Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c27.s12.3

v2.c27.s12.3

Then, leaving Nāro Shankar as subahdār and qiladār of Delhi with a force † for the defence of the city, the Bhāu moved (12th August) to the Shālimār gardens near Bādli. This northward advance with artillery effectively blocked the Barāri-ghāt to the Ruhelas who were trying to cross the Jamunā there. The Bhāu lay encamped here for two months, from 12th August to 10th October. But by the end of September his position had become intolerable by reason of the failure of his food and fodder supply and the utter exhaustion of his funds and credit. He felt that he must remove elsewhere, or his entire army would perish through famine. The swollen Jamunā forbade any action in the Doab, where his enemies were concentrated, till the river should become fordable again at the end of October at the earliest. He had, therefore, as early as the first week of September, begun to think of advancing north and attacking Kunjpura.