A narrative poem in verse form, tracing the fall of the Maratha Empire through the Third Battle of Panipat (1761).
But what is it that led to its timeout?
It's nothing but the battle's breakout,
That led to the Marathas being thrown out.
Launching a campaign that captured most of Punjab.
The Marathas were enraged by such a mishap,
Which was followed by them raising an army under Bhau's command.
Spawning the two armies to clash and invade.
Before Bhau could make the decisions arrayed,
Ahmad planned a secret attack which led to everything getting bombarded.
Leaving the Maratha commander with despair instilled.
He rushed into the battle hoping deeply that his nephew still lived,
But the troops thought him dead and the morale plummeted.
Leaving no shot amiss.
Inflicting an attack which still stings,
Breaking the Maratha Empire into pieces.
Which paved the way for British supremacy.
Trapping North Western India in the hands of cruelty,
Marking the end of the disheartening chronology.
Historical Context
The Third Battle of Panipat, fought on January 14, 1761, was one of the largest battles fought in the 18th century and one of the most decisive. The Maratha Confederacy — at the height of its power — clashed with Ahmad Shah Durrani's Afghan forces near Panipat, Haryana.
The defeat was catastrophic for the Marathas: they lost an estimated 40,000 soldiers, including commander Vishwasrao (Bhau's nephew) and Vishwasrao Bhau himself. The power vacuum that followed led to nearly four decades of political instability in northern India, ultimately creating conditions that allowed British colonial expansion to accelerate.
The poem captures this pivot in Indian history — a moment when the arc of an empire bent irreversibly toward its end.