Later Mughals v2.c16.s7.3

v2.c16.s7.3

Six days before Samsam-ud-daulah and Saadat Khan had united their forces, Baji Rao was on his way to Dihli, crowding a ten days' journey into two days and nights by continuous travelling. He passed the camps of the Wazir and of Samsam-ud-daulah on each side of him at a distance of a day's march. In the afternoon of the 9th Zul Hijja 1149 (9th April 1737), the vigil of the Feast of Sacrifice, he suddenly appeared at the small hill on which stands the temple of the Hindu goddess Kalka, an ancient place of worship about six miles south of the city near the Khizrabad grove and between the shrines of Nizam-ud-din Auliya and Nasir-ud-din 'the Lamp of Dihli'. Several times a year there are gatherings of worshippers which continue all day and sometimes all night. Traders bring their wares and there is a sort of fair. The day of Baji Rao's arrival being the Ram Navami, commemorating the birth of Ram Chandra, was a fair day. Baji Rao at once, after seizing some elephants and camels coming out of the city, sent his men to slay and to plunder at the temple. After this had been effectually carried out, he and his horsemen rested for the night at Malcha near to the grove at Tal Katora which belonged to the Emperor and was known as Muhammadabad. It is two kos from the city wall and four from the palace. The first idea of burning the suburbs was abandoned in order that the Emperor and Samsam-ud-daulah, from whom he expected concessions, should not be driven to extremities. Baji Rao wrote letters to the Emperor and to Rajah Bakht Mal. In reply the Emperor asked him to send in his agent [Dhondo Pant], but Baji Rao declined unless a guard for him came out. But his answer was politely worded and he said that "as he apprehended mischief to the city from the contiguity of his troops, he was about to retire to the Jhil tank" (possibly Tal Katora is meant). [Ashob 113a, Rustam Ali 273a, Baji Rao's letter cited before.]