Shivaji and His Times c8.s16.5

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.