Later Mughals v2.c14.s29: Sec. 55.—The Return of the Mahrattas.
Later Mughals v2.c14.s29
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Sec. 55.—The Return of the Mahrattas.
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Kanthaji, after he had seen Hamid Khan safely across the Mahi river, was joined by Pilaji. The absence of pursuit emboldened them to return to the neighbourhood of the city, where they plundered the hamlets and slew travellers entering or leaving. Fida-ud-din Khan, the man in charge of the suburbs, was sent out against them and there were several skirmishes near Bara Nainpur and Rajpur. A strong force was collected as quickly as possible to take the field under the command of Khanazad Khan, the governor's eldest son. With him were sent Jawan-mard Khan Babi, Sardar Muhammad Khan Ghorni, and Sayyid Fayyaz Khan at the head of their Gujarati troops, three to four thousand in number ; with them went Muhammad Iraj, Nur-ud-din Muhammad Khan, and Ali Mardan Khan, appointed respectively to Duraha, Kambhayat and Pitlad. On the 22nd Rabi II. 1138 H. (27 Dec. 1725) Sarbuland Khan made his formal entry into the city of Ahmadabad and sought to seize the officials who had been employed by Hamid Khan, in the hope of recovering from them some of the revenue collections.
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During his advance to Duraha, Khanazad Khan was assailed on all sides by the Mahrattas. That place having been reached, Muhammad Iraj was established and the army resumed its march. Again the Mahrattas collected, and there was a pitched battle near Sojitra in pargana Pitlad, in which the enemy were worsted. Ali Mardan Khan was left at Pitlad, and Nur-ud-din Muhammad Khan installed at Kambhayat. By continued pressure the Mahrattas were forced temporarily across the Mahi ; and after posting new officials in various places, Khanazad Khan, in obedience to his father's orders, returned and encamped at the village of Rakhyal, about five miles to the east of Ahmadabad. Najm-ud-din Ali Khan, Nijabat Ali Khan and other Barha Sayyids sent from Court now arrived, the governor's second son Shah Nawaz Khan escorting them to their encampment in the Shahi-Bagh. After a few days the Sayyids with the three thousand men under their command were ordered to join Khanazad Khan.
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∗ This account is almost entirely based upon the Mirat-i-Ahmadi occasionally supplemented by Warid.
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When Khanazad Khan returned to Ahmadabad, the Mahrattas made for Kaparvanj* and in concert with the Koli tribes prepared a camp which they protected with thick branches of trees and a hedge of thorns. Leaving within this place all their baggage and carriage, they advanced into the open to meet the Muhammadans. The fight did not go well for the Mahrattas and they were driven back into their lines, where the Muhammadan artillery played upon them. Losing heart the Mahratta soldiery fled and left the field and camp in the hands of their opponents. Having possessed themselves of the camp, the Muhammadans started in pursuit which they kept up continuously until the Mahrattas had retired across the Mahi and sought shelter in the hill country of Ali Mohan.† Shaikh Husain-ud-din was placed in charge of Baroda; and other men were sent to Bharoch, Jambusar and Maqbulabad.
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† Now Chota Udepur in the extreme east of the province, the town of Udepur being 50 m. due east of Baroda. (Bom. Gaz. vi.) [J. S.]
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While Khanazad Khan's army was out in Ali Mohan acting against Kanthaji and Pilaji, another body of Mahrattas under Antaji and Bhaskar appeared in the north from the direction of Idar. They surrounded Vadnagar, a town inhabited by rich Nagar bankers and other prosperous merchants. Urgent applications was made at the capital for a detachment of troops. The town had a fortress, but it had neither supplies nor garrison. As there were no troops left at head-quarters none could be sent and the townspeople to save the place from being plundered paid a ransom (khandani) of four lakhs of Rupees.
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Kanthaji and Pilaji, seeing that they had little or no chance of success against the Muhammadans in formal battles, now resolved to separate forces and scatter their men on plundering expeditions. Kanthaji passed by way of Godhra to Idar and thence to Vadnagar, while Pilaji made for Baroda, crossed the Mahi, visited the neighbourhood of Kambhayat and thence hastened to Surat. Kanthaji invested Vadnagar. As the inhabitants had not yet recovered from the first calamity, they lost heart entirely and during the night took to flight. Next morning the Mahrattas entered the town, seized everything that had not been carried off, and unearthed much buried treasure. They ended by setting fire to the town, many handsomely decorated houses being destroyed: and the inhabitants dispersed came seeking refuge as far off as Mathura and Benares. When the usual season arrived (May-June 1726) Kanthaji and Pilaji left the province and returned to their homes. Khanazad Khan was promoted to the rank of 6000 (5000 horse), with the title of Ghalib Jang. Najm-ud-din Ali Khan was also promoted.
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∗ 30 m. east of Ahmadabad, on the eastern bank of the Mohar river. (Ind. At. 22 N. E.) [J. S.]