Gul-i Rahmat 1.1
Gul-i Rahmat, of Sa'ádat Yár Khán (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 1.1
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1.1.1
[When Zabita Khan received intelligence of the passage (of the Ganges) by the Mahrattas, and of the deaths of Sa'adat Khan, Sadik Khan, and Karam Khan, the officers whom he had stationed to guard the ford, he was overpowered with astonishment, and fled in great bewilderment from Sakartal. He crossed the Ganges with a small escort, and proceeded to the camp of Faizu-llah Khan, carrying with him the intelligence of the Mahratta attack upon Najibabad. Faizu-llah Khan said : " I came here for the purpose of giving you advice ; but as you will not listen to my words, I shall now go back to my own country." On hearing this declaration, Zabita Khan was still more downcast, and returned to his own forces. When he reached the Ganges, the good fortune of the Emperor plunged him into a sea of hesitation, and notwithstanding the number of his forces, and his powerful armament, he made no attempt to cross the river, but returned to Faizu-llah Khan.
1.1.2
When he arrived, he found Faizu-llah Khan seated on an elephant, about to depart. He mounted the same elephant, and proceeded with Faizu-llah to Rampur. On the news of his flight to Katehr reaching Sakartal, his soldiers were dispirited. They plundered each other, and then scattered in all directions. On receiving intelligence of these movements, the Mahrattas quickly advanced to Sakartal, and fell to plundering. * * The garrison of the fort of Najibabad, who had held out in the hope of relief, were dismayed when they heard of the flight of Zabita Khan, and surrendered the fort to the royal forces. On taking possession of the fort, the people and family of Zabita Khan, including his son Ghulam Kadir, were placed in confinement. All the materiel, the treasure and the artillery collected by Najibu-d daula, fell into their hands. On the news of the advance of the Mahrattas towards Rampur reaching the chiefs of Katehr, all the inhabitants of Anwala and Bisauli assembled. Fearing to be attacked by the Mahrattas, they fled in dismay to Bareilly. Some of them went to Pilibhit, intending to proceed to the hills. Hafiz Rahmat Khan was returning from Farrukhabad to Tilhar when he heard of the defeat of Zabita Khan. He hastened to Bareilly, where he cheered and encouraged the chiefs and officers who were there assembled, and tried to dissuade them from removing to the hills. He said that the Mahrattas had no intention of attacking Katehr;
1.1.3
and that if they really did advance, negociations might be opened with them and with the Emperor. If terms were agreed upon, all would be well; if not, they would fight. His auditors replied that there was no fortress of strength in Bareilly or Pilibhit: it was therefore desirable to carry off their families and property to the hills; for after these were placed in security, they themselves would be ready either for business or for war. Hafiz Rahmat reluctantly consented to their wishes. After Shaikh Kabir had entered Bareilly, Hafiz Rahmat took his departure, and leaving 'Inayat Khan in Pilibhit, he proceeded to Nanak-math, in the skirt of the hills. From thence he went with his followers and chiefs and soldiers to Gangapur, five kos distant in the hills, and surrounded with dense jungle, which secures it from the attacks of horsemen. There he remained. There also arrived Zabita Khan, in company with Faizu-llah Khan, who made their way through the jungle. Zabita Khan remained at Gangapur four days. He then found that Shuja'u-d daula was encamped at Shahabad, having advanced to the borders of his territories on hearing of the Mahratta attack upon Katehr.
1.1.4
Zabita Khan went off in great distress from Gangapur to see Shujau-d daula, and to solicit his assistance in obtaining the release of his family. After talking over the matter, Shuja'u-d daula postponed any action until after the arrival of Hafiz Rahmat. Zabita Khan wrote repeatedly to Hafiz Rahmat, begging him to come quickly. * * The chiefs of Katehr suffered much from the inclemency of the climate of Gangapur, and yielding to their solicitations, Hafiz Rahmat proceeded quickly to Shahabad, at the beginning of the year 1186 A.H. (1772 A.D.), with three or four thousand men, horse and foot. When he approached, Shuja'u-d daula and the General Sahib went forth to meet him and pay him due respect. After they had sat down together, they talked about the release of Zabita Khan's family, and of the settlement of his affairs with the Mahrattas. After much debate, Shuja'u-d daula and the General Sahib sent their wakils with some officers of Hafiz Rahmat to the Mahratta sardars. A great deal was said at the interview; but at length the Mahrattas sent a message to the effect that they had expended fifty lacs of rupees, and that they would not give up the family of Zabita Khan until this sum of money was paid, nor would they loosen their hold upon his territory or the country of Katehr. The wakils had several meetings, and the Mahrattas at length agreed to take forty lacs; but they demanded as security for payment a deed under the seal of Shuja'u-d daula.
1.1.5
The Nawab said that he had entered upon the matter entirely out of regard to Hafiz Rahmat, and that if Hafiz would give a bond for the payment of the money, he would send his own bond to the Mahratta sardars. All the chiefs of Katehr who were present at the Council besought Hafiz Rahmat that he would without hesitation give his bond to Shuja'u-d daula, to secure peace for Zabita Khan, and said that they would all assist in the payment of the money. So Hafiz Rahmat, to befriend Zabita Khan, and to gratify the chiefs of Katehr, gave his bond for forty lacs of rupees to Shuja'u-d daula. The latter then executed his bond, and sent it to the Mahrattas. In this he undertook to pay them forty lacs of rupees, when they had retired over the Jumna and entered Shah-Jahanabad; and when they had sent back the family of Zabita Khan, and had withdrawn their hands from the country of Katehr.
1.1.6
On receipt of this document, the Mahrattas sent the family of Zabita Khan to Shuja'u-d daula and Hafiz Rahmat; they then crossed the Ganges and proceeded towards Shah-Jahanabad. * * When Hafiz Rahmat heard that Zabita Khan's family had reached Bareilly, he took leave of Shuja'u-d daula and General Parker, and went to Pilibhit. * * After some days, Hafiz Rahmat called upon the chiefs of Katehr for the money he had become responsible for at their solicitation, and for which he had given his bond to Shuja'u-d daula. They all began to lament their destitute condition, and made all sorts of excuses and evasions. Unable to do what he wished, Hafiz Rahmat did what he could, and sent the sum of five lacs out of his own treasury to Shuja'u-d daula. * * The wakils of Mahaji Sindhia and Taku Holkar, chiefs of the Mahrattas, waited upon Hafiz Rahmat, and informed him that their chiefs were about to attack the territories of Shuja'u-d daula, and that if he would join them, he should receive half of whatever territory should be conquered. If he declined to join them, they would respect his country, and return to him Shuja'u-d daula's bond for the forty lacs of rupees, no part of which had been paid, and give up all claim on that account, provided he would allow them a passage, and would make no opposition to their crossing the Ganges. In reply to these proposals, Hafiz Rahmat requested time for consideration.
1.1.7
Keeping the Mahratta wakils with him, he sent to inform Shuja'u-d daula of what the Mahrattas proposed, adding that they undertook to forego all claim upon himself for the forty lacs of rupees on condition of his remaining neutral. He added, "If you will send me back my sealed bond, and will hasten to oppose the Mahrattas, I will dismiss the Mahratta wakils, and will guard the fords of the Ganges. United, we will beat the Mahrattas, and drive them from this country." Upon receipt of this letter, Shuja'u-d daula immediately wrote a reply (expressing his gratification), adding that he sent Saiyid Shah Madan as his representative, and that he would not deviate a hair's breadth from any agreement the Saiyid should make. * * After his arrival, the Saiyid promised Hafiz Rahmat that the bond should be returned to him after the repulse of the Mahrattas, when he and Shuja'u-d daula would soon meet. The Nawab entreated Hafiz Rahmat to banish all suspicion, for there was no cause of dissension between them. * * Hafiz Rahmat sent back the wakils with a proper answer to Shuja'u-d daula. On the same day he sent Ahmad Khan, son of the Bakhshi, in all haste from Aonla to secure the ford of Ram-ghat. A few days afterwards, hearing of the approach of the Mahrattas, he marched from Bareilly by way of Aonla to Bisauli. From that place he sent back the wakils of the Mahrattas, rejecting their proposals. He then proceeded with his small force to Ram-ghat.
1.1.8
When the Mahratta wakils returned, they informed their chiefs of the little support given to Hafiz Rahmat, and of the smallness of his force. Hafiz Rahmat advanced to the distance of three kos from Asadpur, where Ahmad Khan was encamped, and in consequence of the celerity of his march his whole force had not come up: he had with him only four or five thousand men, horse and foot. The Mahrattas had received information through their spies of the limited number of his men, and resolved to attack him. They crossed the river during the night, and pressed onwards; but during the darkness they lost their way, and came upon Ahmad Khan's force, which they attacked. The pickets which Ahmad Khan had thrown out were watchful, and upon their reports the men were posted in the buildings and gardens of Asadpur. The fight raged hotly all day from morn till eve, and notwithstanding the immense numbers of the Mahrattas, they were unable to prevail over the small body of Afghans. After many men had been slain on both sides, Ahmad Khan, considering the immense force arrayed against him, sent a message to Takui Holkar and Sindhia, proposing an interview. They were only too glad to accede. Ahmad Khan went with a few followers to meet them. The Mahratta sardars kept him with them, and pitched their camp there.