History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c74.s10: § 12. Siege operations during 1692.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c74.s10
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§ 12. Siege operations during 1692.
v5.c74.s10.1
The next year was equally barren of results for them, in spite of the great accession to their armed strength brought by the prince and the wazir. Ismail Khan Maka (a grandee of the late Qutb Shahi State) was induced to enter the Emperor's service and joined Zulfiqar's camp with his contingent; but Yachapa Nayak continued with the Marathas. [Dil. 100a.]
v5.c74.s10.2
With these additions to his forces, Zulfiqar renewed the siege of Jinji in 1692. He himself took post opposite the eastern (or Pondicherry) gate near a hillock called Ali Madad (evidently the 'Rock Battery' of Orme's plan), across one of the branches of the Jinji river. Asad Khan and the prince were encamped three miles away from him, beyond the northern gate, on the road leading from Krishnagiri to Singhavaram* hill. Ismail Khan and other local auxiliaries were stationed in an outpost north-west of the fort, "in the direction of Karnatak-garh",—evidently south of the channel which drains the pool at the northern foot of Rajgiri. Each Mughal camp was walled round for safety. The gate of Shaitan-dari could not be blockaded, and the garrison freely came and went out by it and brought in provisions whenever they liked. An outpost under Kakar Khan watched the path through the Vetavalam† wood by which supplies reached the fort, but the task was ineffectively done.
v5.c74.s10.3
∗ *M. A. 345, (where the name is mis-spelt as Tirmal or Nirmal). Its importance in the siege of Jinji is clear from Br. Mus. Sloane MS. 3582, p. 24.
v5.c74.s10.4
† Vetavalam, 16 miles south-west of Jinji, and now in the Tiruvannamalai taluk. Here elephants used to roam. [S. A. Gaz. i. 82.]
v5.c74.s10.5
The Marathas made sorties from Krishnagiri, firing rockets and threatening the prince's camp. Zulfiqar strengthened the guards there. One night a Maratha force 5,000 strong sallied out of the north gate, but were defeated by the combined exertions of the entire Mughal army. The danger, however, was great and Zulfiqar removed the prince's camp to the side of his own and joined the two encampments together by the same enclosing walls. The position opposite the north gate, vacated by the prince, was assigned to Sayyid Lashkar Khan. Zulfiqar next selected Chandrayan-durg as his objective and ran trenches towards it. Then he began a bombardment of this hill as well as of the Pondicherry gate. [Dil. 105b—106a.] But all his exertions were a mere show, as the country around knew well.
v5.c74.s10.6
∗ Two miles north of Jinji. The name is mis-spelt by Bhimsen as Sholing-varam, but Sholinghur (also Sholing-puram) is another place, 60 miles northwards.
v5.c74.s10.7
The condition of the Mughal camp in 1692 is thus described by an eye-witness: "The rain fell with excessive severity. Grain was dear. The soldiers, having to spend days and nights together in the trenches, suffered great hardship. From a position in the hillside, where Muhammad Mumin (the chief of the imperial artillery) had constructed a yard and a strong portico with stages, 24 tanks could be seen in the Mughal camp. In the rainy season the entire tract looked like one lake."*