Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c9.s3: § 10. Battle of Rānisarai or Kālādiārā
Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c9.s3
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§ 10. Battle of Rānisarai or Kālādiārā
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Alivardi had conducted his march keeping the Ganges close on his right hand, so as to have that flank naturally protected and also to assure his water and food supply. Immediately west of the city of Bārh, the Ganges divides itself into several branches, which enclose between them a vast island or group of islands, now called the "Rāmnagar diārā." The main volume of the river water flows through the northernmost channel, while nearly two miles south of it lies the old or deserted bed of the Ganges forming a very thin shallow stream in the dry weather. The Mughal military road from Sakrigali (the eastern frontier post of Bihār) to Patna runs close to the south bank of the Ganges and is intersected by many smaller streams, which after running northwards drain themselves into that great river.
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This old bed of the Ganges has to be crossed a short distance to the west of Bārh town. The ford over it was strongly entrenched and defended by the Afghān army with their big guns placed carefully in position and trained beforehand on the road by which their enemy would have to advance. But Alivardi Khān, "who in generalship had no equal in that age except Asaf Jāh the Nizām" (Siyar, ii. 166), at the first view realised the strength of the Afghān position and took no wild chance. After leaving Bārh, instead of risking a frontal attack on such a strong and prepared position across a river, he turned it by making a detour to the left, *i.e.*, southwards and away from the Ganges and the public highway, under the guidance of a local zamindār, crossed the same stream two miles further west at a ford unknown to the Afghāns, regained the Patna road and threatened to cut the enemy's communication with that town. This unexpected manoeuvre, which the Afghāns could ascribe to nothing but magic, forced them to make a hurried change of front deserting all their guns *in situ* and running westwards to a place opposite the Nawāb's new position. Thus they lost the use of nearly all their artillery—which fact had a decisive influence on the next day's battle. That night the two armies lay facing each other. The Nawāb spent it in strict vigil and precaution against surprise. Early on the following morning he cast himself down on the ground in abasement before his Maker, rubbed his forehead with the hallowed earth of the grave of Imām Husain at Karbalā, and with tears in his eyes prayed to God to give him either victory or death in the coming battle.
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It was the 16th of April 1748. Alivardi advanced to the village of Rānisarāi,* eight miles west of Bārh, and marshalled his ranks on the plain. His big artillery (*top-i-jinsi*) was posted in front, the lighter pieces (*top-i-dasti*) behind these, and then came the horse and foot of the vanguard in support. As usual, the Nawāb took his post in the centre.
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The Afghāns had also drawn up their army in the customary fashion of that age. They had, however, taken advantage of the ground by adopting a novel device. Their army formed a long line of two miles or more from Rāni-sarāi eastwards to Kālā-diārā, but their left wing under Hayāt Khān, with some large guns, was pushed across a small stream that here runs into the Ganges, and ordered to fire on the Nawāb’s right wing when it would come up opposite. The Marāthas could be seen on the left hand some distance behind, waiting to plunder whichever side should lose the day.
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∗ *Siyar*, ii. 167. Rennell gives *Ranny Chock*, about 10 miles w. of Barh, on the highway to Patna, and very close to the Bakhtiarpur Railway station. *Bengal Consult.*, 26 April, records a letter from Qasimbazar dated the 23rd, reporting the news that "the Nawab had killed Shamshir Khan and Murad Sher Khan in battle at *Cullodee*". Rennell gives *Colla derrah* (Kaladiara) six miles s. w. of Barh and four miles e. of Ranny Chock. Babu Ram Lal Sinha, B.L., tells me that the village Kala-diara still stands on the south bank of the Ganges north-east of the Khusrupur Rl. stn. Salimullah (130 *a*) places the battle at Punarak, which is absurd.
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Ignoring the Marātha light horse as beneath his notice and pointing to the Afghāns as "There are my enemies," the Nawāb advanced upon their massed ranks. The battle began with a discharge of guns. In this Alivardi had a decided superiority, as the Afghāns had abandoned most of their heavy pieces at the ford four miles eastwards the day before. At the first cannonade Sardār Khān's head was blown away. He commanded nearly half the rebel force and his death on the back of his elephant, visible from far and near, shook the men of his division. Alivardi's youthful captains were eager to charge the enemy at once, but the cool-headed veteran pulled them up short, letting his musketeers do their work first. His barqāndāzes fired volley after volley into the enemy ranks crowded on the sand bank, "darkening the bright day with smoke." Seeing the enemy now really hard pressed, the Nawāb ordered two officers to make a charge, but the order met with no immediate response. During this confusion the Marāthas and Mir Habib's Afghāns (the former retainers of Mustafa) made an attack on the Nawāb's baggage in the rear, and driving a crowd of servants before them approached the centre. But the Nawāb, never giving these enemies a thought, ordered his vanguard to charge the main Afghān army in front and advanced on his elephant with his guards, in support of the vanguard, his band playing the music of victory. His generals vied with one another in driving their elephants into the enemy's ranks. The engagement now became close and general all along the line. Murād Sher Khān fell back into his hawdā wounded by a musket-ball; two Nawābi officers jumped on his elephant and cut off his head. In another part of the field, during the confusion of the fight Shamshir Khān fell down from his elephant and was beheaded on the ground. The Afghān army now helplessly broke and fled; the Marāthas also quickly disappeared from a field where they had contributed nothing to the fight and found no chance of securing booty. The Nawāb's victory was complete. He occupied the enemy's deserted camp, and then marched to Baikunthpur, 12 miles west of the battlefield, where he halted for a few days, and finally entered Patna in triumph. A great cloud of terror was lifted up from the hearts of the people of Patna, high and low alike, and life returned to their bodies, as it were. [Siyar, ii. 165—168.]
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§ 11. *Alivardi halts at Patna for six months, 1748; condition of Bengal.*
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He consoled his bereaved daughter and other relatives, restored the administration of the province and in a most generous spirit of chivalry sent away with every care and honour the widow and daughter of Shamshir Khān, who had been captured, to their homes, even giving them some villages for their livelihood, as he did not make war upon women. One day before this battle the Emperor Muhammad Shāh had died at Delhi. Alivardi passed the next six months in Patna trying to make some satisfactory arrangement for the Bihār governorship and watching the course of events at the imperial Court, the policy of the new Emperor and his ministers towards the *subahdar* of Bengal, Bihār and Orissā, and the movements of Ahmad Abdāli, who was expected to make an incursion into India during this change of rulers at Delhi. After appointing Sirājud-daulah as absentee *nāib nāzim* of Bihār, with Rājah Jānakirām as his deputy and acting ruler, the Nawāb left Patna about 6th November and arrived at Murshidābād on the last day of the month. [Siyar, ii. 171; French factory letter of 10 September 1748 (N. S.); Bengal letter, 22 December, 1748.]
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During the Pathān usurpation of Bihār the news spread over the land that dismemberment had begun in the Nawāb’s dominions, his authority had ceased, and there was none to enforce order or control the realm. Lawless men raised their heads everywhere without any fear of check or punishment. On 15th February the Qāsimbāzār factory of the English despatched a fleet of boats laden with the Company’s goods (mostly raw silk) to the value of Rs. 3,95,031 and private treasure and merchandise worth Rs. 35,000, to proceed to Calcutta in charge of Ensign English and a small party of soldiers. His way lay by Katwā, which was then the chief station of the Marāthas and where Jānoji was present in person. The Marāthas plundered the goods and treasure in the fleet without any opposition from the escort (17th February).
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At the approach of a detachment of the Nawāb’s troops under Fath Ali, the Marāthas left Katwā, carrying everything away from thence. For some time after, their main body remained near Bardwān, while several straggling parties of them were scattered about the country. (Bengal Consult, 25th Feb., 8th March, 1748). But on the Nawāb leaving his capital for Patna (29th Feb.), they returned to Katwā, a large party of them being reported at Kātālia, ten miles from that town, in a factory letter of 14th March. They also captured Thānā fort near Calcutta. However, soon afterwards the entire Marātha force in Bengal hastened to Bihār to join Shamshir Khān, especially as the Peshwā was reported to be on his march to these eastern provinces to support Alivardi Khān, as he had done in 1743.
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After the crushing defeat of his Afghān allies at Rāni-sarāi (16th April), Jānoji with Mir Habib and all their troops slipped past the Nawāb and turned towards Murshidabād. But on the way he heard of the death of his mother, and himself with a few men took the road to Nāgpur, sending Mir Habib with the bulk of the troops towards Medinipur. After Jānoji's arrival at home Raghuji sent his younger son Sābāji* with a Marātha force to strengthen Mir Habib.
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For a year after the victory of Rāni-sarāi, Bengal and Bihār enjoyed a respite from the Bargi visitation; but Orissā from Medinipur southwards remained in the undisputed possession of the Marāthas.
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∗ *Siyar*, ii. 175, wrongly calls him Mānāji. But Raghuji had no son named Mānāji. *SP.D.* xx. 55 mentions Sābāji Bhonslé as returned from Bengal to Nāgpur in 1749.
Linked texts (1)
- Selections from the Peshwa Daftar — Marathi