"To recover an arrear of pay there is but one known mode which is
universally adopted in all native services, the Mughal as well as the
Maratha; this is called Dharna, [222] which consists in putting the
debtor, be he who he will, into a state of restraint or imprisonment,
until satisfaction be given or the money actually obtained. Any person
in the Sirkar's service has a right to demand his pay of the Prince
or his minister, and to sit in Dharna if it be not given; nor will
he meet with the least hindrance in doing so; for none would obey
an order that interfered with the Dharna, as it is a common cause;
nor does the soldier incur the slightest charge of mutiny for his
conduct, or suffer in the smallest manner in the opinion of his
Chief, so universal is the custom. The Dharna is sometimes carried
to very violent lengths and may either be executed on the Prince or
his minister indifferently, with the same effect; as the Chief always
makes it a point of honour not to eat or drink while his Diwan is in
duress; sometimes the Dharna lasts for many days, during which time
the party upon whom it is exercised is not suffered to eat or drink
or wash or pray, or in short is not permitted to move from the spot
where he sits, which is frequently bare-headed in the sun, until the
money or security be given; so general is this mode of recovery that
I suppose the Maratha Chiefs may be said to be nearly one-half of
their time in a state of Dharna.