Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c14.s4.2

v1.c14.s4.2

This redoubtable fort offered a long and gallant defence under Baqāullah Khan, who was joined by a strange ally, the Hindu warrior-abbot Rājendra-giri Gosāin with his ferocious followers called Nāgās,—utterly naked savages with ash-smeared bodies and long matted locks. This man refused to remove to the safety of the fort-walls, but continued to live in his hut below the fort, close to the temple standing at the junction of the two rivers (Prayāg.) Twice or three times everyday, whenever he noticed any negligence or weak point among the besiegers, he would make a lightning raid into their camp at the head of his sixty followers sword in hand and mounted on swift ponies, madly slash at the Afghāns right and left, and as quickly return to his place. Baqāullah threw a bridge of boats across the Jamunā under shelter of the fort-guns and thus secured his supplies and communication with the country south of that river. From his headquarters at Jhusi (opposite Allahabad), on the left or Oudh side of the Ganges, Ahmad Khan sent detachments eastwards towards Jaunpur, Azamgarh, and Benares. Rajah Prithipat Somvanshi of Partābgarh presented himself and joined the invader with his contingent. The chief bankers of Benāres waited on the Afghān general on the way and averted his visit to Benares by paying a large contribution (Imād, 50.) No part of the Benāres district was occupied by the invaders.