History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c77.s6: § 9. Siege of Panhala, 1701.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c77.s6
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§ 9. Siege of Panhala, 1701.
v5.c77.s6.1
Panhala was the next point of attack. An advanced force under Bidar Bakht had been sent to that region in the autumn of 1700; the prince lay encamped at the foot of the fort, while his lieutenant Nusrat Jang besieged its western (or Konkani) gate. [Dil. 134b.] The Emperor himself arrived there on 9th March 1701 and formed a complete circle of investment, fourteen miles in length, round Panhala and its sister fort of Pavangarh. A mobile force under Nusrat Jang was sent out to "chastise the robbers wherever they should raise their heads."
v5.c77.s6.2
Tarbiyat Khan, the chief of artillery, worked hard in running lanes and raising gun-platforms. In a short time five towers of the fort were battered down to half their heights. A mine, large enough for three armed men to walk abreast erect, was gradually carried under the tower and outer breast-work of the fort-gate. It was a most elaborate structure, with a chamber for 20 soldiers furnished with windows on both sides for admitting air and light and musketry-holes for firing at the ramparts.
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∗ Akh. 2, 3 Aug. 1700, 11 Jan. 1701. Horses were ordered to be bought in Kabul and Surat.
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But in that stony region the progress of mining was necessarily very slow, and the dreaded rainy season was approaching. In addition to the notorious rivalry between his two highest generals,—Nusrat Jang and Firuz Jang,—which made it impossible to employ both at the same place, there now broke out a bitter jealousy between Tarbiyat Khan and Fathullah Khan and another between the older officers in general and a very able upstart from Gujrat named Muhammad Murad.
v5.c77.s6.5
The Emperor had summoned Fathullah from Aurangabad and charged him to lay a mine from Kam Bakhsh's position. Working incessantly in rivalry with Tarbiyat, he carried his mine to the foot of the gate in one month. Tarbiyat, on his part, in order not to be outdone, pushed his covered lane further onwards. But the mutual jealousies of the generals made true co-operation among them impossible. They secretly thwarted one another, and thus spoiled their master's business and prolonged the siege. [K. K. 488 ; M. A. 437.]
v5.c77.s6.6
Muhammad Murad, a petty officer (faujdar) of Godra in Gujrat, had suddenly risen in the Emperor's favour by coming to his side in his need with 500 well-mounted recruits raised at his own initiative, while his superior, the subahdar of the province, had pleaded inability to enlist a single soldier in the province and had even tried to hinder recruitment by Md. Murad. At the siege of Panhala, Murad was given charge of the attack on Pavangarh. [K. K. 478, 485.]
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Midway between Panhala and Pavangarh there is a lower hill, with some enemy houses on its top, sheltered by the guns of the two forts. One day Murad chased up the hill a party of the enemy who had descended from it to carry off some camp cattle out grazing there. Arriving at the top, he planted his flag there, sat down in a shelter of the rock, and sent to beg for reinforcements planks and trenching tools in order to entrench and hold the position gained.
v5.c77.s6.8
The Emperor wrote to Ruhullah and Hamid-ud-din with his own hand, ordering them to go and help Murad. These two arrived at the foot of the hillock, but sent word to Murad saying that he had made an inadvisable advance and that it was impossible to send up succour to him where he was; so that if he wanted to entrench on the top he must do so by his unaided efforts, or else he must inform the Emperor and abandon the position. The day was wasted in this exchange of messages.
v5.c77.s6.9
Murad refused to come down and persisted in his demands, but the other two generals taunted him, saying "Do you expect us to act as your subordinates and do you wish to nullify all the exertions of Tarbiyat Khan and other nobles up to this time?" Then Ruhullah (the imperial Paymaster) reported to Aurangzib that the hill-top was untenable, and a night attack on it by the enemy might lead to a disaster. So, the Emperor censured Murad for having made a rash advance, whose only result was disgrace to his arms. The courtiers took up the cue, and were now loud in their blame of Murad, whom they had been extolling above all other generals only a few hours before, when his flag was first hoisted on the hillock!
v5.c77.s6.10
Next day Murad was received in audience and highly praised. Tarbiyat Khan was urged to deliver an assault, but he ironically replied, "The preparations for an assault are complete. Please order Md. Murad, who has done such heroic deeds, to support us on the day of storming." [K. K. 485-489.] With this spirit animating Aurangzib's generals, it was only natural that all his efforts came to nothing. A few attempts at escalade were made, but failed with loss, and the siege dragged on for two months, without success seeming to come any nearer.