[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 136 # Storia do Mogor 136: The Mundiyahs or Shavelings march on Dihli. \[127\] Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 136 - **Language:** English ### [136](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.136) Among Hindu holy mendicants is a class of people who shave off all the hair from their body, not even sparing their eyebrows. This is why they are called Monddias (Munda), which means 'shaven.' They collect from all directions at a place of pilgrimage, forty leagues distant from Dihli, and the assembly amounts to some twenty-five thousand upon the bathing-day. The bathing is in a great lake adjoining the country of Kirat Singh, younger son of Rajah Jai Singh. After the bathing ceremonies were completed, an old sorceress told them that if they would follow her orders she would make them masters of the city of Dihli, the king not having more than ten thousand horsemen, because all his other troops had gone with Shah 'Alam on the expedition against Shiva Ji, of which I have spoken (II. 20). They agreed to the proposal, and marched with such vigour that when the news reached the court Aurangzeb was particularly disturbed in mind, and sent out against them his ten thousand horsemen. The Mundas fought with such vigour, upheld by the sorceries of the old woman, that they routed Aurangzeb's army. At this result he was more disturbed than ever. They had already arrived within fifteen leagues of Dihli, when he ordered out all the troops he had been able to raise. Continuous reports were to be sent to him of what went on. But he felt that these men would never have undertaken such a great attempt without the help of sorcery. He therefore wrote out himself several papers, and sent them to be hung on the heads of the elephants and horses, and on the standards, fatiguing himself greatly with the preparation of all those papers. It may be that some will give no credence to this my narrative; but it is the common fate of historians to be believed by some and doubted by others. I state the truth in saying that if the fact were not thus, I should not so write it. Nor should the reader be at all amazed that Aurangzeb should act in this way, for he is a past master in witchcraft, as may be inferred from the sacrifice of spice which he is used to offer up, as I have mentioned (II. 1). If he wearied himself thus, it was from the great importance of the matter, for it was a question of losing kingdom and life, since, without exaggeration, Aurangzeb found himself at this moment in greater danger than at any time in the rest of his life, because, as I have said, he had very few troops. But the strength of these magical writings overcame the Mundas, since, elated at having gained one battle, they would not consent to march any farther, although urged on by the old woman. Then the spells of Aurangzeb prevailed \[128\] over those of the old woman, and the Mundas were shaved of their heads, nearly all dying, including the old woman herself. Aurangzeb came out of this affair with the reputation of a saint, as if through miracles he had put to flight these faqīrs. When I reached Dihlī, of which I am about to speak, I found that the cannon were still in position in the plain. - [Previous: 135](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.135) - [Next: 137.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.137.1) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.136](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.136) · Pramāṇa