 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(July 2025) |
Chitu Khan was a Pindari Jat chief and general, officially in the service of the House of Scindia. He was an able chief, and led in several campaigns to plunder Hyderabadi, Rajput, Maratha, and British domains. In 1805, Chitu was granted the title of Nawab by Scindia. He would assume the name of Nawab Muhammad Kamal Khan Mustakeen Jung Bahadur. [1]
Chitu Khan was born into a Jat family near Delhi. In his childhood, he was bought during a famine, and raised as a 'Kunwar' (or son) of Doubla Mehar (or Doobla Khan), while he was out on an expedition with Mahadji Scindia to Gohad. Doabla would officially be succeeded by his sons, but Chitu would become the de-facto leader of his own durrah. [1]
Chitu's durrah maintained a force of 25,000 troops. In addition, he had 2,000 infantry to garrison forts, 6 elephants, 2 palkees, a naubat, 2 grand bazars, 2 flags, and 100 hircarras (scouts). His banner was of bhugwa (saffron) color, with a white snake in the center. The first banner was presented to him by the Bhonsla Raja of Nagpur. [2]
Chitu was granted the 'Panj Mahals' of Nimar, Rajgarh, Talien, Satwas, and Kilichpur from Scindia. Upon being recognized as an official chief, he was also granted Singpur Bari and Chipaner from Bhonsla, and Leileepur from Vazier Muhammad Khan. The jagir of Chitu (and Rajun) had an estimated worth of 5,87,000 rupees. [3]
He was a competent and respected administrator, arguably the most powerful of his class. [4] Sir John Malcolm, who would later take possession of his lands, was impressed by his previous governance. [5] He was a liberal by nature, distributing land among his followers so they could maintain themselves without plunder. His word was honored among the Pindaris, while those of other chiefs could be disobeyed. [6]
The Pindaris were officially in the service of the Maratha Confederacy. However, despite this arrangement, they would often take any opportunity to plunder their Maratha patrons. In Chitu's case, despite his allegiance to Scindia, he had made himself virtually independent of him, and often ravaged his territories. In 1813, Chitu laid waste to the territories south of Narbada. Scindia was forced to send expeditions against him, but they ultimately failed to stop his predations. [7]
The Peshwa was not safe from the Pindaris either. After having plundered Burhanpur, Adilabad, and Ajanta regions, Chitu and Karim led a party of 5,000 into the Peshwa's territory, crossing into the Western Ghats to sack and loot the region, reaching as far as Sanganer. [8]
In 1808-9, Chitu would lead a party of four to five thousand to plunder Surat, entering Gujarat from Mewar and spreading out across the region. In 1812, the Pindaris returned to raid Surat again. Chitu would also lead a party of 14,000 into the Western Ghats, where he plundered several towns; Moha, Soopa, Kalayanwari, Navsari, and Attavesy suffered immensely. [9]
In 1815, Chitu followed other Pindari chiefs into Rajputana. He would gather a party of 9,000 and encamp near Neemuch, from where he would begin his predations, marching towards Chitor and plundering villages along the way. He would remain at Chitor for a time, laying waste to the surrounding environs, before returning to his domain with the captured booty. [10]
In 1815, the Pindaris looked to the wealthy Hyderabad State for a source of plunder. A party of 8,000 ventured south. They split into two parties to cover more ground. The raid was a monumental success, and the booty collected by them was greater than any previous expedition. Chitu's share alone had to be brought back on 4 elephants. [11]
Emboldened by the fabulous success of the previous year, the Pindaris organized another campaign into the Deccan, this time targeting British domains too. In 1816, Chitu led a party with the intention of attacking Madras, but, due to the unexpected overflow of the Krishna river, had to retreat. Later that year, another party from Chitu's durrah attempted to plunder the region, but suffered heavy losses from British forces; the Pindaris were only able to kill Captain Drake in retaliation. [12]
In 1817, the Pindaris would take revenge of the previously failed invasions. They horribly ravaged British territories. [13]
At last, the British resolved to end the Pindari threat. They assembled the largest military force in India thus far, and launched a campaign which would come to be known as the Pindari War, an extension of the larger Third Anglo-Maratha war. [14]
Chitu sided with Scindia during the war. He was stationed with other Pindari chiefs north of the Narmada valley. He led 10,000 horsemen, most of which were only armed with spears. [15] However, before the war properly began, the massive British force would induce Shinde into accepting a treaty, in which he would cede all his territories and forts. [16]
Despite Shinde's surrender, Chitu would continue his resistance against the British until the very end. He was known for his fiercely anti-British sentiments, promising to "ravage and destroy the country of the English". He was determined to continue the fight, even as fellow chiefs, such as Amir Khan, accepted more favorable offers from the British. [17] [18] [19] Chitu was given no clemency. He was continuously tracked by British authorities, until he fell prey to a tiger. [20] [21]