Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c38.s9.5

v3.c38.s9.5

Already Mahadji's diplomacy had woven a net round Hamadāni. That free-booter had made every neighbour his enemy, and they hastened to help at his overthrow, now that the great Sindhia had come to attack him. Ranjit Singh of Bharatpur had been soliciting Sindhia to restore the fort of Dig to him for a tribute, and he was now doing everything in his power to please Mahadji. Rāni Kishori again came to the great man to supplicate for Suraj Mal's house, as she had done after the fall of Dig in 1776. Jat and Rajput troops invested Hamadāni's camp from the north and west, while Mahadji and Afrāsiyāb decided to advance and complete the ring on the east and south sides. Sindhia's camp and baggage remained with him at Rupbās, but he sent (on 31st October) Rayaji Patil and Jivaji Bakhshi with his advanced division of cavalry across the Utangan to take up a position a little west of Khanua, nearer to Hamadāni's camp. It was agreed that Afrāsiyāb's cavalry and guns would advance from their base at Khanua on 2nd November, join Rayaji's division and launch the offensive. Extreme scarcity raged in Hamadani's camp; many of his followers left him, several died of starvation, and he prepared for a desperate sortie rather than perish through hunger.