Baji Rao: The warrior Peshwa by E. Jaiwant Paul

"Baji Rao: The warrior Peshwa" by E. Jaiwant Paul - The general who never lost a war!

This book is published by The Lotus Collection in 2007 and has 184 pages.

Book summary

Aurangzeb was responsible for starting the dreadful decline of Mughal Empire by his fundamentalist religious policy and his never ending military miss adventures. The empire crumbled after his death. Sayyid brothers became the king makers. A void was created. The stage was set for Baji Rao. Mughal nobility was aligned into four groups: Persians, Afghans, Turani Mughals and Hindis.

Main characteristic of Baji Rao's forces was extreme mobility. Bajirao's army moved 50 miles per day and had three horses to every two men. They lived off the land and carried no baggage and tents. Baji Rao prided himself in enduring the same hardships as his soldiers and sharing their scanty fare. 

Baji Rao was a military genius and is described as a heaven born cavalry leader.  Hindus from all over the country flocked to his banner. Rajputs had always been strong defenders of Mughals. However, blind fanaticism and anti-Hindu bias of Aurangzeb undid all good work of his forefathers.

Author has reserved a chapter for the three trusted lieutenants of Baji Rao viz. Malharrao Holkar, Ranoji Scindia and Udaiji Pawar. They were founders of the states of Indore, Gwalior and Dhar respectively in today's MP.

Mastani lived with Bajirao, rode with him stirrup to stirrup on his numerous campaigns, was his inspiration in battle, was mother of his son and chose to perish when he died. Perhaps historians swept her under carpet because she was an embarrassment. Even a strong person like Baji Rao couldn't break the shackles of Orthodox Brahmins.

An entire chapter is dedicated to Kanhoji Angre and Maratha navy and repeated failed attempts by British and Portuguese to win against Angre. Another chapter is dedicated to Baji Rao's campaign against Portuguese and British. 

High point of Maratha's empire came when Baji Rao reached Delhi and defeated Nizam-ul-Mulk again at the battle of Bhopal. 

At the young age of 42 he died of illness. 

End of book summary

There is an uncertainty about how Mastani died. This book says that she went Sati on Baji Rao's funeral pyre. The book has a very old and partly damaged picture of Mastani. This is different from the picture you see on Wikipedia. 

Author singles out Baji Rao's decision to grant English peace and free trade as hideously short sighted. He also states that Maratha's, and Baji Rao, did not pay enough attention to business and trade, thus they were short of cash for military expeditions and had to depend on spoils of war to fund the war.

Baji Rao had a chance to decimate Nizam and banish British and Portuguese out of India. But he did not do it. He considered unification of Hindustan as primary objective and invaders from north (Nadir Shah) as primary threat. This is the beauty of history. One decision can change the course of history. What if Baji Rao destroyed Nizam after victories in battles of Palkhed and Bhopal? What if British were banished from India? What if Mastani was accepted wholeheartedly by Brahmins and Hindus? What if Baji Rao had lived another 15 years? Baji Rao was at the gates of Dilli, What if he had entered the capital? What if a Maratha king had ascended the Peacock Throne of Dilli? Alas! None of it happened.

This is a book about Baji Rao. However, the book covers only one aspect of his personality, the wars. There are some glaring omissions. There is hardly anything about Baji Rao, the person or his private life sans Mastani. Nothing about his relationship with his wife, children, mother, brother or other family members. No elaboration about his administration or his vision or point of views about matters not related to wars. Baji Rao's main strength was the lightning cavalry and his impossibly fast movement of army. He was a logistics genius. However, the book doesn't say how he achieved it. The battle of Bhopal is also hurriedly covered. 

Author has chosen to tell the stories of Mughal kings, Nizam-ul-mulk, Kanhoji Angre, Peshwas etc. separately. So every time he has to go back in time and tell the story. While telling a story he has to refer to other stories to establish time line. As a result, the book appears like a patchwork quilt and not as uniform and continuous fabric. If he had told it as a single (and some what complex) story, keeping with time line, it would have become more interesting.

Why did I read this book? Wanted to know more about Baji Rao

What I didn't like? Structure of the book and omissions. 

What did I like? Information. 

Although it could have been better, it's a must read.