The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c21.s1.54

v4.c21.s1.54

This atrocious crime greatly enraged Raghūjī Bhonsle, but he was detained at Nāgpur throughout the year 1744 by a disputed succession in a Gond principality. Next year, having ascertained that conditions were favourable, he invaded Orissa and without difficulty occupied Cuttack and captured the inefficient governor. From Cuttack Raghūjī sent a message to ‘Alī Vardī, demanding thirty million rupees as the price of evacuating Orissa. ‘Alī Vardī evaded answering until he heard that the rebel Mustafā Khān was dead, when he returned a provocative reply to which Raghūjī answered by overrunning the country as far as Burdwān. When the rainy season was over he marched into Bihār in response to an invitation from the remnant of the Afghān rebels, who had been driven into the Kaimūr hills on the north bank of the Son. They joined him near Arwal on the east bank of the Son, within forty-five miles of Patna. ‘Alī Vardī advanced to Bankipore, and surprised the Marāthās at Muhibb‘alīpur on the eastern bank of the Son, about eight miles above Arwal. The advantage lay, on the whole, with the Muslims, but the engagement was not decisive and for some days the armies engaged in purposeless skirmishes. Then Raghūjī suddenly marched off, intending to reach Murshidābād and sack the town before ‘Alī Vardī Khān could return. ‘Alī Vardī Khān turned back and marched rapidly, but the more mobile Marāthās were a day before him and, though they could not enter the town, plundered and burnt the neighbouring villages and marched on towards Katwa, still followed by ‘Alī Vardī Khān, who defeated them in a battle a few miles to the south of that town.