History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c82.s4: § 7. Gangaram's rising in Bihar.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c82.s4
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§ 7. Gangaram's rising in Bihar.
v5.c82.s4.1
Further east, in the province of Bihar, the imperial authority was defied by Gangaram.* This poor Nagar Brahman of Gujrat had first secured a small post in the accounts department at the recommendation of the historian Bhimsen, and afterwards became diwan of Khan-i-Jahan Bahadur. When the Khan went to the Deccan as viceroy in 1680, he sent Gangaram to manage his estates (jagirs) in Allahabad and Bihar. The sudden rise of this obscure Hindu excited the jealous hate of the other servants of the Khan, who had been displaced from his favour; and they conspired to poison his ears against his absent diwan, by charging him with peculation. Gangaram, on hearing of it, at once went to his master and by his explanations regained his esteem. But as soon as he was back in his charge, his rivals renewed their tactics and with greater success. The unruly peasantry of Khan-i-Jahan's jagirs in North India did not pay rent except under coercion, and Gangaram had to keep a large army to enforce his revenue collection. This fact was misrepresented by Khan-i-Jahan's courtiers as a proof of Gangaram's design for independence and self-aggrandisement. The Khan's suspicion was deepened, and he summoned the diwan to his presence. Gangaram, disgusted with such a light-minded master and despairing of his life and honour, flew to arms. Collecting some four thousand soldiers he plundered the city of Bihar and advancing laid siege to Patna. The governor Saif Khan was a coward and miser; he had kept less than his due contingent of troops and allowed the fortifications of the city to fall out of repair. The rebel set up a bogus Prince Akbar and called upon the people to rally round his standard. (March 1681.) But he had neither the skill nor the material necessary for taking a walled city, and turned to the more profitable work of plundering the neighbouring villages, while the governor shut himself up in the fort. At length imperial reinforcements arrived from Dacca and Benares and raised the siege of Patna. Gangaram was wounded, but he turned away from the city and engaged in dispossessing many of the zamindars of that district and seizing their wealth and lands. The Emperor dismissed Saif Khan, 1682. [M. A. 226.]
v5.c82.s4.2
∗ Based on *Dilkasha*, i. 175 and Stewart's *Bengal*, sec. vi. M. A. 205 says that his rising was in subah Allahabad, Ishwardas, 119b, in Kalpi, (both wrong).
v5.c82.s4.3
After some time Gangaram entered Malwa and in concert with Rajput rebels plundered Sironj.* (Oct. 1684). He died shortly afterwards at Ujjain. [Dil. i. 176.]