South India and her Muhammadan Invaders c10.5.1

c10.5.1

Deogir the objective.—While in Bhilsa conducting an expedition for the Sultan, Alau-d-din made enquiries, and found that across the mountains lay the powerful kingdom of Mahārāṣṭra with its capital at Deogir. He also had definite information that the last ruler Rāmachandra had been on the throne for some considerable time already, and had accumulated vast wealth; and, what was more important for his purpose, that at the time that he had made his plans, the main army of Rāmachandra, Ram Deo as the Muhammadan historians call him, had been led southwards towards the Hoysala frontier by his eldest son Shankar Deo. Alau-d-din therefore obtained permission of the court to undertake a punitive expedition against Chanderi, the Hindu chieftain of which, according to him, had grown proud of his wealth and declined submission to his government. The permission of course was easily granted and Alau-d-din went as far as Chanderi publicly, and therefrom made arrangements that no information of his movements should reach head-quarters. He marched at the head of 8,000 chosen horse and made a dash from Chanderi to Elichpur across the mountains and not far from the frontiers of the kingdom of Ram Deo.¹ After a much-needed halt for rest at Elichpur he proceeded to Ghati Lajura,² about twelve miles from Deogir, without meeting any opposition.