LEST WE FORGET



Maratha

Peshwa

Raghunathrao

Hyder Ali

East India Company

Tipu Sultan

The inexorable flow of history can rarely be resisted and its momentum can crush the strongest of nations. In Pune, thestate was under siege from internal wrangling and wars for over a quarter of a century, and one man held the reins of the government, holding off the loss of a hard-earned swarajya. Balaji Janardan, better known as ‘Nana’ Phadnis, will therefore always find place in the highest class of administrators in Indian history.In 1756, at the age of just 14 years, Nana came into the hereditary office of Phadnis — chancellor of the Maratha Empire. Gifted with quick intellect but not an able body, he was not fit to lead armies. After the Battle of Panipat in 1761, Nana returned to Pune scarred by the violence of war. When Madhavrao was appointed as the new, it was his ambitious uncle,, who had to be pacified, and Nana had the responsibility of keeping an eye on him. On Madhavrao’s early death in 1772, the Maratha Empire had fully recovered and stretched from the Kumaon Hills to the Cauvery River and from Gujarat to Odisha.However, fate dealt a cruel hand, and just nine months later, the assassination of the ill-fated Narayanrao Peshwa split the polity at the very top into two camps. One was led by Raghunathrao, who was implicated in the dark deed, and the other, of his accusers, led by Nana Phadnis. Nana swore to bring all the culprits to justice. When a son was born to Narayanrao’s wife in 1774, he was named Sawai Madhavrao and declared the new Peshwa. This perpetuated the divide at the top, as Raghunathrao sought the help of the British, and this triggered the first Anglo– Maratha War. Nana once again led the diplomatic effort, forging an alliance with the Nizam andagainst the British.In 1779, the Marathas won a famous victory against the British forces at Wadgaon near Pune. To obtain the full cooperation of his wavering chiefs, Nana opened up the treasury and poured funds into the coffers of his generals, thereby ensuring their loyalty. In 1782, a tiredwas relieved to sign a peace treaty with the Marathas. Years later, in alliance with the British, Nana waged a successful campaign against their common enemy,. Finally, in 1795, marshalling the Maratha armies under Parshurambhau Patwardhan, Nana ensured a quick victory over the Nizam.The long-awaited prosperity of Sawai Madhavrao’s reign never quite came to pass. His death in late 1795 threw Maratha polity into a tizzy. There was jockeying for power among the many chiefs, and loss of coherence in policy. Nana’s dependence on others for armed help was always his weakness. The deaths of his loyal aide, Haripant Phadke, and others like Mahadji Scindia and Ahilyadevi in 1794, left him much weaker. But he stood forth as the last statesman in the Maratha court.It was known that Nana had a stash of ready money at various forts and in his own wadas. He used these funds to win over allies and raise armies. However, this merely staunched the inevitable final collapse. While visiting Daulatrao Scindia’s camp one day in 1798, Nana was suddenly imprisoned, leading to unprecedented looting and anarchy in Pune. He was released a few months later, however, the end was not far. After a short illness, he died on March 13, 1800.For three decades, Nana, with his sharp intellect, gave direction to state policy backed by his legendary network of spies. His greatest support as well as rival for power was Mahadji Scindia. During his years in power, Nana built several temples, tanks and palaces from Maharashtra to Varanasi. The Nana Wada at Pune and the ghats at Menavali are testimony to the Maratha style of architecture. His efforts to build a bridge on the River Karmanasa in the north are well known. His love of art led to a personal collection of miniature paintings, and an art school was also set up in Pune.However, Nana Phadnis’s chief legacy is his pivotal role in preserving the kingdom in the face of inimical forces from within and without the Maratha fold for the last three decades of the 18th century. The day after Nana’s death, Col. Palmer, the Resident at Pune, wrote a fitting epitaph in his letter to the Governor General; ‘It is with grave concern that I have to acquaint your Lordship with the death of Nana Furnevese, which happened last night. With him, I fear, has departed all the wisdom and moderation of this Government.’