Bargis

According to historians the term bargi (or in Common Bengali "borgi") comes from the Hindustani word bargir, which described cavalry whose equipment and horses were provided by the government. The bargi were distinct from the shiledars, who owned their equipment and horses. Bargi are also known as Jogi or Gosain in Eastern Bundelkhand region. == History ==

Alivardi Khan became Nawab of Bengal in April 1740 by defeating and killing Sarfaraz Khan. His seizure of power was challenged by Sarfaraz Khan's brother-in-law Rustam Jung, who enlisted the backing of Raghoji I Bhonsle, the Maratha King of Nagpur. Historians writes that in the ensuing campaign, the Marathas "discovered the Bengal's rich countryside through lightning raids". Maratha cavalry pillaged the army of the Nawab on being requested by Rustam Jung. The Maratha Ditch was built by the British East India Company around Fort William to protect the city of Calcutta from the ruthless Bargi raids. For about ten years, the Bargis raided and plundered the army of the Nawab, every year. The Bargi invasions ended in May 1751 when the Nawab and the Marathas made peace. The Bargi remained in the cultural memory of the Bengali people in the form of songs and poems. One traditional lullaby "Child sleeps, Neighbourhood sleeps" ("Khoka ghumalo, para juralo"), translated, reads: == Atrocities ==

The Maratha soldiers invaded and occupied western Bengal up to the Hooghly River. During that period of invasion by the Marathas, mercenaries called as "bargis", perpetrated atrocities against the local population, The resulting casualties of Bargi onslaught against in Bengal are considered to be among the deadliest massacres in Indian history. According to the 18th-century Bengali text Maharashtra Purana written by Gangaram: Many of the Bengali Hindus in western Bengal also fled to take shelter in eastern Bengal, fearing for their lives in the wake of the Maratha attacks. The further attacks took place in 1748 in Bihar, on Murshidabad in 1750, and in 1751 in Western Bengal. The internal fights within the Alivardi Khan's military also contributed to their losses. For example, in 1748 Pathan soldiers rebelled and seized Patna which they controlled for some time. Another example is the Faujdar of Purnea who departed from Alivardi and created a small autonomous state. Apart from territorial losses, the Nawab of Bengal also suffered severe economic losses. Industries such as agriculture and trade were dislocated and a large number of people migrated from Western Bengal to Northern and Eastern districts. ==See also==