Bargi — Maratha Raiders Who Ravaged Bengal

Definition and origin: • 'Bargir' (बर्गीर) was a term used in the Maratha army for a cavalry soldier who was supplied a horse and weapons by the state (as opposed to a 'shiledars' who supplied their own) • In Bengal, the term 'Bargi' came to mean any Maratha raider

The Maratha invasions of Bengal: • The raids were conducted primarily by Maratha forces under Raghoji I Bhonsle (the Bhonsle chieftain of Nagpur) • He sent his commander Bhaskar Ram Kolhatkar to raid Bengal • The raids occurred approximately 12 times between 1741 and 1751

Navab of Bengal at the time: • Nawab Alivardi Khan ruled Bengal (1740–1756) • He repeatedly fought against the Maratha raids • The raids drained Bengal's treasury and forced Alivardi Khan to pay large tributes to the Marathas to stop the raids • Eventually, in 1751, Alivardi Khan agreed to pay chauth (a tax of 1/4th of Bengal's revenue) to the Marathas, ending the raids

Devastation caused by Bargi raids:

1. Mass killing and displacement: • Tens of thousands of people were killed in Bengal and Bihar • Large populations fled to cities for safety • Dhaka (then Dacca) city population fell dramatically during this period

2. Economic destruction: • Villages and towns were looted and burned • Crops were destroyed • Trade and commerce were severely disrupted • Bengal's treasury was emptied by payment of tributes

3. Psychological impact: • The Bargis became a symbol of terror in Bengali folklore • The raids left deep scars in Bengali collective memory

Bengali folk rhyme about the Bargis: 'Aayire Bargi aayire desh, Bulbulite dhan kheyeche, Dhan neiko mor katbe matha, Aaye re aaye bargi' (Approximate translation: 'The Bargis come, come to this land, Bulbul birds ate my grain, I have no grain; they will cut my head, come, come the Bargis')

• This folk rhyme (ছড়া) was sung by mothers to put children to sleep while also warning them of danger • 'Bulbulite dhan kheyeche' metaphorically refers to the Bargis eating all the crops

Historical significance: • The Maratha raids weakened the Nawab of Bengal's position • The drained treasury and political instability contributed to Bengal's vulnerability • This helped pave the way for the British East India Company's rise to power in Bengal after the Battle of Plassey (1757)

NCERT Class 8 History reference: • The Bargis are mentioned in NCERT Class 8 History 'Our Pasts III' in the context of: — The rise and fall of regional powers in the 18th century — The weakening of Nawabs of Bengal — Factors that led to British colonial power in India

Maratha expansion: • The Maratha Confederacy was expanding aggressively in the 18th century • Marathas collected 'chauth' (1/4 of revenue) from territories they raided • Bengal was targeted because it was one of the wealthiest regions

Timeline: 1740: Alivardi Khan becomes Nawab of Bengal (after deposing Sarfaraz Khan) 1741–1751: Repeated Maratha/Bargi raids on Bengal and Bihar 1751: Alivardi Khan agrees to pay chauth to Marathas — raids stop 1756: Alivardi Khan dies; Siraj ud-Daulah becomes Nawab 1757: Battle of Plassey — British defeat Siraj ud-Daulah

Connecting the dots: The weakness caused by Bargi raids was one of the contributing factors that made Bengal vulnerable to British takeover in 1757.