The Most Controversial Part of Scindia History Maharaja Jayaji Rao Scindia – a Traitor or a Patriot - Part I

The First War of Independence which is held In 1857 is one of those wars which can never be forgotten.  We always feel proud on our freedom fighters like Tantya Tope,Peshwa Nana Sahib, Mangal Pandey,Bahadur Shah Zafar II,Maulvi Liyakat Ali not only men but also womens like Begum Hazrat Mahal and Rani Laxmi Bai fought for their rights and freedom of nation. On other hand when we talk about the rulers of Princely States which are not with rebels in 1857 revolt the very first name comes in peoples mind is Maharaja Jayaji Rao Scinida of Gwalior. As people say that Maharaja of Gwalior helped Britishers and fought against Rani Laxmi Bai. Some people also  says that when Rani asked Jayajirao to help her he gived Rani a weak horse . A most silly thing people say that Maharaja Jayaji Rao betrayed Rani Laxmi Bai for a Diamond Ring. Seriously ??  just for a Diamond Ring ?

H.H. Maharaja Sir Jayaji Rao Scindia Bahadur

Well In my opinion Indian Historians had not done Justice to Maharaja Jayaji Rao Scindia. 

 When I started researching on what actually happned at that time  I got to know totally different things..

At the age of just 25 years, at the time of Maharaja Jankoji Rao Scindia death in 1843 his widow Tarabai was only 13 year old. After seeing Maharaja dead, one of his Maratha Sardar took a quick decision. He reached the ground where the children of Maratha chieftains were playing marbles. Sardar saw that the target of a 8 years old boy was excellent. He immediately took that child on a horse with him and reached the palace. He was the son of the Maratha chieftain Hanumanth Rao Maharaja Janakoji Rao adopted him to save the princely state and after the death of Maharaja he was declared as a new Maharaja of Gwalior  Jayajirao Scindia. Here I want to mention a very important point that in 1843 Two Battles were fought between Marathas and Britishers which is named as Gwalior Campaign. Marathas fought British in Maharajpore and Punniar (known as Maharajpura and Panihar nowdays) for regain independence in these regions but got defeted by british. In result of this battle a british governer was appointed at Gwalior fort. 

Gwalior Star Medal Awarded to British Soliders who fought in Gwalior Campaign

Gwalior Star Medal Awarded to British Soliders who fought in Gwalior Campaign

Well British government did not recognized Jayajirao as new Maharaja and appointed one of their loyal Dinkar Rao Rajwade as administrator then freedom struggle of 1857 started Scindia supporters still believe that Jayajirao had not been proclaimed Maharaja till that time and had no executive powers. Therefore, whatever decisions were made at that time were taken by Dinkar Rao Rajwade appointed by the British. 

Sir Raja Dinkar Rao Rajwade

Not only this, because of the integrity of Dinkar Rao, Jayajirao had to make a treaty with the British in the name of his recognition of the Maharaja, in which the Scindia army was conditioned to support the British in the event of war. When Rani Laxmi Bai's army came to Gwalior, Scindia's personal army sympathized with her and a large part of it went with the freedom fighters. Therefore, Gwalior was captured by Rani Laxmi bai. Not only this, the treasurer of Scindias Amarchand Banthiya also provided the needed funds from the royal treasury to these fighters.Dinkarrao Rajwade then declared Jayajirao as Commandor of British Army on the basis of treaty.

Shaheed Amarchand Banthiya

We all know what happned next Rani Laxmibai sacrificed her life and the treasurer Amarchand Banthiya who helped her was hanged in public on a tree in Sarafa Bazar, Gwalior.

Even after this, the British did not declare Jayajirao as Maharaj for a long time and the administration continued to run the Rajwade as it was. Eventually the East India Company, after recovering Rs 15 lakh, handed over the rights of the Maharaja to them in 1885,along with 21 cannon salutes and the title of George. It is a different matter that Maharaja Jayaji Rao died in 1886, a year after that!

Here I want to mention that according to Wikipedia Jayajirao Scindia has declared as Maharaja in 1843.

HH The Maharaja Sir Jayaji Rao Scindia of Gwalior, General Sir Henry Daly (Founder of The Daly College, Indore), with British officers and Maratha nobility in Indore, Holkar State, Cental India. 1879

 A king without authority can be considered as Constrained or as a traitor. It is on you.

Her Highness Maharani Vijyaraje Scindia with her husband H.H. Maharaja Sir George Jiwaji Rao Scindia

And Before you reach on any conclusion I would like to tell you that this discussion is not over yet. Rajmata Vijyaraje Scindia the wife of H.H. Maharaja Jiwaji Rao Scindia of Gwalior has also written about this in her autobiography.

We will Discuss on it next time

Please feel free to use comment box if you have any querries.

Kshitij Agrawal