Muntakhab al-lubab 174.1

174.1

[Text, vol. ii. p. 781.] The Emperor Aurangzeb having resolved upon the reduction of the fortresses of the Dakhin, spent long time and great treasure in the work. He took the forts of Sattara, Parnala, Rajgarh, and others, thirty or forty in number, all fortresses of strength and repute, and deprived the Mahrattas of house and home. The chiefs of this race of robbers, knowing that the Imperial territory was now vacant, and the Emperor far away, showed greater boldness than in former years. With large armies they invaded the subas of the Dakhin, and Ahmadabad, and Malwa, for the purpose of collecting the chauth, and they plundered and ravaged wherever they went. To cities and large towns they sent messengers and letters, demanding payment of the chauth from the governor or zamíndár. Or the mukkaddams and zamíndárs of the towns and villages hastened out to meet the Mahratta army, undertaking to pay the chauth, and begged for protection. Taking back with them a messenger (harkára) and a horseman, to protect the village and the cultivation, instead of showing their total rent to be one or two thousand (rupees), they made it out to be four or five hundred. But whatever sum was settled, they promised payment, and gave sureties, called ol in the language of India. They thus saved themselves from violence and plunder.