New History of the Marathas v1.c9.78

v1.c9.78

6. Panhala invested, Shivaji escapes.—Shivaji was perfectly aware that the death of Afzal Khan was only the beginning of a long-drawn struggle and that it was necessary for him to follow up his victory till the Bijapur ghost should be fully laid. He despatched Anaji Datto with a large force and captured Panhālā, the capital of the western Adilshahi district, through negotiation on 28th November, that is, within 18 days of Afzal Khan’s death. Panhālā and the surrounding district of Kolhāpur, Vasantgad, Khelnā, Rangnā and other minor forts quickly surrendered. At this time Shivaji named Khelnā Vishālgad. The district of Kolhāpur and the forts of Panhālā and Vishālgad had been long assigned to Rustam-i-Zaman as his charge. He was now joined by Fazl Khan who had escaped from Wāi after his father’s death, and the two nobles came to oppose Shivaji at Panhālā. They were defeated on 28th December 1659 by Shivaji and were pursued almost to the gates of Bijapur. Netāji Pālkar and other generals of Shivaji plundered the towns of Raibag, Gadag and Laksmes-hvar with the intervening country. By the end of January 1660 Shivaji was back at Rājgad with a huge amount of booty.