History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c77.s10: § 15. Sufferings of Mughal army during return from Khelna, 1702.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c77.s10
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§ 15. Sufferings of Mughal army during return from Khelna, 1702.
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In fear of the malarious climate of Konkan during the monsoons, the Emperor beat a hasty retreat from its neighbourhood, on 10th June, only three days after the fall of the fort. But the rain had already begun with tropical fury and the Mughal army underwent terrible hardships in crossing the dreadful Amba pass again in this weather. "The camels refused to set foot on this path. The elephants, in a dazed condition, tried to carry the loads, but sank into the mud like donkeys. The only goods carried were on the heads of porters." [M. A. 463 ; Dil. 142b.] A sudden rise of a nala on the way, "running like a race-horse," cut the imperial army into two, and many were drowned. Nalas in a similar condition intersected the path of retreat at three places. Grain sold at one Rupee a seer. "Fodder and firewood appeared in the isolated camp only by mistake." Many men also perished of cold amidst the incessant rain, from having no tent or change of clothing left to them. [M. A. 464-466 ; K. K. 503-505.] Even the princes and nobles could not always get tents to shelter their heads in. At some stages only a small canvas cover was all that could be pitched for the Emperor himself.
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One day the prime minister, after crossing a nala, could not find a single dry spot on which to pitch a tent for himself. He set up a small square canopy (raoti) ; but at night it rained heavily and the canopy twice came down on the wazir's head ; and for the rest of the night his servants stood holding the canvas sheet up by the corner-ropes and thus saved him from being smothered to death. It was impossible to cook anything. "The condition of poorer men can be imagined from this," as Khafi Khan says, (ii. 505.)
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In this condition, after covering 30 miles in 38 days, the miserable army arrived near Panhala (17 July 1702.)* Then the sun reappeared, after having been hidden by the clouds for 3½ months, as also had been the Moon. The remnant of the people revived. Food and porters began to come from all sides.
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After a halt of five days here, the march was resumed on 23rd July, and Vadgaon (13 miles east of Panhala) was reached on the 30th. Here a month's halt was made, while a suitable camping ground was being searched for. It was decided to cross the Krishna near Miraj (40 m. e. of Panhala.) The river was in high flood. The incessant rain had turned the roads into quagmires. The 18 miles leading to the river's bank took 16 days to traverse, and many men and beasts sank down in the mud before reaching it. The Krishna was crossed in eight days (19-26 September.) Then, by way of Miraj, Daflapur, Bhalavani, Akluj, and Indapur, the army reached Bahadurgarh or Pedgaon on the northern bank of the Bhima, on 13th November.
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∗ The above account of the return journey from Khelna is based upon the Akhbarat, year 46. M.A.'s dates are incorrect and self-inconsistent. Aurangzib's itinerary was the following :—Khelna (departure 10 June)—Ambaghat (5 days' halt)—Malkapur (20 June)—two nalas—near Panhala (17 July, 5 days' halt)—Bānsgāon—Vathar—Vadgaon (30 July)—...—Krishna crossed near Miraj—Idgah of Miraj (25 Sep.)—Malgaon—Dhulgaon—Daflapur (5 Oct.)—Pratap-pur—Jujharpur—Najra (on the Man)—Yaqutpur—Vaki—Bhalavani—Velapur—Akluj (24 Oct., three days' halt)—Baura—Babulgaon—Indapur—Kalthan—Warkuti—Palasdev (on the Bhima)—Jiti—Pedgaon (13 Nov.) [Akh. year 46.]
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§ 16. Siege of Kondana (Singhgarh) 1703.
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But even here there was no rest for Aurangzib's army. After a stay of only 18 days, he set out on 2nd December to capture Kondana (Singhgarh), which was reached on the 27th [M. A. 469.] The imperial family, offices, and heavy baggage were removed from the Base Camp at Islampuri to Bahadurgarh, and the former post was made Nusrat Jang's cantonment. Bidar Bakht was sent to Aurangabad as viceroy (arrived 15 Nov.) and later (Feb. 1703) given the subahdari of Khandesh in addition, [M. A. 461, 471, 470], the last-named province being governed by his deputy.
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The Mughals began the siege of Kondana in their usual manner with entrenching and cannonade from a hillock opposite the tower of the fort. They lost many men. But there was no life in the work of the besiegers, and success seemed as remote as ever. Three months were wasted in this way. The rainy season was now approaching. So, the Emperor's servants secured the fort on 8th April 1703, by heavily bribing the qiladar.* [K. K. 510, Dil. 145a.]
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From Kondana the army marched back to Puna in a week (1 May), in the neighbourhood of which it spent nearly seven months, before setting out against Rajgarh and Torna.
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The excessive rainfall of 1702 had been followed by a drought in 1703-4, and there was famine throughout Maharashtra, with its natural companion, pestilence. Large numbers of the poorer classes perished,—two millions, according to Manucci [iv. 96.] But nothing could bend Aurangzib's obstinacy. On 10th November he issued for fresh conquests [M. A. 477.]
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∗ This act of bribery is cleverly hinted at in the official history, which says, "Kondana was newly named Bakhshenda-Bakhsh, or the Giver's gift. Truly, it is so strong a fort that nothing save the gift of God could have led to its capture." [M. A. 474.] The qiladar had died during the siege [Akh. 10 March 1703], and the fort was surrendered by his subordinates.
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§ 17. Capture of Rajgarh and Torna, 1704.
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From the neighbourhood of Puna, the Mughal army reached Rajgarh in 18 days, and began its siege on 2nd December, 1703. The entire hill, 24 miles in circuit, is really one stronghold. To borrow the hyperbole of the Persian chronicler, "Imagination cannot estimate its height. The wind alone can cross its thorny jungles and spectre-haunted chasms." [M. A. 478.] So vast a position could neither be invested, nor its food supply from outside stopped. The Mughals bombarded it for two months, and then captured the first gate by assault on 6th Feb. 1704. The garrison under their chiefs Firangji and Hamanji retired to the inner citadel, and kept up the resistance for ten days more, during which the Mughal troops in their unsheltered newly-won position suffered heavy losses from the enemy's fire. At last the qiladar made terms, hoisted the imperial flag on his tower, and fled away at night (16 Feb.) [M. A. 484-485, K. K. 513.]
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Extreme scarcity had been raging in the Mughal camp all this time; even grass sold at two seers for a Rupee. A desolating Maratha raid into Berar and Malwa had been repulsed with much difficulty by Firuz Jang.
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But Aurangzib blindly persisted in following his own plans. He next laid siege to Torna, eight miles from Rajgarh, on 23rd February. In the night of 10th March (which was the Emperor's 89th lunar birthday), Amanullah Khan with only 23 Mavle infantry silently scaled the fort-wall by means of rope-ladders, blew his trumpets, and charged the enemy. Other Mughal generals, drawn by the noise, followed him. Those of the garrison who resisted were put to the sword, the rest fled to the citadel and cried for mercy. They were permitted to go away without their arms. This was the only Maratha fort that Aurangzib captured by force without resort to bribery. No wonder then that it was named by the pious Emperor as *Fatuh-ul-Ghaib* or ‘Victory from the Invisible.’ [M. A. 487, K. K. 521-523.]
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From Torna the imperial camp set out on its return (on 15th March) and after arriving at Khed (7 miles north of Chakan, and 25 m. n. of Puna,— on the left bank of the Bhima) encamped there for six months, from 17 April to 21 October, 1704. From this place the Emperor started on 22nd October for Wagingera, the Berad capital, some 250 miles south-eastwards, which was reached after a slow march of three and a half months, on 8th February 1705, and immediately besieged. This was the last campaign of Aurangzib.