Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c27.s22.1

v2.c27.s22.1

All this time the centre had been the scene of a still more deadly and obstinate conflict. Here each side had concentrated its best resources, and the opposing forces were more evenly matched in number,—about 18,000 on each side,—than in the fight between the Gardis and the trans-Ganges Ruhelas (6,300 against 15,000.) Simultaneously with Ibrāhim Khan's advance against the Shāh's right wing, the Bhāu had launched his own division in an attack on the Durrāni centre where the wazir Shāh Wali Khan commanded in person. This struggle was prefaced by the discharge of the Bhāu's artillery, which was mostly drawn up in front of his centre. To this the Afghan wazir replied with the fire of his own lighter pieces planted on the ground and a thousand swivel-guns mounted on camels which were placed before him in a line with their knees tied together. Suddenly the firing on the Maratha side ceased, and from around the great yellow banner (*Bhagwā Jhāndā*) towering above their centre, a thunderous roar of *Hara! Hara! Mahādev!* was heard and a waving forest of long swords and spears flashed in the morning sun, as a vast cavalcade of 13,500 men heaved tumultuously like one gigantic billow of the ocean and the next instant dashed in resistless sweep upon the Durrāni centre. The momentum of their charge broke through the screen of Afghan front skirmishers and the hail of zamburak balls. Regardless of the bloody trail they left behind them, the Maratha horse grappled with their foes in a deadly hand to hand combat, under a cloud of dust "which hid the earth and sky and from which blood dropped in rain-showers," while the mingled dissonance of *Hara! Hara! Mahādev!* and *Ya Ali! Yā Ali!* drowned every other sound.