Battle of Pachgaon

01A quarrel over an heir

Janoji Bhonsle of Nagpur died in 1772 without a son of his own. He had adopted Raghoji, the infant son of his brother Mudhoji, as his heir. The regency was the prize. Mudhoji claimed it as the boy’s father; his younger brother Sabaji claimed it too, and each looked to a different faction at Pune, where the Peshwa’s court was itself split after the murder of Narayanrao in 1773. For two years the brothers manoeuvred, made terms and broke them. In January 1775 their armies met at Pachgaon.

02The shot from the howdah

Sabaji had the better of the fighting and Mudhoji was surrounded. Sure of victory, Sabaji drove his elephant up to his brother’s and called on him to surrender. Mudhoji answered with a pistol and shot him dead. With their leader gone, Sabaji’s men broke. Mudhoji ruled Nagpur as regent for his son, who later reigned as Raghoji II, and took the title Sena Dhurandhar that the Nagpur Bhonsles held from the Chhatrapati. Muhammad Yusuf Gardi, one of the men who had killed Peshwa Narayanrao, fought on Mudhoji’s side that day.