 On 22 October 1757, Ragunathrao and Malharrao Holkar left Delhi after celebrating the Dasahara festival and entered Doab.Ragunathrao marched to Garh Mukteshwar to bathe in those holy waters and Malharrao Holkar started plundering Saharanpur district, which was Najib Khan's jagir.Najib with his Afghan forces retreated against the Maratha onslaught and moved to his interior domains.