Execution of Vithoji
| Part of the Maratha civil wars | |
 Chhatri of Vithoji Rao Holkar | |
| Date | 16 April 1801 |
|---|---|
| Duration | One day |
| Venue | Shaniwar Wada |
| Location | Pune, Maharashtra |
| Coordinates | 18°31′13″N 73°51′24″E / 18.5204°N 73.8567°E |
| Type | Execution by elephant |
| Cause | |
| Perpetrator | Vithoji Rao Holkar |
| Reporter | Balaji Kunjar |
| Organized by |  Maratha Empire |
| Participants | Bajirao II and Daulatrao |
Execution of Vithoji also known as Assissination of Vithoji refers to the execution of Vithoji Rao Holkar the brother of Yashwantrao Holkar. After the assissination of Malhar Rao II Holkar by Daulat Rao Sindhia Vithoji and Yashwantrao fled from Pune to Kolhapur. In 1801 the Holkars declared war against Scindias and Peshwas, while Scindia was busy fighting with Yashwantrao Holkar, Vithoji started raiding the territories of Peshwa Bajirao II. Bajirao II sent his Balaji Kunjar and Bapu Ghokale along with the Scindia army to capture Vithoji. After a few skirmish Vithoji Rao Holkar was captured and brutally executed in Pune on 16 April 1801.
Background
[edit]
Vithoji Rao Holkar, elder brother of Yashwantrao, entered Maharashtra in 1798 to challenge Peshwa Bajirao II. Seeking to incite rebellion, he allied with local chieftain Balkrishna and launched raids near [[Pune][, using guerrilla tactics from a base in Pandharpur. Though Amrutrao, Bajirao's brother, hesitated to revolt openly, he later offered written support to Vithoji’s efforts.[1]
Vithoji’s growing influence alarmed the Peshwa, who, for the first time, sought British military help. Led by Bapu Gokhale and backed by British troops, Peshwa forces defeated Vithoji near Purandar. Captured with his family, Vithoji was imprisoned at Bhamburda and brutally punished, marking the beginning of British involvement in Maratha internal conflicts.[2]
Execution
[edit]On 16th April 1801, there was a huge gathering at Pune's Shaniwar Wada upon the invitation of the Peshwa to behold the execution of Vithoji Bhosale, who had been taken into custody for rebellion. Vithoji, tied up and publicly disgraced, was paraded in front of citizens. The Peshwa and high-ranking officials watched the proceeding from an ornamented vantage canopy.[3]
Vithoji Rao Holkar was bound to a post and flogged with bamboo rods until his back was lacerated and bleeding. His wife and child, who were among the onlookers, begged for mercy but had to watch him suffer. 200 lashes were administered before water was sprinkled on the wounds to maintain consciousness.[4]
The atrocity was further intensified when an elephant was led in. Vithoji was bound to its leg and dragged around the grounds of Shaniwar Wada. Injured badly and unconscious after the ordeal, he was splashed with water to revive him once again. On a signal from the Peshwa, the elephant trampled his head to death.[5]
His body remained on display for two days, denied to his family as a warning to others. The act, though supported by some in the crowd, drew criticism from several nobles, including Patwardhan, who believed the Peshwa had lost an opportunity to utilize Vithoji’s abilities for statecraft. Vithoji’s wife was placed under house arrest and barred from committing sati or contacting others. The brutality of the execution left a lasting mark on Pune’s political climate.[6]
Aftermath
[edit]
The execution resulted into the Battle of Poona (25 October 1802) which was fought between Yashwantrao Holkar and the combined forces of Peshwa Baji Rao II and Scindia. Holkar won, forcing Baji Rao II to flee and later signed the Treaty of Bassein with the British, granting them significant control. Holkar briefly installed Amrutrao as Peshwa, but the British reinstated Baji Rao II in 1803, leading to the Second Anglo-Maratha War.[7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Sonawani, Sanjay (2020-01-01). "The Unsung Hero of India: Maharaja Yashwantrao Holkar". Maharaja Yashvantrao Holkar Gaurav Pratishthan: 54.
- ^ Vaidya, S. G. (1976). Peshwa Bajirao II and the Downfall of the Maratha Power. Pragati Prakashan. p. 92.
- ^ Renick, M. S. (1987). Lord Wellesley and the Indian States. Arvind Vivek Prakashan. p. 194.
- ^ Vaish, Devi Charan Lal (1972). The Rise of British Power and the Fall of Marathas. Upper India Publishing House. p. 321.
- ^ Sardesai, Govind Sakharam (1946). New History of the Marathas. Phoenix Publications. pp. 366–367.
- ^ Sonawani, Sanjay (2020-01-01). "The Unsung Hero of India: Maharaja Yashwantrao Holkar". Maharaja Yashvantrao Holkar Gaurav Pratishthan: 55.
- ^ Naravane, M. S. (2006). Battles of the Honourable East India Company: Making of the Raj. APH Publishing. p. 65. ISBN 978-81-313-0034-3.