History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c75.s2: § 2. Santa defeats Qasim Khan.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c75.s2
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§ 2. Santa defeats Qasim Khan.
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But on that day doom overtook him in the person of Santa Ghorparé, who showed the highest tactical power in making his dispositions and moving his three distinct and scattered divisions so as to ensure the perfect timing of their movements and exact co-operation among them. He divided his army into three bodies, of which one was sent to plunder the Mughal camp, another to fight the soldiers, and the third was held in reserve ready for action wherever required. Barmappa Nayak, the zamindar of the Chittaldurg district, who bore a grudge against Qasim Khan for having been humbled by that general, now sided with the Marathas in the hope of a share of the spoils, and thus the Mughals were ringed round by enemies and cut off from all information. [M. A. 375, Dil. 117b.]
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An hour and a half after sunrise, the first Maratha division fell upon Qasim Khan's advanced tents (six miles to the front), slew and wounded the guards and servants, carried off everything they could, and set fire to the heavy tents. On the news of it reaching Qasim Khan, he hurried towards the point of attack, without rousing Khanazad Khan from his sleep or maturing any plan of concerted action. Before he had gone two miles, the second body of the enemy appeared in sight and the battle began. The noise awoke Khanazad Khan, who left his camp, baggage and everything else on the spot and quickly advanced to the aid of his friend. But the enemy's numbers were overwhelming, and they had a very large body of Kala-piada musketeers,—the best marksmen and bravest infantry of the Deccan,—in addition to their numberless mobile light cavalry. "A great battle was fought and many were slain on both sides. In spite of the steadiness of the imperialists and the destruction done by them, the enemy did not yield one foot of ground or show the least wavering. Then the reserve division of Santa fell upon the camp and baggage left behind and looted everything. This news reached Qasim and Khanazad in the heat of the battle and shook their firmness. They took counsel together and decided to go to the small fort of Dodderi* close to which their advanced-tents had been sent and where there was a tank. Fighting
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∗ Dodderi, 14° 20' N., 75° 46' E., in the Chittaldurg division of Mysore, 22 miles east of Chittaldurg, and 96 miles in a straight line south of Adoni. South of it stands a large reservoir.
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"The imperialists, giving up all plan of fighting, took the road to Dodderi in confusion, reached the place with extreme difficulty, and were invested." [Dil. 118a.]
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for two miles they reached the tank in the evening and halted; the enemy retired from the attack but encamped close by." The fort of Dodderi was small and the food-store in it limited. So "its imperial garrison shut its gates upon their newly arrived comrades. The two Khans shared with the other officers the food they had brought with themselves, and the common soldiers found nothing to eat except the water of the tank; grass and gram for the elephants and horses could be had nowhere. As the night closed, the enemy completely encircled them. The imperialists stood to arms ready to meet any attack. But for three days the Marathas only appeared in sight without fighting, till some thousands of infantry sent by Barmappa Nayak,* joined them. Then they seized the opportunity and made an attack. On the fourth day, before sunrise, ten times the former number of Kala-piadas (Kanarese musketeers) darkened the plain and began to fight. The imperial artillery munitions had been plundered in their camp and what little was carried with the soldiers was now exhausted; so after vain exertions for some hours, they sat down in despair. The enemy's hail of bullets destroyed many men in this situation."* Fully one-third of the Mughal army had been slain at the two camps, during the retreat, and on the banks of the tank of Dodderi.
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∗ His relations with the Mughals can be traced from four Persian farmans addressed to him and preserved in the Madras Record Office under "Carnatic Records." For his family (of Berad origin) and history, see Rice's Mysore Gazetteer, ii. 461. Chittaldurg is a famous Lingayet centre.