The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c19.90

v4.c19.90

On 25 June Aurangzīb sent a strong force to seize the Rānīs and Ajit and lodge them in the state prison of Nūrgarh. The Rāthor plan was to effect the escape of their prince by sacrificing their lives in a series of desperate rear-guard actions. First Raghunāth Bhati with a hundred desperate troopers made a sortie from Jasvant's beleaguered mansion in Delhi and for a time drove back the imperialists, while Durgā Dās, seizing the momentary confusion, slipped out with the Rānīs dressed in male attire and rode away directly for Mārwār. By the time Raghunāth's party was killed to a man, Durgā Dās had covered nine miles. When he was overtaken, Ranchhor Dās Jodhā faced round and checked the pursuers with the lives of his band. This happened thrice. In the evening the weary Mughuls abandoned the murderous chase and Ajit was safely conveyed to Mārwār and lodged in a secure place of hiding. Aurangzīb brought up a milk-man's infant in his *harem* as the true Ajit, gave him the significant name of Muhammadi Rāj and proclaimed Durgā Dās's *protégé* to be a bogus prince. At the same time Indra Singh was deposed for manifest incapacity to rule the Rāthors, and the whole of Mārwār was placed under a Mughul commandant, who was at first the governor of Ajmer and later of Gujarāt.