Lehal Library

144 The Agrarian Uprising The Maratha general, Sabaji, fled from the Punjab without malcing any arrangement for its defence: those of his troops who could not get away in time were decimated by the Afghans. The Sikhs gave way and let Abdali proceed towards Delhi. Abdali defeated three isolated attempts by Maratha chiefs to check his progress. When he received intelligence that a large army was coming up from the Deccan, he pitched his camp at AJigarh and decided to wait. Muslims of northern India, Shujauddaulah of Oudh, the Rohillas,29 and others joined the Afghan standard in their thousands. While the Afghans and Macatbas were preparing for a final showdown, the Sikhs continued to extend and consolidate their hold in the districts of the Punjab. At the meeting on Divali day of 1760 the Sarbat Khalsa decided that the time was opportune to seize the capital. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia Jed the Sikh armies. Withhim were leaders of other mists: Harl Singh of the Bhangis, Jai Singh of the Kanhayas, Chachat Singh of the Sukerchakias. The Sikhs occupied the suburbs without much difficulty. The Afghan governor offered to pay them a tribute. Since the AfghanMaratha conflict, which could determine the ownership ofLahore, was still unsettled, the Sikhs accepted Rs 30,000 from the Afghans and withdrew. After a year and a quarter of jockeying for position the Marathas and Afghans clashed on the famous field of Panipat on 14January 1761. The battle was virtually lost by the Marathas before the actual fighting began. The pusillanimous Sadashiv Rao Bhao entrenched himself in the town, and remained inactive for several months. Abdali cut off the Marathas' supplies and compelled them to fight on empty stomachs. The engagement took heavy toll of Macatha life and equipment.~ But the victorious Afghans also suffered considerable 29 'I am the bridegroom of lhis battlefield,' said the Rohilla leada, Najibuddaulah, on the eve of Panipat. 'Everything restS on my head: the others are mere guestS accompanying the marriage procession. What is done here will be done by me and to me.' NaftbuddauJah, LXXIX. 30 The Marat.has are estimated to have lost: 28,000, killed; 22,000, taken prisoner. Among the dead were the commanders Bhao and Vishwas