Shivaji and His Times c8.s16: §7. Jai Singh opens the campaign

Shivaji and His Times c8.s16

Language: English

§7. Jai Singh opens the campaign

c8.s16.1

Deciding, for the reasons given above, to take up his position at Saswad and besiege Purandar, Jai Singh marched out of Puna on 14th March.

But he had immediately afterwards to make a long halt in its environs, as news came to him that Qutb-ud-din had gone to Junnar to escort treasure and Shiva had come to Lohgarh to make a dash into the imperial territory as soon as Jai Singh’s back would be turned on Puna. Jai Singh quickly recalled Qutb-ud-din to his post opposite Lohgarh to watch Shiva’s movements and resumed his march on the 23rd. Loni, some 12 miles east of Puna, was next reached; here a block-house or enclosure for sheltering the troops was built in 3 days, and a *thanah* established under Rama and Hanumant, with 300 cavalry and 300 foot-musketeers, to guard the line of communication with Puna and the two roads which led to the imperial territory.

c8.s16.3

Arriving on 29th March at a place one day’s march short of Saswad, he sent on Dilir Khan with the van-guard and the artillery to cross the pass lying in the way, advance four miles, and then halt.

c8.s16.4

Next day the Rajah crossed the hill and pushed on to Dilir Khan’s camp, leaving Daud Khan below the pass to see to the safe transit of the army up to noon. The rear-guard were to bring up the stragglers.

c8.s16.5

On this very morning (30th March) Dilir Khan went with the Van to Saswad in order to select a place for encampment. In this reconnaissance he approached fort Purandar. A large body of Maratha musketeers, who occupied an enclosed village in the waist of the hill—called *machi* in the local language,—now came down and attacked the imperialists, who, however, routed them and captured the *machi*. The houses there were burnt and the Mughal Van very boldly improved their victory by at once pushing on as near Purandar as they could and entrenching just beyond the fire of the fort-guns.

c8.s16.6

Jai Singh on hearing of it, at once sent up 3,000 of the troops of his command under Rai Singh, Kirat Singh, Qubad Khan, Mitrasen, Indraman Bundela and other officers at a gallop. He also despatched an urgent order to Daud Khan to come to him, take charge of the camp, and enable the Rajah to go to supervise the siege. But Daud Khan, on hearing the news, had hastened to join Dilir Khan, without coming to Jai Singh.

c8.s16.7

The day was far spent; there was no high officer left to guard the camp, and so Jai Singh had to stay there perforce. He had already sent forward a party of pioneers and water-carriers, shot, powder, gun munitions, and entrenching tools for the use of Dilir Khan.

c8.s16.8

Next morning (31st March), Jai Singh carefully escorted the baggage to a permanent camp serving as a base, between Saswad and Purandar, only 4 miles from the latter. Then he reconnoitred the fort from the position of Daud Khan and Kirat Singh. It was not a single fort, but a fortified mass of hills; hence to surround and closely blockade it was impossible. (Paris MS. 125b.)