In 1742, the Maratha Bargis launched their infamous raids on Bengal, a consequence of the power struggles that had weakened the region. Just two years prior, in 1740, Alivardi Khan had ascended as the Nawab of Bengal after defeating and killing Sarfaraz Khan in the Battle of Giria. Sarfaraz, the son of Shuja-ud-Din, had previously inherited the Nawabi charter of Bengal-Bihar-Orissa from Delhi, though not without controversy. His claim was challenged by Alivardi, a former deputy governor of Bihar, who allegedly secured his position through political maneuvering and substantial bribes at the Mughal court.
The history of Bengal’s rulers during this period traces back to the Mughal era, with complex relationships between Persian, Turkish, and Arab-origin elites. Shuja-ud-Din, originally a governor under the Mughals, had Turkish ties, and his inner circle, including the Mirza brothers—Mirza Ahmed and Mirza Muhammad Ali—were similarly connected to influential Turkish and Arab families. These intricate relationships played a role in shaping political allegiances and betrayals, ultimately leading to Alivardi Khan’s rise to power.
By the time Alivardi took control, Bengal’s military strength had drastically declined. The last major rebellion of the Bengali aristocracy, led by Sitaram Ray, had been crushed under Murshid Quli Khan’s administration, leaving the region pacified. The once-powerful Baro-Bhuiyans, the traditional warrior elites of Bengal, had been neutralized. The Nawabs of Bengal, instead of investing in military infrastructure, diverted the province’s wealth to sustain their lavish lifestyles and to pay hefty tributes to Delhi.
With no significant standing army and no tradition of fort-building remaining in Bengal, it was left vulnerable. European observers of the time noted the region’s military weakness, recognizing that history was inevitably moving toward a larger conflict—culminating in the events of 1757.
The Marathas, who had already sacked Delhi, turned their attention to Bengal. If they could dominate the Mughal heartland, why not extend their influence eastward? With Nagpur as their stronghold, Bengal seemed like the next natural conquest. And thus, the Bargi invasions began—a period of devastation that would leave an indelible mark on Bengal’s history.
The Maratha Invasion and the Devastation of Bengal
For two years, the Nawabi rule barely held on. Then, on April 8, 1742, Alivardi Khan faced the might of the Maratha forces in Bengal. There was no advance intelligence. The cavalry from Nagpur had already reached Burdwan before any news reached the Nawab. At the time, Alivardi was resting in his Mubarak Manzil in Hooghly when word arrived—Burdwan was under raid by the Bargis.
The Nawab quickly mobilized his forces—three thousand horsemen and a thousand infantry gunmen—and marched toward Burdwan to confront the invaders.
There is a saying in English: “With how little wisdom is the world governed.” Indeed, Bengal at the time was ruled by a power that lacked both military strength and strategic foresight. The people of Bengal, who had once wielded swords and muskets, were left with nothing but sticks. This weakness proved fatal.
The Nawab was defeated. With this loss, Nawabi authority west of the Ganges crumbled. The Mughal Faujdar of Hooghly was captured, and the Marathas installed their own governor—Rao. Katoa became the new capital of the Marathas in Bengal. From there, Mir Habib, a defector who had sided with the Marathas, took control over the administration from Rajmahal to Jaleshwar, severing this region from the Nawabi rule. The Marathas now had an undisputed foothold in Bengal.
For the next twelve years, the Bargi terror would cast a dark shadow over Bengal.
The Plight of Bengal During the Maratha Raids
During this period, Bengal plunged into chaos. The Bargis looted, raped, and tortured the local population, forcing countless Bengalis to flee. The terror extended beyond the west of the Ganges, threatening to spread further east. From Birbhum to Hooghly, artisans, especially Bengal’s renowned weavers, abandoned their homes. Merchants fled toward Calcutta, seeking safety. The accounts of British traders from the time describe how these raids severely disrupted Bengal’s textile industry, which had been the envy of the world. Even Gangaram’s “Maharashtra Purana” records horrifying details of the Bargis’ atrocities.
Then came the monsoon.
The rains of 1742 were relentless, heavier than Bengal had seen in years. Warfare temporarily ceased, but it was only a pause before the storm resumed. During this time, the Maratha commander, the “scholar general,” sent an envoy to Nagpur, requesting reinforcements. Despite the war, the Marathas continued their annual traditions, and that year, a grand Durga Puja was held in Katwa. Zamindars of Bengal were forced to contribute heavily to the celebrations, which, for a brief moment, masked the horrors of the raids.
It was during this festival that Alivardi Khan struck.
On the night of September 27, 1742, while the Marathas were still engrossed in their celebrations, Alivardi launched a surprise raid with a small but highly trained force of just 2500 soldiers. The main Nawabi army followed close behind. There is no evidence that the Maratha commander attempted to defend the Durga idol—he fled immediately to Medinipur. In his retreat, the Marathas set fire to Radhanagar, a renowned center of Bengal’s silk industry, as an act of vengeance against the Bengali people.
But Alivardi did not relent.
He pursued the fleeing Marathas relentlessly. By December, the invaders had retreated southward, crossing into Orissa. By February 1743, the last of them had reached the southwestern shores of Chilika Lake. Only then did Alivardi return to Bengal.
Though the Nawab had driven them out—for now—the scars of the Maratha invasion would haunt Bengal for years to come.
The Second Maratha Invasion and the Economic Ruin of Bengal
The second wave of Maratha raids began in March 1743. This time, Raghuji Bhonsle of Nagpur, accompanied by his trusted commander, the “scholar general,” marched into Bengal, reaching Katwa. Their demand was clear: Chauth—a quarter of Bengal’s revenue.
The Mughal Emperor in Delhi, struggling to contain the Marathas, dispatched Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao to counter Raghuji Bhonsle. But when Balaji arrived, he had no intention of fighting—he sought his own share of Bengal’s wealth. Alivardi Khan, in an attempt to avoid further destruction, paid twenty-two million silver coins to buy peace.
Raghuji, sensing defeat, withdrew from Katoa, retreating through Birbhum. Balaji pursued him aggressively, while Alivardi’s forces lagged behind. It was a cruel twist of fate—once, Bakhtiyar Khalji had galloped across Bengal to establish Mughal rule, and now, Bengal lay helpless under the hooves of the Maratha cavalry from Nagpur.
Raghuji continued his retreat, passing through Manbhum and Sambalpur. A true warrior must also know how to flee—just as history remembers Bakhtiyar’s conquests, it often forgets how many times he had to escape. The same was true for the Maratha Bargis, who retreated before Balaji. Ultimately, Balaji returned to Pune, richer by twenty million coins, while Raghuji bided his time for another strike.
That same year, the British, fearing a Maratha invasion of Calcutta, began digging a defensive trench—the Maratha Ditch. Today, that ditch lies beneath AJC Bose Road and APC Road in Kolkata, but that is another story.
For a brief moment, Bengal knew peace. From June 1743 to February 1744, all was quiet. But the calm would not last.
The Third Maratha Invasion – The Final Blow
On March 8, 1744 the Marathas struck again. This time, the scholar-general led his forces into Bengal via the Orissa route. His eyes burned with vengeance, and for the fourth consecutive year, the land of Bengal became a battlefield. His only goal this time was destruction—looting, slaughter, and mass rape.
Alivardi Khan was stunned. He had already paid off Balaji the previous year—why were the raids continuing? It was soon revealed that Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj had brokered a truce between Raghuji Bhonsle and Balaji Rao. The terms were simple:
- Balaji would control everything west of Patna.
- Raghuji would claim Bihar, Bengal, and southern Orissa, collecting Chauth from these territories.
Thus, Bengal’s fate was now decided by outsiders, whether Mughal or Maratha. With this settlement in place, the Marathas resumed their raids with renewed brutality. The stories of Bargi atrocities—looting, murder, and rape—became legendary in Bengal’s collective memory. Some accounts suggest the impact was so severe that a genetic study might reveal traces of this violent history. But whether any ideological faction—be it Islamist secularists or Hindutva nationalists—would ever agree to such a study is another question entirely.
But let’s return to the war.
By now, Alivardi was exhausted. His resources were depleted, his treasury empty. He decided to resort to the last weapon of the weak—betrayal. Years earlier, as the Deputy Nawab of Bihar, he had used deception to suppress a rebellion. Now, he would use the same strategy against the Marathas.
On March 31, 1744, Alivardi pretended to negotiate, feigning willingness to pay Chauth. But at the opportune moment, he ambushed and killed Bhaskar Pandit. The Maratha army collapsed in chaos. Only Raghuji Gaikwad, one of the Maratha commanders, managed to escape with his life.
The Aftermath – Economic Ruin and the Rise of British Influence
Though Bengal had survived the Maratha onslaught, the cost was devastating. Alivardi Khan’s treasury was completely drained. The Bengal weaving industry—once the heart of its prosperity—had already been ravaged by Burmese invasions. Now, the Maratha raids finished what little remained.
Desperate for revenue, the Nawab increased taxes on the zamindars, squeezing the last resources out of Bengal’s landowners and peasantry. The burden fell hardest on the rural farmers. The famous folk song of Bengal, “Bargi Elo Deshe” (The Bargis Have Come to Our Land), reflects this suffering.
Bengal had survived, but it had been bled dry. The economic devastation would leave the region weak and vulnerable—setting the stage for the next chapter of its history. Just fourteen years later, in 1757, this broken Bengal would fall into the hands of a new conqueror—the British.
The Final Maratha Invasions and the Silent Suffering of Bengal
By this time, Chhatrapati Shahu remained a central figure in Maratha politics, but he was locked in a power struggle with the Peshwa, Balaji Baji Rao. The divide between Bhosale chiefs and Brahmin Peshwas was deepening, though both factions continued their expansionist campaigns. Raghuji Bhosale, a member of Shivaji’s own caste, led the Bargi invasions into Bengal, bringing devastation year after year.
Meanwhile, Bengal’s Nawab Alivardi Khan had his own internal enemies. Among them was Mustafa Khan, an ambitious Afghan commander in his army. Though Afghans had long been part of Bengal’s military, many were originally settled in Bihar and Awadh (modern-day Ayodhya). Mustafa, eager to be the Deputy Nawab of Bihar, had played a key role in the assassination of the Maratha “scholar-general”. Now, he wanted his reward.
However, Alivardi had already appointed his son-in-law to the position. Enraged, Mustafa demanded his unpaid wages. When refused, he rebelled, marching into Bihar with the money he had stolen.
Sensing an opportunity, Mustafa Khan joined hands with Raghuji Bhosale, the very Maratha he had once fought against. Their goal was clear—punish Alivardi and plunder Bengal once more.
A Cycle of Invasions
But Alivardi was prepared. He assembled his forces and expelled Raghuji from Bengal, forcing him back into Orissa on April 1745.
By September, another battle broke out—this time in Bihar. Leading the Nawab’s forces was a name that would soon become infamous—Mir Jafar. With five cavalry squadrons and three Afghan regiments, Mir Jafar launched a fierce raid, forcing the Marathas to flee Bihar.
But the Marathas were far from finished. This time, Raghuji remained in Nagpur, sending his commander Mir Habib in his place. Once an administrator in Katwa, Mir Habib had turned against Alivardi and joined the Marathas.
The Battle for Murshidabad
Then came a daring move. On December 21, 1745 Raghuji launched a secret raid on Murshidabad, sneaking through the forests of Jharkhand. Alivardi was caught off guard but managed to repel the raid. Raghuji then moved toward Katwya, where a second battle erupted.
This time, the Marathas suffered a devastating defeat—half their army was wiped out, their supplies were lost, and after years of raids, Bengal proved too costly to maintain. Raghuji retreated to Nagpur.
A small Maratha garrison under Mir Habib remained in Katoya—just 2500 cavalrymen and 4000 Afghan fighters. Yet, after years of war, Alivardi’s exhausted forces struggled to even chase them down. In April 1746, the Nawab’s troops finally crushed the last of the Bargi outposts, driving them back into Orissa.
For the first time in years, Bengal was free from Maratha raids. But the damage was already done.
The Peace Treaty and Bengal’s Decline
By October 1746, the Mughal Emperor in Delhi brokered a peace treaty. The terms were clear:
- Bengal would pay ₹2.5 million as Chauth.
- Bihar would pay ₹1 million to Chhatrapati Shahuji.
Alivardi refused to pay, knowing well that no treaty could guarantee Raghuji would stay away.
At the same time, a cultural shift was unfolding in Bengal. Hindu elites, witnessing the decay of Nawabi rule, began to assert their own identity. Krishna Chandra Roy, a powerful zamindar, promoted the universal form of Kali Puja, a worship tradition that would soon spread across Bengal.
Bengal’s population was moving eastward—fleeing the violence in the west, many sought refuge in Calcutta. In just a few decades, the small British trading town would transform into a great metropolis.
The Final War and the Betrayal of Mir Jafar
By now, Alivardi Khan was seventy-five years old, his body weakened from years of warfare. Yet, he continued to fight.
With Bengal refusing to pay, Raghuji Bhosale sent his son, Janoji, from Nagpur to launch another invasion. Mir Jafar, now a key general in Alivardi’s army, saw an opportunity. Secretly, he conspired against his master, plotting to overthrow Alivardi and take the throne.
But Alivardi moved swiftly. In March 1748 his forces clashed with Janoji’s army. The battle was fierce, and once again, the Marathas suffered defeat, retreating into Orissa.
While the Marathas still held parts of Orissa, they never reached Medinipur.
The Afghan Invasion and the Fall of Nawabi Rule
Five years later, in 1751, the political landscape shifted again. The Afghan warlord Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded Delhi, toppling the Mughal center of power.
In Bihar, Afghan rule was restored under Shams Khan. The deputy Nawab of Bihar—Alivardi’s son-in-law—was assassinated. The Afghans, eager to reclaim their lost power, swarmed Bihar like locusts.
Seeing another chance to rise, Mir Habib, the former Bargi commander, sided with the Afghans. His forces clashed with Alivardi’s troops in Bihar, before he retreated once more into Orissa.
By March 1749, Alivardi launched one last invasion into Orissa, forcing Mir Habib to flee south. Both sides were now exhausted.
Orissa, barren and war-torn, offered nothing of value. For the Marathas, the real prize was always Bengal, but despite years of raids, they had failed to conquer it.
At last, in May 1751, a peace agreement was signed.
- Alivardi agreed to pay ₹1.2 million annually to Raghuji Bhosale.
- Orissa officially passed into Maratha hands.
- Medinipur was returned to Bengal.
The Aftermath – The Silent Suffering of Bengal
The Bargi invasions were not just wars—they were a living nightmare for the people of Bengal. The land was looted, its economy shattered. Refugees poured into Calcutta, fleeing the horrors of war.
But where were the Bengalis in this history?
Not in power.
Not in control.
Bengal’s history was shaped by outsiders—Mughals, Afghans, Marathas. Hindus and Muslims ruled Bengal, but it was always the people who suffered in silence.
Yet, history does not stay silent forever. Plassey was just six years away.
The Nawabi era was ending.
The Mughal rule was collapsing.
And the British were waiting in the shadows.
A new chapter in Bengal’s history was about to begin.
