01-07-2004, 07:08 AM
http://www.panipatrefinery.com/panipat_city.html
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The site of the third Battle of Panipat where the Marathas fought Ahmad Shah Abdali is located a little to the south of Panipat town. Coming onto the highway, we veered to the left. After passing through rows of shops and houses, the road now cut through open green fields and small farm houses. Soon we entered the gates of a well developed garden with shady trees, flowers and a pond with ducks. In one corner of this garden, the government of Haryana has erected a war memorial, marking the site of the most disastrous battle bought at Panipat where Maratha power was extinguished. The memorial marks the spot from where the Maratha general Sadashiv Bhau watched the battle.
It was the dawn of January 14, 1761. In the wintry chill the plain of Panipat lay veiled in a curtain of mist. A long line of fluttering banners marking the cavalry divisions formed the Maratha vanguard. Sadashiv Bhau had 55,000 horsemen, 15,000 foot soldiers and 200 cannon. The Maratha artillery was under the command of the brilliant Ibrahim Khan Gardi, trained by the Fresh General, M de Bussy.
Facing the Marathas were the Afghan hordes of Ahamd Shah Abdali mounded on sturdy horses from Khorasan and transOxiana, 42,000 of them in all. His 38,000 foot soldiers were clad in padded leather and quilted jackets to protect themselves from sword and spear thrusts. Above all, Abdali had a formidable artillery of 2,000 camels mounded with swivel guns.
The battle began at ten Oâclock. The air thudded and shook as the Maratha guns under Ibrahim Khan Gardi spat tongues of orange flame and belched wreaths of black smoke. Under artillery cover, the Maratha infantry advanced and crashed into the Afghan ranks. The engagement was fierce and bloody. A large number of Marathas fell dead or wounded.
When he saw his infantry retreat, Sadashiv Bhau ordered his cavalary to charge. With yellow ochre banners streaming in the wind, the massive wave of Maratha cavalry thundered across the field in a storm of dust.
The cavalry smashed into the Afghan lines and raked through a body of 10,000 horses. The Maratha onslaught was savage and desperate. Soon there was panic among the Afghans and the line began to break up. Some even began to take to their heels, "Where are you running to, "exhorted the Afghan Chief. "Our homeland is far away and you may never reach it."
Just when defeat seemed to stare into Ahmad Shahâs face, a stray shot hit Vishwas Rao, the son of Peshwa Baji Rao, and he fell dead from his horse. When a disheartening cry arose that the Peshwaâs son had been killed, Maratha spirit sank.
When the 17 years old Vishwas Raoâs body was brought to Sadashiv Bhau on the back of an elephant, his rage knew no bounds. Mounting his horse, Sadashiv Bhau rushed into the thick of battle, only to be mercilessly cut down by Afghan horsemen. The Bhauâs death was enough to make the marathas lose heart. Soon they were completely routed.
Little knowing the fate of his magnificent army, the Peshwa Balaji Rao was crossing the Narmada with reinforcements when a tired 'âharkaraâ arrived with a cryptic message "Two pearls have been dissolved, 27 gold coins have been lost and of the silver and copper the total cannot be cast up".
The Peshwa never recovered from the shock of the total debacle at Panipat. He returned to Pune and died a broken man in a temple on Paravati Hill. As for the Marathas they never recovered from the loss at Panipat. The battle changed the course of Indiaâs history. In fact the British could never have had a strong foothold in India as long as the Marathas were powerful.
In the gathering dusk, even as the sun was setting over the swaying fields of wheat at Panipat, we could well imagine what the battlefield must have looked like on the evening of January 14, 1761. A bitter wind would have swept the expanse moaning lamentably like a dirge to the fallen dead. The plain of Panipat will always remain like a page of history stained with blood and haunt the memory for centuries on end.
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The site of the third Battle of Panipat where the Marathas fought Ahmad Shah Abdali is located a little to the south of Panipat town. Coming onto the highway, we veered to the left. After passing through rows of shops and houses, the road now cut through open green fields and small farm houses. Soon we entered the gates of a well developed garden with shady trees, flowers and a pond with ducks. In one corner of this garden, the government of Haryana has erected a war memorial, marking the site of the most disastrous battle bought at Panipat where Maratha power was extinguished. The memorial marks the spot from where the Maratha general Sadashiv Bhau watched the battle.
It was the dawn of January 14, 1761. In the wintry chill the plain of Panipat lay veiled in a curtain of mist. A long line of fluttering banners marking the cavalry divisions formed the Maratha vanguard. Sadashiv Bhau had 55,000 horsemen, 15,000 foot soldiers and 200 cannon. The Maratha artillery was under the command of the brilliant Ibrahim Khan Gardi, trained by the Fresh General, M de Bussy.
Facing the Marathas were the Afghan hordes of Ahamd Shah Abdali mounded on sturdy horses from Khorasan and transOxiana, 42,000 of them in all. His 38,000 foot soldiers were clad in padded leather and quilted jackets to protect themselves from sword and spear thrusts. Above all, Abdali had a formidable artillery of 2,000 camels mounded with swivel guns.
The battle began at ten Oâclock. The air thudded and shook as the Maratha guns under Ibrahim Khan Gardi spat tongues of orange flame and belched wreaths of black smoke. Under artillery cover, the Maratha infantry advanced and crashed into the Afghan ranks. The engagement was fierce and bloody. A large number of Marathas fell dead or wounded.
When he saw his infantry retreat, Sadashiv Bhau ordered his cavalary to charge. With yellow ochre banners streaming in the wind, the massive wave of Maratha cavalry thundered across the field in a storm of dust.
The cavalry smashed into the Afghan lines and raked through a body of 10,000 horses. The Maratha onslaught was savage and desperate. Soon there was panic among the Afghans and the line began to break up. Some even began to take to their heels, "Where are you running to, "exhorted the Afghan Chief. "Our homeland is far away and you may never reach it."
Just when defeat seemed to stare into Ahmad Shahâs face, a stray shot hit Vishwas Rao, the son of Peshwa Baji Rao, and he fell dead from his horse. When a disheartening cry arose that the Peshwaâs son had been killed, Maratha spirit sank.
When the 17 years old Vishwas Raoâs body was brought to Sadashiv Bhau on the back of an elephant, his rage knew no bounds. Mounting his horse, Sadashiv Bhau rushed into the thick of battle, only to be mercilessly cut down by Afghan horsemen. The Bhauâs death was enough to make the marathas lose heart. Soon they were completely routed.
Little knowing the fate of his magnificent army, the Peshwa Balaji Rao was crossing the Narmada with reinforcements when a tired 'âharkaraâ arrived with a cryptic message "Two pearls have been dissolved, 27 gold coins have been lost and of the silver and copper the total cannot be cast up".
The Peshwa never recovered from the shock of the total debacle at Panipat. He returned to Pune and died a broken man in a temple on Paravati Hill. As for the Marathas they never recovered from the loss at Panipat. The battle changed the course of Indiaâs history. In fact the British could never have had a strong foothold in India as long as the Marathas were powerful.
In the gathering dusk, even as the sun was setting over the swaying fields of wheat at Panipat, we could well imagine what the battlefield must have looked like on the evening of January 14, 1761. A bitter wind would have swept the expanse moaning lamentably like a dirge to the fallen dead. The plain of Panipat will always remain like a page of history stained with blood and haunt the memory for centuries on end.
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