History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c82.s3.12

v5.c82.s3.12

But the rising continued under Pahar Singh's son Bhagwant, who collected a large body of fierce peasants and began to plunder the country round Gwalior, entirely closing the roads to traffic. Muluk Chand marched to Gwalior with his troops and was reinforced by some officers detached from the Agra province. Bhagwant Singh, who had gone towards Kalpi, now turned back and halted at the village of Bijurra (4 miles south-east of Antri). The imperialists marched out of Gwalior to Antri, 12 m. s. of it. A pitched battle was fought on the spacious plain near the village of Chiruli (6 m. s. e. of Antri.) Bhagwant, who had been encouraging his men from the rear, while the battle was at its hottest, made a sudden charge at the head of 500 fresh men, and cut his way to the elephant of Muluk Chand. The imperialists broke and fled; their general's elephant was driven away, though he continued shooting arrows behind him; the Gaur soldiers plundered all the baggage, horses, etc., of the Mughals, and returned to their base to secure the booty. Bhagwant Singh, though victorious, was thus left almost alone in the field. Some of the Mughal officers who were still maintaining their ground, now joined together and charged Bhagwant in a compact body. After a brief but severe contest the defeat was marvellously turned into a victory; the rebel chief was killed; Muluk Chand turned his elephant back to the lately lost field, cut off Bhagwant's head, and came back to Gwalior (March 1686). But in the very night of his return he died of cholera. [Ishwardas, 94a-97a (full); M. A., 266, 273 (dates only)]. His orphan son visited the Emperor and was given a civil post in recognition of his father's services. [I. O. L., 1344, 20a.]