History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c76.s2: § 2. History of Konkan under Shivaji.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c76.s2
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§ 2. History of Konkan under Shivaji.
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Konkan, both North and South, had been an outlying province of the kingdom of Bijapur. The great Shivaji had conquered the country round Kalian (i.e., the modern Thana district) in 1647 and then worked his way southwards into the Kolaba district down to Mahad. Between 1655 and 1660 he completed his annexation of Konkan by conquering the Ratnagiri district. The Koli country (in the extreme north) was brought under his control between 1670 and 1673. His possession of Konkan* remained unchallenged till his death, in 1680.
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With the accession of Shambhuji the scene changed. The flight of the rebel prince Muhammad Akbar to the Maratha Court forced Aurangzib to march to the Deccan to watch this new danger to his throne and to personally guide the operations of his troops. He arrived at Aurangabad on 22nd March 1682, and soon began a well-planned and vigorous offensive against the Maratha power.
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∗ Excluding the territories (mostly bordering the ocean) of the Siddis of Janjira and the Portuguese of Daman, Bassein, Salsette, Karanja and Chaul.
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§ 3. First Mughal descent into Konkan, 1682.*
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Nasik and Puna were in his hands. From Junnar his general Hassan Ali Khan descended into the Thana district by the Nanaghat pass, early in January 1682 and entered the city of Kalian, the seat of the governor, towards the end of that month. His army was reported to be 20,000 horse and 15,000 foot, and his progress was marked by the burning of all Maratha villages on the way, together with some eight or nine villages in Portuguese territory by mistake. This sudden incursion of the Mughals diverted Shambhuji from the siege of Janjira and he fled to his strong hills (February). Kalian itself was occupied by Ranmast Khan, the lieutenant of the Mughal general. But in May next, Hassan Ali withdrew from the province, to save his horses from the heavy rainfall of the west coast, and Konkan had no Mughal force left in it.
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In April and May the imperial forces immediately east of the Ghats were absorbed in the futile siege of Ramsij, (7 miles north of Nasik), which was finally abandoned in September or October. But late in November Ranmast Khan, now in independent command, again marched down into Konkan through the Mahje pass, [Dil. i. 178], and reoccupied Kalian. Shambhuji had sent Rupa Bhonsle, Kesho T. Pingle and Nilo M. Pingle (his Peshwa) to oppose him, and they fought many battles with heavy slaughter. Ranmast lay in Kalian for some months. Afterwards, Ruhullah Khan, descending through Kolvan, reinforced him (April 1683), and withdrew the Mughal garrison from Konkan, under orders of the Emperor. Evidently he had to cut his way through the Marathas. According to a Marathi chronicle, Rupa Bhonsle opposed the march of the Mughal army near Titvala (7 m. n. e. of Kalian) and captured Padam Singh, a Rajput chief in the imperial service, but "in the stress of the battle Rupaji slew Padam Singh and many other high officers." [Z. S., Dil. i. 172-3 supports.]
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∗ The Mughals had invaded Konkan, burnt Kalian, Titvala &c., and laid the villages waste early in 1675 also. See Fryer's New Account.
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But the Mughal possession of Kalian did not mean the occupation of all North Konkan, nor even of the entire Thana district. The invaders merely held the cities of Kalian and Bhivandi, and a few miles of land round them. The rest of the country, especially the forts, remained in Maratha hands, as the country was very broken, the forts numerous and strong by Nature, and the Mughal army too small to besiege and hold all of them.
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In June 1683, Shihab-ud-din Khan was recalled from Junnar to the Emperor's side. When the campaigning season opened again, early in November, he occupied Puna, and next month crossed the Devghat (Devasthali pass) and looted Nizampur near the centre of the Kolaba district (27 Dec.). Prince Azam was posted to Nasik, in November.