advice and later large number of non combatants became a disaster.

Had even petty North Indian Hindu/Sikh power allied with Marathas the history would have different.

I think Sikh military history owe some credit to earlier Marathas (Shivaji) for their military success against Afghans.

 

[doppelganger]

Marathas did loose at Panipat but what is IMPORTANT is the RECOVERY

They recovered in the MOST spectacular manner

And by 1780 were again the Number one power in India

Marathas were the LAST power to capitulate to the British

10 years was all it took.

Remember that in those days, losing 100,000 men in the space of less than a week was a body blow few nations across the world could have recovered from across the span of a century.

 

[Stephen Cohen]

Had even petty North Indian Hindu/Sikh power allied with Marathas the history would have different.

I think Sikh military history owe some credit to earlier Marathas (Shivaji) for their military success against Afghans.

Good points

Why did not other Hindu kings help Marathas

That same old story ? What is in it for me ; there was NO sense of NATION HOOD

And Marathas had made others angry with their success especially Rajputs

Marathas had several battles with Rajputs and imposed heavy taxes on them

 

[nik141991]

The some books I read that at panipat battle, the Topachi (cannon feeder) are didn't stop cannon till they are dead...

It doesn't matter , Maratha overconfidence cost them dearly , they also fail to make allies with Sikhs,jats & rajputs

 

[Rau]

10 years was all it took.

Remember that in those days, losing 100,000 men in the space of less than a week was a body blow few nations across the world could have recovered from across the span of a century.

All this credit to Madhavrao Peshava.....
one more story I read that Abdali give proposal to Maratha where he accept Maratha border till till Chamble river to stop battle...God known what happen if they accept these proposal...

 

[doppelganger]

It doesn't matter , Maratha overconfidence cost them dearly , they also fail to make allies with Sikhs,jats & rajputs

We lost our mobility. And we were outgunned (light French artillery that worked great in the hills, was outgunned by heavy artillery on the plains).

There is no way you can lay to siege a Maratha army unless there were women and old and feeble involved.

 

[Stephen Cohen]

It doesn't matter , Maratha overconfidence cost them dearly , they also fail to make allies with Sikhs,jats & rajputs

Marathas believed that they were the only WORTHY rulers of Hindustan
since they had broken the back of the Mughals and Aurangzeb

This led to a One DIMENSIONAL policy

Conquer and levy taxes ; they believed they had the ability to defeat all foreigners single handedly

They did not believe in alliances

 

[doppelganger]

Marathas believed that they were the only WORTHY rulers of Hindustan
since they had broken the back of the Mughals and Aurangzeb

This led to a One DIMENSIONAL policy

Conquer and levy taxes ; they believed they had the ability to defeat all foreigners single handedly

They did not believe in alliances

There were sporadic battle alliances. With the Sikhs as well as the Rajputs.

But not as equals when it came to rule and admin.

 

[Stephen Cohen]

one more story I read that Abdali give proposal to Maratha where he accept Maratha border till till Chamble river to stop battle...God known what happen if they accept these proposal...

You are absolutely right ; Abdali even after victory was expecting retribution from Marathas

The battle happened in January but Abdali left Delhi by MARCH


WHY because The Peshwa had reached Gwalior with a revenge force of 50000

 

[Rau]

It doesn't matter , Maratha overconfidence cost them dearly , they also fail to make allies with Sikhs,jats & rajputs

agreed but still they are strong enough to win battle but worst blunder is taking huge number of pilgrim with them...which cost mobility, scarcity of food, water...
Sadashiv rao takes nearly 2 month to reach panipat while comparing it with Bajirao I who traval from pune to Delhi within 20days...

 

[nik141991]

We lost our mobility. And we were outgunned (light French artillery that worked great in the hills, was outgunned by heavy artillery on the plains).

There is no way you can lay to siege a Maratha army unless there were women and old and feeble involved.

No real problem with Maratha were lack of discipline in muy opinion , jealousy was high among Maratha generals, they should have adopted European tacticts when it was purposed which only gardi did & nobody else, no wonder gardi & 9000 of his man rapid firing kill more afghan & rohilla than all other maratha general combined, at one time it almost crushed abdali one flank

 

[Stephen Cohen]

comparer it with Bajirao I whi traval from puna to Delhi within 20days...

Could you please RE write this line ; did nt understand anything

 

[Ajai Ghale]

Good points

Why did not other Hindu kings help Marathas

That same old story ? What is in it for me ; there was NO sense of NATION HOOD

And Marathas had made others angry with their success especially Rajputs

Marathas had several battles with Rajputs and imposed heavy taxes on them

well this is obvious ...that's why we sucked

Apart for Being Indian as our Cultural identity for 1000s of years, Indians had no sense of nationhood before 1947,their were Rajupts who didn't give a shit what happens with a "INDIAN" of Bengal,there were Marathas who looted Hindus of North India and Sikhs who defeated Hindu Rajas for their own Good

But things have change now,We are POLITICALLY a coherent Entity like never before,no Rajput,no Marathas no shyt ..... Now Even a Soldier.. From Madras Regiment has to Serve in Extreme Cold in Siachen and a Sikh in Andaman.

 

[Stephen Cohen]

But things have change now,We are POLITICALLY a coherent Entity like never before,no Rajput,no Marathas no shyt ..... Now Even a Soldier.. From Madras Regiment has to Serve in Extreme Cold in Siachen and a Sikh in Andaman.

That is why I dont mind the British rule

They pauperised and looted us to the BONE ; but made us into ONE country
which we were never going to be on our own