Riyaz al-salatin 111.4.3

111.4.3

On receiving news of the defeat of Bhaskar Pandit, Sis Rao evacuating the fort of Hugli retreated to Bishanpur. Other Mahratta officers, who were posted at different places for the collection of revenue, also fled. The Collectors and Faujdars of Mahabat Jang entered the ravaged tracts, and again set about to re-settle them. But Bhaskar Pandit, after his defeat, sent Bairagi dacoits towards Akbarnagar (Rajmahal), Bhagalpur, and Behar. Mahabat Jang, who had not yet breathed freely, again set out from Bengal for those places. He had not yet reached the Subah of Behar, when the Bairagis retreating from those parts swooped down on Murshidabad. Mahabat Jang fell back from Behar, and pursued them. These Bairagi freebooters were busy with looting Baluchar, when the music of the drum and tambourine of Mahabat Jang's vanguard rang in the ears of those maniacs. Losing all courage, and leaving behind bags of booty, they fled from Baluchar. Mahabat Jang chased them up to Ramgadh, from where he returned. In short, this sort of guerilla warfare lasted three years. Victories on both sides were mingled with defeats, and it was hard to decide which side eventually came off the best. Nawab Mahabat Jang, following the saying that " war is made up of fraud," diplomatically established friendly relations with Ali Qarawal, who was one of the Mahratta leaders that had embraced the Muhammadan faith, and was surnamed Ali Bhai. From considerations of expediency, Mahabat Jang invited him over.