English
S Dara Shekoh, after his defeat by Aurangzeb near Agra, fled to Delhi, and thence to Lahore, and after various adventures in the Panjab, Gujrat and Kabul was captured by Jiwan, zamindar of Dadar, and made over to Anrangzeb who caused him to be imprisoned and subsequently slain, and his body bnried in the mausoleum of Hnmayuu at Delhi. (See Alamgirnamah, pp. 433 and 408). Those who take an interest in Dara ghekoh’s adventnres after his flight, will find a full account of the same in the Alamgirnamah. Dara ghekoh was a free-thinker and a pro-Hindu, and if he had succeeded the throne, he would have oot-Akbared Akbar in^his pro-Hindu polioy. Anrangzeb was the reverse of Dara §£ekoh ; he was a champion of Islam, an an iconoclast like Mahmnd of Ghazni or ghahabn-d-din Ghori. ‘219 refurbishing his sword, laid claim as his heritage to the suzerainty of Bengal, and with a large and formidable army marched towards the Capital of Hindustan. As before ShujVs arrival, the struggle in Hindustan between AuraDgzeb and Darn Shekoh had terminated, and Aurangzebhad already mounted the Imperial throne, on hear¬ ing this news of Shuj'a’s march, Aurangzeb with his entire army of Hindustau swiftly marched, and at Kachwah the two armies encountered each other, and a battle was fought. The armies were arrayed on both sides, They stood forth like mountains on a plain. "When the armies from both sides approached each other, From the dark dust- that arose, the universe turned dark. When from both sides they struck up drams of war, The lion-like heroes spread their claws to smite. Tumult arose from drums, The ear of the world was deafened. From guns aud muskets, rockets and arrows, Security in the world fled to a corner. From the smoke of gun-wagons that mingled with the atmosphere, The sky became hidden from me world’s view. The spear warmed in slaughtering, And whispered messages of destruction into the ear of Life. The lightning of the sword kindled fire so much, That it burnt the harvest of existence. The fire of warfare blazed up so keeuly, That it scorched the heart of Mars aloft on the sky. After much exertions and fightings, Aurangzeb’s army was defeated. Aurangzeb, however, with a number of noblemen and some gunners, stood bis ground on the battlo-fteld. Alivnrdi Khan, the generalissimo of Shah ShujVs force, attempted to capture Aurangzeb and checkmate him. As God has bestowed greater wisdom on Sovereigns than on the mass of mankind, and ns in military affairs, Sovereigns are endowed with a more accurate per¬ ception of the situation, that wise sovereign (Aurangzeb) observing the adage that “ war is fraud,” deceived the aforesaid Khan by holding out to him the chance of being appointed Prime Minister, and said that if the latter could induce Muhammad Shuj‘a to 220 dismount from liis elephant and to mount a horse, he would win this game. The aforsesaid Khun, seduced by the bait held out by Aurangzeb, played false with his own old benefactor, and spoke to Muh a nun ad Shuj‘a as follows: “ Victory has been already achieved by our army, and the enemy’s force has been defeated. As cannon-balls, and rookets and arrows are raining from every side, it is possible that the Royal elephant might be hit; it is therefore advisable that your Highness should dismount from your elephant and mount a horse. By the good luck of your Highness, I would immediately capture and fetch ‘Alamgir. Instantly as Shah Shuj‘a mounted a horse, the aforesaid Khan sont informa¬ tion to ‘Alamgir. ‘Alamgir immediately adopted the ruse of causing the music of victory to be struck up. And since the army did not find Shah Shuj‘a on the elephant, news spread in the army about the victory of ‘Alamgir and the defeat of §hah Shuj‘a. Shui‘a’s force fled panic-stricken, thinking that Shuj‘a had been killed. Although Shuj‘a made exertions to stop the pamo and prevent the flight, these were in vain. Hence the adage is •• Shui‘a lost a winning game.” The army of Aurangzeb collect, ^together, made an onslaught. When Shah Shuja found that he had lost the game, he was obliged to take to flight and fle to Bengal, and fortifying the passer of Teliagadln end Sakngah he entrenched himself at Akbarnagar (Ra 3 mahal . Alnmg nppointed Nawab Mu‘azzam Khan, Khan-i-Khanan the Gene^ 6 1 to be Subadar or Viceroy of Bengal. And detaching twen'.y-two renowned noblemen, like Nawab Islam Khan, Di er Khan, Daud Khan, Fateh Jang Kban, and Ih.is^am ^an e c under the command of Sultan Muhammad, to pursue 3h ■ &££ Aurangzeb himself triumphant and victorious marched wards the Capital (Delhi). VICEROYALTY OF NAWAB MU‘AZ7.AM KEAN, khan-i-ketanan. When N aW ab Mu'szzam EMn . appoi„ted Sabadar of Be , gal , be fT -d ;o r j Sb" ,be passes of aelm K adb. ana &akn R opera- 221 by way of Jharkand 1 and the mountains. When the contending armies approached each other, Shah Sljuj'a finding it impracticable to tarrv at Akbarnagav (Rajraahal) caused ‘Alivardi Ehan, who was the root of nil this mischief, to be slain, himself retired to Tandah, and erecting redoubts, fortified himself there. When the two forces approached each other, separated by the river Ganges, one day Sharif Khan, who was a source of mischief, and Fateh Jang Eian, getting into boats, crossed over to the northern bank, and they were similarly followed by others. From the northern side of the bank, as soon as Sharif Khan landed, the soldiers of Shah S£uj‘a gave battle. Nearly seventy persons who had reached the banks were killed and slaughtered. The remaining boats retired from the middle of the river. Sultan Shuj'a ordered the wounded persons to be killed ; but Shah Neamatullah Firuzpuri expostulat¬ ed. Shah Sjjuj'a who had great faith in this Saint made over to the latter Sharif Kljaa together with other wounded prisoners. The Saint nursed them, and after their wounds had healed up sent them back to their army. But Sultan Muhammad, desiring to desert to his uncle, came alone to meet the latter, and receiving much kindness from his uncle, stayed on with him. Sultftn Shuj'a gave his daughter in marriage to him. Sultan Muhammad, on the side of Sultan Shuj‘a, fought several battles with the Imperial* ists, consisting of the Kbau-i-Kbanan 8 and Diler Khan, Ac. I The Alamgimamdh indioates that at the time §hah ghnj'a had halted at Monghyr, fortifying the place. Then Rajah Bahroz. zamindar or Rajah of Kharakpur, who professed loyalty to §hali §huj‘a, bnt in reality wae a traitor secretly intrigued with Aur&ngzeb's general, Mir Jumla alias Mn'azzam Khan, and showed the latter another route across the hills to the east of Monghyr. In oovering this route f Mir Jumla had to make a detour of several miles; and Shah 8hnj‘a finding that he was being out-flanked, instantly sailed down on his war-vessels from Monghyr Fort to Rangamati and Rajmahal, and on the way fortified the passes of Teliagadhi and Sakrigali, which were then regard¬ ed as the 1 key ’ to Bengal* * A full account of his life will be found in tho Afaarir.ti{-t7mara, Vol. Ill, p. 530, Pers. text. From it, it appears that his name was Mir Muhammad Said Mir Jumla, and his titles were “ Ma'azzam Khan. Khan-i-Khanan Sipasalir.” He came from Ardastnn, first served under Sultan Abdullah Qutb Shah, ruler of Golkondah, where he attained great eminence. Falling out with Qutb ghah he joined Prince Anrangzeb who was thou in the Dakhin. His great service* were (1J the conquest of Bijapur, (2) the extirpation of Shah Shnj’a, (3) the conquest a of Kuch Behar and Assam. Ho was a statosman of great sagncitv 222 At length, on finding Sultan Sbuj'a negligent find apathetic, Sultan Muhammad went over again to the side of the Imperialists, and from thence to the presence of Emperor Aurangzeb at Shah Jahanabad, where he was imprisoned. 1 And orders were repeated to the Khan-i-Kbanan to pursue Sultan Shuj‘a. In short, one day iwhen Diler Khan, &c., crossed the river at Paglaghat, Diler ■Khan’s son, with a number of efficient men, was drowDed. Sultan Shuj‘a with his dependants and adherents, getting into war- vessels which had been brought up from Jahanglrnngar (Dacca), set out for the latter place. The Khan-i-Khanan* also followed him up by land. Finding it impossible to make a stand at this place either, Sultan Shuj‘a with a number of follower* took the road to Assam, and from thence proceeded to Arrakan, and took shelter with the ruler of that tract, who was a Syefl, 3 and in a short time he died there, either owing to the treachery of the ruler of that tract, or from natural disease. When in the period of anarchy under Sultan Shuj'a, Bhim Narain, Rajah of Kuch Behar, 4 becoming during, with a large force attacked Ghoraghat, nnd foresight, and as a general, he was matchless in his day. (See Maaeir-ul- Umara, p. 555, Vol III, Pers. text) 1 Details of Sultan Mohammad’s desertion to §hah ghuj'a, and his subsequent secession, are given in the Alamgimamah. % Details of Shah Shuj'a’s fightings and adventures are given in the Alamgimamah. See notes, ante. I The description in the Alamgimamah, pp. 557 to 662, shows that the ruler of Arrakan was neither a Syed, nor a Mussulman, but a Buddhist. It also appears from the Alamgimamah that setting out from Tandth on boats, Sultan Shuj'a reached Dacca (Jahangirnagar) where his eldest son Zainu-d- din had been from before. Zainu-d-din had arranged with the Rajah of Arrakan to escort Sultan Shuj'a to Arrakan, on the letter’s arrival at Dacoa. At this time, ManQar Khan, a zamiudar of Jahangirnagar, proved obstructive to Zainud-din's plans, and so ho (Manuar) was first chastised with the help of the Arrakanese.