History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c75.s9: § 13. Last expedition of Rajaram.

History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c75.s9

Language: English

§ 13. Last expedition of Rajaram.

v5.c75.s9.1

After a three days' halt at Chandan-Wandan, Rajaram on 31st October left for the Adarki pass, n.e. of Chandan, where he was joined by 12,000 men, and took the route to Surat.

v5.c75.s9.2

The Emperor immediately sent urgent orders to Bidar Bakht to pursue and defeat this hostile force.

The prince, who had arrived at a place 20 miles west of Miraj, on his way to Panhala, immediately turned aside and leaving his family and baggage in Miraj, rapidly advanced on the enemy's track. Nusrat Jang was ordered to reinforce him by forced marches; and so also was Chin Qalich Khan (then in the Aurangabad district). But neither of them arrived in time to take part in the first battle.

v5.c75.s9.4

Four miles beyond the fort of Parenda, Bidar Bakht came upon the Marathas. Rajaram himself stopped in safety 8 miles further east, while he sent back his generals under Dhana to check the prince's advance. After a bloody fight, the Marathas were broken and driven towards Ahmadnagar, (13th or 14th November). Two days later the prince was joined by Chin Qalich Khan at Barsi, (20 m. e. of Parenda), and resuming the pursuit reached Ausa about the 22nd or 23rd. We find him, a month later, back at the Emperor's side (26th December), and on the same date Rajaram was reported as having dismounted some 30 miles from the imperial camp below Satara fort and intending to go to Vishalgarh. The Maratha king's raid into Berar had been nipped in the bud.* But one division under Krishna Savant plundered some places near Dhamuni and returned. This was the first time that a Maratha force crossed the Narmada. [Dil. 129a.]

v5.c75.s9.5

∗ Bhimsen gives Zulfiqar Khan an important part in this defeat of Rajaram. He writes,—"Ram with a large force entered the imperial territory for doing mischief. Bidar Bakht was appointed to oppose him. The Khan Bahadur [Zulfiqar] was ordered to chase the enemy. Leaving his baggage at Sholapur, he met the prince near Charthana and

v5.c75.s9.6

Meantime, battles had been fought with the other Maratha bands too. Ranuji was out near Kararabad (1st Dec.) and in the Sangula *thana* four days later. Hamid-ud-din Khan, who had been sent from the Emperor's side at Satara against Dhana Jadav, left his baggage at Masur and advanced on Kararabad, fighting a vast Maratha army of five divisions which tried to envelop him. After a two days' struggle (20th and 21st Dec.) with heavy casualties,* the Khan fell back on Masur.

v5.c75.s9.7

Shortly afterwards Nusrat Jang arrived there with his army and took up the pursuit of the elusive Maratha generals. On 9th January 1700 he fought Dhana, Ranu and Hanumant Rao beyond Masur, and defeated them, killing 500 of their men. A few days later Dhana attacked the outpost of Khanapur and carried off its Mughal officer, Avji Adhal. Nusrat Jang, who had been sent from the Emperor's camp against Dhana, arrived too late to save Avji, but on 25th January, when on the return march from

v5.c75.s9.8

set out to pursue Rajaram, who took to flight on hearing of it. By way of Parenda, Ram crossed the Bhima near Tamarni, and took the road to his home, sending Dhana and some other generals against the camp at Islampuri. They made a demonstration there,......fled before Zulfiqar......were defeated near Basantgarh......" (Dil. ii. 129.)

v5.c75.s9.9

∗ Dado Malhar is reported to have been shot dead.

v5.c75.s9.10

Parenda, he overtook this Maratha band near the pargana of Undirgaon (19 m. s. of Parenda) and repulsed it, after slaying about a hundred men.

v5.c75.s9.11

In the meantime the Emperor's siege of Satara continued and battles took place in its environs between the Mughal invaders and the Maratha field armies. On 27th December 1699 Hanumant Rao had attacked a patrolling party under Ikhlas Khan, only four miles outside the siege-camp, and slain the Khan and his son Muhammad Yar with many imperial soldiers, and carried off the elephants and baggage of this force. [*Akhbarat*, Nusrat Jang's campaign in *Dil.* ii. 129.]