1 ~
2 ALI GOHAR SHAH ALAM IL. 235
3 foot, and wére hard pressed by the diminutive but active, Mahrattas, who
4 were mounted on small ponies. The Shah ordered his zamhurchies, or _ Doubtful issue of
5 fusileers, mounted on camels, to surround the Mahratta detachment which the campaign,
6 had engaged the Robillas. They fired a volley from the backs of the camels
7 on which they rode, and were -promptly assisted by the Shah’s bodyguard,
8 which by this time had crossed the Jamna and appeared in the field. But
9 the day was carried by Ahmad Khan, Bdngash, of Farakhabad, the gated eee, os
10 Pathan chief of the-Dodb, who charged the flanks of the Mahrattas with ten day.’
11 thousand horse; and so vigorous was the attack made by him, that the
12 scale of fortune turned in favour of the Durréni Shah. The Mahrattas _ Dofeat of the
13 were driven from the field with great slaughter; their army of 80,000 was Mabrattes.
14 completely destroyed, their leader, Dataji Sindhia, was slain, and all their
15 generals vanquished; except Malhar Rao Holkar, who had fled when the
16 first charge was made.
17 Ahmad Shah next surprised the division under Malhar Rao Holkar, ., The battle of
18 near Sikandra, and so effectually routed it, that the Mahratta general was ~ qe sanrattas are
19 himself compelled to fly naked, with a handful of his faithful adherents, touted.
20 The Abdali then entered Delhi, and the unfortunate capital was again given _ Ahmad Shah occu-
21 ‘up to plunder. The Shah remained a few days at Delhi, where he received "D4 4, pee
22 delegates from the rdjas of Jeypur, Marwar, &c., who, came with nazdrs to to pillage.
23 -pay him homage. He cantoned for the rainy season at Anup Shahar, on the
24 border of Oudh, where he succeeded, after some negotiation, in securing the
25 alliance of the powerful Shujd-ud-doula.
26 The Mahrattas, though humbled by their disasters at Badli and Sikan-
27 dra, never lost their spirit, and, after making fresh exertions to repair their
28 losses, resolved upon & great and decisive action to maintain their supremacy — The Mabrattas
29 in Hindostén. A formidable army of that nation accordingly left the 72plve ons decisive
30 Dekkan, commanded by Wiswas Rao, the heir-apparent to the Peshwa,
31 or Supreme Prince, Sada Sheo Rao, his famous nephew, commonly
32 known in India under the name of Bhau Janku Rao, Malhar Rao, and
33 Shamsher * Bahadur, another son of the Peshwa. All the great Brahmins
34 and the principal Mahratta chiefs accompanied these princes, who were
35 joined by Suraj Mal, with a body of 30,000 Jats, and reinforced by many _ They are joinea by
36 other Rajput chiefs, The force easily occupied Delhi, where the small Sil nat aut,
37 Durrani garrison, who held it, was cut to pieces after a spirited defence,-
38 the killudar, Yaqub Ali Khan, effecting his escape with difficulty. Kunj- — rhetstaughter of the
39 pura, on the Jamna, 60 miles north of Delhi, was next besieged, and the Deki ang eae
40 whole Durrdni garrison was put to the sword, including Najabat Khan, the ° j
41 head of the Pathan family who held the place. The Shah was encamped
42 on the left bank of the Jamna, which was swollen by rains, and which
43 divided the two armies. The massacre of the Kunjptra garrison, within
44 sight of the Durrdni camp, exasperated him to such a degree that he order- The Shab’s bola
45 ed his army to cross the river at all hazards. { peerage or the vemane
46 *Shamsher Rao was a Mahomedan, being the son of the Peshwa by a Mahomedan wife.
47 A Mahomedan wife is allowed to the Peshwa.
48 t The Bhau on this occasion gave full vent to his cupidity by doing those deeds of depre-
49 dations which mark the conquests of the barbarians. He destroyed beautiful tombs and
50 shrines, carried away their riches, and defaced rich Moghal palaces for the sake of their
51 ornaments and precious stones. ‘The silver ceiling of the great hall of andience of the magni-
52 ficent emperor Shah Jahan was taken down, and the silver which had cost seventeen lakhs
53 of rupees melted. The royal throne was seized, and so were the rich ornaments in the palace
54 of the Moghal, who, though shorn of his old splendour, yet possessed such immense fortune
55 and riches as few eastern empires could boast of.
56 { The Shah is described at first as having repeated some verses of the Qurdz, and, having
57 blown them on an arrow, discharged it from his quiver into the river. Raising then the cry
58 Bismillahi allaho-akbar “in the name of God, the great God,” he plunged into the river,
59 followed by his bodyguard, numbering four thousand slaves. The rest of the troops followed
60 the Shah.—Zarikhi Ahmadi.
61 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com