Later Mughals v1.c6.s18.25

v1.c6.s18.25

From Sarhind as a centre, Banda sent out parties to occupy the country to the south, the east, and the west.† In the first two directions nearly the whole of sarkar Sarhind (of subah Dihli) was occupied. Every mosque was thrown down. Samana, Sunam, Mustafabad, Kaithal, Kuhram, Buriya, Sadhaura, Chath, Ambala, Shahabad, Thanesar, Pael, Supar, Phalvalpur, Machiwara, Ludhiana, all parganas in the north of the Sarhind sarkar, between the Satlaj (popularly called the river of Ludhiana) and the Jamuna, fell into the possession of the Sikhs. The Lakhi jungle,‡ was the only country not taken. Their further progress southwards from Thanesar was opposed by Sardar Khan, a Muhammadan Rajput zamindar. If it had not been for his exertions, there was nothing really to stop their advancing against Dihli. It is true that Asad Khan the Wakil-i-mutlaq, or Vice-gerent, was there, and as governor of the province in which Sarhind was included, it was his duty to have taken active measures to restore order. But he was very old and probably indifferent : in any case, he did nothing.