History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c61.s4.1

v4.c61.s4.1

Jai Singh's position was now extremely dangerous. Even before this doubling of the enemy's forces, his retreat from the environs of Bijapur had been molested and he had been able to move on only after fighting two battles on 11th and 22nd January, besides almost daily skirmishes by his foraging parties. The battle of Lohri, 22nd January, was very sanguinary, the imperialists losing 190 men slain and 250 wounded, besides many horses, while the enemy's casualties exceeded 400 slain and 1,000 wounded. (Cf. K.K. ii. 197.) The Right and Left wings of the Mughal army, under Daud Khan and Dilir Khan respectively, were attacked in succession by the mobile enemy in full force and had to be heavily reinforced, so that the Centre (under Jai Singh) was depleted. The enemy seized this opportunity to make an onset on the Rajah's person. But his Rajputs, under Harnath Chauhan and other leading officers of his own contingent, who formed his Van, after saluting him, gallantly dashed into the enemy's ranks, and desperately resisted them at close quarters. Harnath fell after receiving 21 wounds; and so also did most of his comrades; several other Rajputs were wounded. "The dead formed heaps on the field of encounter." The battle raged for six hours from 3 P.M. "The Deccanis tried their utmost, but at last fled with heavy loss." Thanks to the steadiness and co-operation of all divisions of his army, Jai Singh repulsed the enemy, chased them for four miles, and reached his own camp after 10 P.M.