History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c64.s4: § 4. Sack of Burhanpur suburbs.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c64.s4
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§ 4. Sack of Burhanpur suburbs.
v4.c64.s4.1
At the end of January next (1681) the raiders were back again, evidently emboldened by the news of Prince Akbar's rebellion, which rumour had exaggerated into the downfall of Aurangzib. One band under Hambir Rao (said to be 20,000 horsemen) sacked Dharangaon,[*] and other towns in North Khandesh, and, passing further east, fell on the suburbs of Burhanpur, (30th Jan.) after making a rapid dash for 70 miles from the place where they were last heard of. The garrison of the capital of Khandesh had been temporarily reduced to 250 men, and the deputy *subahdar* (then in charge of the town) was absolutely unprepared for defence and taken by surprise. Early in the morning, before their approach was even known, the Maratha cavalry rode into Bahadur-pura, a rich and populous suburb 3 miles from Burhanpur and the chief resort of the traders, and there gathered an immense quantity of booty from the numerous shops and houses in it. Seventeen other wards (*puras*) outside the city-walls were similarly plundered. The surprise was so complete that none could conceal or remove a penny worth of property, or save his wife and children. The smoke of the burning houses first informed the governor of the enemy's presence, but he was powerless to do anything and merely shut himself up in the fort. Lakhs of Rupees worth of booty was taken in every *pura*. Many respectable men slew their wives and daughters and then fell desperately fighting the brigands, rather than see their family honour outraged. Others sat down helplessly, leaving their Fate to work its will.
v4.c64.s4.2
∗ The Dharangaon factors report the raid in a letter dated 11th February 1681. This town may have been sacked by the Maratha army retreating from Burhanpur (unlikely), or by a second band.
v4.c64.s4.3
For three days the Marathas looted the suburbs to their hearts' content, without the least interruption and dug up the floor of every house, thus discovering the buried treasure of many generations past. They even made ladders and tried to take the fort by escalade, but were repulsed. They carried off nothing but gold silver and gems, and left the streets littered with the metal and China ware clothing and spices which they had at first seized.
v4.c64.s4.4
On hearing of the enemy’s dash on Burhanpur, Khan-i-Jahan made a forced march northwards from Aurangabad across the Kanner and Fardapur hills, “covering in one day and night the space of four days’ march.” But his army suffered terrible privations from the roughness of the track, the abundance of jungles, and the many hills in the way. The camp-followers and transport cattle were footsore and lagged two stages behind the army, while the horsemen had to live on whatever they could get on the spot and to bivouac in the open. This unwise haste brought about its natural result. The whole force had to halt for two days to let the baggage come up. The enemy’s horsemen, overloaded with booty, were sure to take the road to Salhir, their nearest stronghold for depositing plunder from Khandesh and Berar, as the forts of Konkan and the Sahyadri were too far off. Khan-i-Jahan ought, therefore, to have hastened to Erandol and Chopra to intercept their flight. But after losing two days below Fardapur, he followed exactly the opposite direction and marched towards Idalabad and Burhanpur, long after the last-named town had been evacuated by the enemy. The Marathas immediately took the open road westwards and reached Salhir in four or five days with all their prisoners and booty. Popular voice in the Deccan charged the Mughal viceroy with having been bribed by Shambhu to follow this wrong strategy.¹ The citizens of Burhanpur complained to the Emperor to this effect and the Muslims threatened to stop their Friday prayers unless they were assured of the safety of their life and honour in future.*
v4.c64.s4.5
¹ K K ii 272 275, Dil 167-168
v4.c64.s4.6
∗ K K, ii 272, gives 20 Muharram 1091 (11 Feb 1680) as the date of the raid on Burhanpur, but Shivaji was then reigning and Shah Alam was viceroy at Aurangabad As usual with Khafi Khan, the day and month are correct, but the year is wrong I read 1092, which gives 30th January 1681, when the Deccan was depleted of Mughal troops and Shambhu was on the throne It cannot be January 1682, because on 13th November 1681 the Emperor himself had reached Burhanpur, and though the "thieves" (i e, Marathas) looted the camp of Lutf ullah Khan near Lalbagh at night ten days later, during a powder magazine explosion (M A 215, K K ii 278) the city was strongly guarded ever afterwards (usually by a son or grandson of Aurangzib) to ensure the communication of the Emperor in the Deccan with his northern capital. The plunder of 23rd Nov. 1681 may have been done by one of the Maratha guerilla bands that used to hover round the imperial camp, cut off small convoys and mockingly pray for the Emperor's long life as the giver of their daily bread! Jedhe S places the sack of Burhanpur in the month of Marga shirsha (12 Nov —11 Dec 1680), which is evidently a mistake for Magh (10 Jan —8 Feb 1681)