Later Mughals v2.c16.s8: Sec. 93.—Battle Between Baji Rao and the Wazir.
Later Mughals v2.c16.s8
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Sec. 93.—Battle Between Baji Rao and the Wazir.
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On learning that the Wazir and his army were drawing near, Baji Rao abandoned his attempt to take Dihli. About midday he left the field, by the time of evening prayer he was beyond Sarai Allahwirdi Khan, and had reached a place called Badshahpur,† 20 miles from Dihli. Here the Wazir confronted him. Both sides had reached the ground after long marching and neither had time to form order of battle, or get their artillery into place. The Wazir, conscious of the fact that daylight would soon be gone, that twilight was upon them, that in a moment or two it would be night, forbade an engagement. In addition his men were quite exhausted, having come eighty or ninety miles over hills and through jungle by forced marches. In fact, only half of the army had yet arrived, the other half being still involved in the stony region of Mahabatabad ; and with the exception of the artillery attached to the general's escort, a few light swivel guns, and a few war rockets loaded on swift camels, there was no artillery ; the big guns were still on the march. Altogether the army was in no condition for giving battle. [Ashob 122a.]
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∗ Ashob 121a says that Mahramnagar is 7 kos from Dihli. It has a bagh and a sarai, very handsome and well-kept; founded by Mahram Khan, eunuch of the Wazir Itimad-ud-daulah Chin Bahadur Nusrat Jang. There is a market-place named after the eunuch. Sarai Allahwirdi Khan (Ind. Atlas 49 S. E.), 16 m. s. w. of Dihli and one mile n. of the Gurgaon Railway Station.
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† Ashob says that Badshahpur is 15 kos from Dihli. There is a
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But Zahir-ud-daulah had sworn on oath to attack the Mahrattas wherever he found them. Possessed by this idea and enraged at the affront done to the Emperor by the attack on Dihli, he drove his elephant on, taking with him his flying artillery and some other troops, and moving a little ahead of the Wazir, managed bit by bit to get away from him altogether. He sent back a message that being quite close and in touch with the enemy he intended to attack, and asked the Wazir to follow in support with his whole force. Then after breathing a prayer he drove his elephant forward with the shout "God is great". On the other side the Mahrattas marched out to meet him.* Champions on both sides issued from the ranks with weapons ready and fell upon each other. The general ordered his big kettledrums to play and brought his artillery and matchlockmen into action. Baji Rao replied with the roll of his drums and the blare of his trumpets. He then came on and with his vanguard attacked repeatedly the advancing
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Badshahpur in the Gurgaon district, 20 miles s. w. of Dihli and 6 miles south of Gurgaon station. The Wazir had been at Kama 12 m. n. of Dig and 27 m. west of Mathura [Rustam Ali 273a], whence he had hurried back to Dihli on hearing of Baji Rao's arrival. There is a Mahabatabad Kotera, 17 m. s. of Dihli and 10 m. e. of Badshahpur. (Ind. Atlas 49 S. E.) [W. Irvine.] Sarai Allahwirdi Khan is one mile north of Gurgaon railway station and 7 m. n. of Badshahpur.
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∗ Ashob had two elder brothers in Janish Khan's division of the Wazir's
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Muhammadans. The Wazir soon arrived in support of Zahir-ud-daulah. [Ashob 122a.]
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The combined attack proved too strong for Baji Rao and his men. When night had fallen he began a retreat towards Rajputana. He had lost thirty men, and according to his own account he moved eight miles to the westward of the field of battle. Before the day dawned on the morning of the Id (10th April 1737) he was beyond Kot Patili, 93 miles from the capital. That day he marched on steadily all day long until he reached Narnol.* There he passed the night, but early in the morning resumed his flight, and in all haste went on to Ajmer. As the Wazir had come a tiring journey of over a hundred miles, his men and their horses were so tired out that no pursuit was possible. The wounded were attended to and the dead buried, while the rest of the army stood to their arms until dawn. As it was the festival day of the Sacrifice, the due rites were performed in a tent that had been erected for the purpose outside the camp; and the appointed largess was distributed. [Ashob 124b.]
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force. They and Mir Ghiyas-ud-din had ridden ahead as scouts and came across Baji Rao and his Muhammadan mistress Mastani seated on one saddle cover, drinking and singing while they rested. The presence of these scouts was the first intimation the Mahrattas received of the arrival of the Mughals. Mastani, a *kanchani* or dancing-girl, followed Baji Rao on all his expeditions and never left his side. She rode on a tall horse, stirrup to stirrup with him, and was as good as any Mahratta in horsemanship, spear throwing and sword play.
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∗ Baji Rao's letter (cited above) passes lightly over his repulse from the environs of Dihli. He writes: "After the flight of Mir Hasan Khan......... I halted at Jhil-talao. It was four hours (*ghatika*) to nightfall when I received the news of Qamar-ud-din Khan coming *via* Badshahpur. I immediately got ready and advanced. Our armies met in conflict. On reaching Bara, an elephant was captured by Jaswant Rao Puar. The horses and camels came to the camp. By this the sun set. If I rested at night, the Mughals would surround me.........The Jhil-talao was 16 *kos* off, on my Right was Qamar-ud-din Khan, behind me the City. On Thursday Khan-i-Dauran, Saadat Khan and Muhammad Khan Bangash would effect their junction with Qamar-ud-din. Therefore, leaving the Mughals [behind], I encamped 4 *kos* off. On our side Firangji Patankar was shot dead, 10 or 5 others wounded; the Mughals lost 10 or 5 killed, 10 or 20 wounded.
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On the day after the battle after the time of midday prayer Samsam-ud-daulah reached the camp of the Wazir. When at Gao Ghat on the Jamuna, some fourteen miles north-west of Agra, he had heard of Baji Rao's sudden dash upon Dihli. He had come from Gao Ghat to Dihli in three days of continuous marching. Every twelve or fifteen hours a short halt was called for resting and feeding man and beast. On the 11th Zul Hijja (11th April) during the afternoon Saadat Khan too arrived. After defeating Pilaji Jadon he had gone to Agra but hearing of Baji Rao's movement on Dihli had marched in that direction with all possible celerity. [Ashob 124b.]
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The three chiefs exchanged formal visits and held counsel together. As Baji Rao was already beyond Narnol and close to Ajmer whence he would soon pass into Malwa, pursuit was held to be useless. Even after long and painful marching through hot winds and heat like hell fire, they could not hope to come up with the enemy. They resolved instead to proceed to Court to congratulate the Emperor on the holy festival, and compliment him on the escape from a great calamity. On reaching the city they were received in audience. Saadat Khan was ordered back to his province and Muhammad Khan Bangash who had arrived with Samsam-ud-daulah was sent off to guard Agra, while the other two nobles repaired to their mansions in the city. So far as they were concerned campaigning was at an end for that year. Having returned to Gwaliyar Baji Rao proposed to re-cross the Jamuna and re-enter the Duaba, but fear of Nizam-ul-mulk's interference in Malwa restrained him, and in the end he marched for the Dakhin and from Satara proceeded at once into the Konkan. Having received a promise of the Malwa Government in addition to a sum of thirteen lakhs of Rupees, he again opened negotiations with Samsam-ud-daulah in the capital. [Ashob 125a.]
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With a view to draw the Mughals behind me, get them under control [lit. restraint] and thus defeat them, I began my [retreat] march. I have come by way of Rewari, Kot Patili and Manoharpur. All the Mughals [i.e., the Wazir and the three Khans] are encamped from Allahwirdi to Jhil-talao." [J. S.]