History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c74.s8.2

v5.c74.s8.2

In April 1691, the Mughal army before Jinji had become so large and well-provisioned that the country around expected a speedy fall of the fort. [Madras Diary, 26 April.] But, in reality, the siege had made little progress in all these months. The Muhammadans could not prevent the victualling of the place, as a complete blockade was beyond their power; and "the Marathas recovering from their first consternation began to harass them incessantly." [Kaeppelin, 280.] In November 1690 three Maratha chiefs—Nimaji Sindhia, Mankoji Pandhré and Nagoji Mané—left the Mughal side in Western India, came to Rajaram with 2,000 horsemen, and took charge of the defence works at Chakra-kulam* in the lower fort. In the February following, Rajaram returned to Jinji. His first plan on coming to the Karnatak was to gain the help of the petty Hindu princes of the East Coast and lead a confederacy against the Mughal forces in Golkonda and Bijapur. But the mutual enmities of the local chieftains were so bitter that this proposal met with no support. Only his first cousin, the Rajah of Tanjore, aided him throughout the siege with men, partly from family affection and partly for cession of territory, money and provisions, and thus enabled him to defy the imperialists from within his stronghold for several years.