The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.51

v3.c20.51

He reached Multān on November 20 and decided to march across the great desert of India to Ajmer. In his arduous undertaking he made elaborate preparations. Each trooper was ordered to carry with him fodder, water and food for several days, and Mahmūd supplemented individual efforts by loading his own establishment of 30,000 camels with water and supplies for the desert march. These precautions enabled his army to cross the desert without mishap, and on its reaching Ajmer, or rather the Chauhān capital of Sāmbhar, for the modern city of Ajmer was not then built, the raja fled and the invaders plundered the city and slew many Hindus, but did not attempt the reduction of the fortress. From Sāmbhar the army marched towards Anhilvāra, now known as Pātan, in Gujarāt, capturing on its way an unnamed fortress which furnished it with water and supplies. Mahmūd, on arriving at Anhilvāra early in January, 1025, discovered that the raja, Bhīmdeo, and most of the inhabitants had fled, and the army, having plundered the supplies left in the city, continued its march to Somnāth. On his way thither Mahmūd captured several small forts and in the desert of Kāthiāwār encountered a force of 20,000, apparently part of Bhīmdeo's army, which he defeated and dispersed. Two days' march from Somnāth stood the town of Dewalwāra, the inhabitants of which, secure in the protection of the god, had refused to seek safety in flight and paid for this misplaced confidence with their lives.