English
On the hanks of the river Sabaurikha , 1 at the ferry of Rajghat, Rajah Jagardhar Biianj, Zamindar of Morbhanj , 8 had established a garrison of his Qb&wars and Khandaits, and had erected entrenchments. To cross, therefore, at the ferry of Rajghat which was protected by dense jungles and thorny trees, was found to be a difficult operation, and therefore, All Vardi Khan had to ask for help from the Rajah.' The Rajah, however, was haughty owing to his* command of a large army, and did not care for All Vardi Khan. Re refused to side with the latter, or to permit him to cross at the Rajghat ferry. AU Yard! Khan placing his artillery-waggons in front of the Rajghat ferry, commenced bombarding it. The Rajah’s army were unable to hold the ground in their entrenchment, and fled to the jun¬ gles. All Vardi Khan with troops and artillery crossed over at Rajghat, and encamped at Ramoijandarpur which "wa® at a distance of one and a half karoh from Murshid Quli Khan’s encampment. Emissaries and envoys were busy for some days moving to and fro with messages of peace and war, and this sort of diplomatic parley lasted for one month. All this time Murghid Quli Khan 5 did not advance across the ferry of Phulwar. Having 1 This is an error in the text, or a misprint for 1 Sabarnarika * river, ou whioh Jalesar or Jalasore is situated. * This forms now one of the Tributary Mahals under the Commissioner of Orissa. * As another interesting and remarkable illnstration of the potent influenoe in politics and sooiety exercised by Mnsnlman ladies in Bengal, even towards the middle of the eighteenth century, it may be noted that Murshid Qnli ^in himself was averse to fight with Ali Vardi Khin, owing to a sense of feebleness, but that his brave wife, Durdanah Begam, encouraged and inspired him to fight, in order to avenge her brother Sarfariz Chau’s fall, and threat- 42 regard to the wasteful expenditure on account of a huge army thus locked up, and viewing the dearth of provisions, and apprehend¬ ing the approaoh of the rainy season as well as the raids of Mah- ratta freebooters, All Yardi Khan thought it expedient to patch np peace, and return. But Mustafa Khan, generalissimo of AH Yardi’s Af gh an contingent, not acquiescing in peace, suggested en- ticuchments being thrown up during the rains. After a Council of War, it was decided after much deliberation to send a soothing mes¬ sage to Mnrshid Qnli Khan through a trustworthy envoy, who was instructed to get back a reply in the following form :—“ I shall not allow you authority or possession over the Subah of Odisah,” and then with this document to return to Bengal, and after the rainy season, again mobilising troops, to re-attempt Mnrshid Qnli Khan’s subjugation. Although ‘Abid Khan and other Afghan Generals, owing to the sedition sown amongst them by Mnkhali? Ali Khan, treacherously advised Mirza Baqir Khan, who com¬ manded the vanguard of Mnrshid Qnli Khan’s army, to give bat¬ tle by advancing out of the .entrenchment, Murghid Qnli Khan remained on the defensive, and dissuaded Mirza Baqir from attempting a sally. But as the period of stay within entrenchments was tediously protracted, Mirza Baqir, carried by his youthful im¬ pulsiveness, sallied out with his contingent composed of Syeds of Barha, and arrayed himself in battle-rank. Mnrshid Quli was, therefore, obliged to array his troops in front of All Yard! Khans army. On both sides, the battle opened with a cannonade, which was soon abandoned for a sword and spear-charge at close quarters. Mnrshid Quli Khan’s generalissimo, Mir Abdn-l-‘Aziz, who com¬ manded the van, and his devoted contingent of three hundred knights consisting of Syeds of Barha spurred on their chargers, exhibited feats of heroism and hereditary gallantry, and with the flashing of their lightning swords ignited the life-harvests of all whose moment for death had arrived. Before this gallant oharge, Ali Vardi Khan’s soldiers, who had hitherto fancied themselves lions of the forest of bravery, fled like sheep from the battle-field, and met with a crushing defeat. The elephant on whioh Ali ened that in case her husband failed to do so, she would supplant him from the Government of Orissa, and raise to the gadi her son-in-law, Mirza Biqir Ali Khan, in his place. Thereon, Mnrshid Quli gave way to his wife's influence, and resolved to fight with Ali Vardi. (See Sriru-i.Jfv/a&erm, Pers. text, p 496). • •- \V 329 Vardl Khan with his Begam 1 was mounted, was withdrawn half a farsahh away from the battle-field. At this crisis, Mukljalig All Khan and .Abid Khan surnamed Farzand All Kli&n. upon whose loyalty Murshid Quli Khan reposed implicit confidence, together with Muqarrab Kban and other Afghan generals, ex¬ hibiting treachery which is the characteristic of the Afghan race, effaced from the tablets of their hearts nil the alphabets of obligations that had been engraved thereon by many years of shel¬ ter and salt-eating, deserted the side of Murshid Quli Khan, and retired from the battle-field. At this juncture, Manikchand , 8 Pesjikar of the Rajah of Bardwan, who had arrived with an ap¬ propriate auxiliary force to serve under All Vardi Khan, reflect¬ ing that results of war were dubious, and speculating iabout the 1 This is a remarkable incident illustrating that Mnsalman ladies in India had not yet all taken to the existing form of seclusion, nor ceased to take an active Bhare in their husbands’ bnVdens, both in poaco and war. Indeed, it is interesting to note that Ali Verdi's Begam played the r6lc of Sopreme Politi¬ cal Officer, whilst her husband fooght the battles with the Mahrattas. It is stated in the Seiru-l-Muta&erin (Pers. text, p. 550), that one day Ali Vardi at Patna after fighting with the Mahrattas under Raghoji Bhosla, entered the Begam’s boudoir with an anxious look. The Begam enquired what the mat¬ ter was, when Ali Vardi replied that this time he feared treachery from hia own soldiers and officers. Thereon, the Begam on her own initiative and her own responsibility organised a political mission, and sont it to BAghoji’s camp, to arrange for a treaty of peace. Raghoji fell j n with the proposal, but his Chief Adviser, Mir Habib, dissnaded him, and advised him to make a dash for Murshidabad, holding out the prospeot of loot. The Begam must have been a lady of keen judgment and uncommon sagacity to have been relied upon at suoh a crisis by her shrewd husband. * Manikofcand who was afterwards left as Governor of Calcotta, when Sirajn-d-danlah conqnered it, was a shrewd and time-serving man, and regnlat- ed his loyalty by prudential considerations. He was a prototype of Nnbo- kishen of later times, of whose loyal assistance to the English so ranch has of late been made by a recent writer, bat who only followed Manikchand in his loyal tactics, feeling his way cantionsly, and keenly watching which way the tide of success turned, in order to adjust his individual position with an eye to sulf-aggrandisemont. The Stir makes no mention of Mfinikchmd having taken any part in the battle, and ascribes Murshid Qnli Khan’s disaster to the treachery of his Afghan general ‘Abid Khan, and to the rash sally of his son-in-law, Mirza Baqir Ali Khan. At thia battle near Balasore, the Syods of Barha fonght bravely on the aide of Murshid Quli Khan, nnd several of them, such as Mir Ali Akbir and Mir Mujtaha Ali fell, whilst Mirza Baqir Ah Kha himself was severely wounded. (Seo Seir, p. 497.) • 330 future, covertly humoured Murshid Quli Khan, and asked for the latter’s flag of truce, in order to join him and exhibit self- sacrifice and loyalty. From a side of the forest, towards the direction whence the force of Mirza Baqir Khan was marching in pursuit of All Vardi Khan, Manikchand shewed himself, and displayed Murshid Quli Khan’s flag. Inasmuch as the afore¬ said Mirza was unaware of his aim, he opposed his progress. Mauikohand was obliged to fight. Mirza Baqir’s efficient soldiers were already exhausted by warfare, so they fought in broken lines, and by the viccisitudea.of times, the corps of Mirza Baqir was defeated. All Vardi Khan, on being apprised of this, hurriedly collected his vanquished troops by use of persuasions, and a second time engaged in fighting. Mir Abdu-l-‘Aziz and his corps, consisting of three hundred Syed knights, dismount¬ ing from their horses, and girding up their loins of bravery, marched to the battle-field, and one by one, all of them fell, being shot down by bullets fired by the Bhaliah corps. Murshid Quli Khan being thus defeated retired 1 to the Port of Bahsar (Bala- sore), and there embarking on a sloop which had been kept ready from before, he sailed for the Dakhin, and presented him¬ self before Nawab £?af Jah.* A providential victory thus fell to the good fortune of Ali Vardi Khan Mahabat Jang. The latter pursued the vanquished army up to the Port of Balasore. From there, he detached Mirza Eiairu-1-lah Beg, Faqiru-l-lah Beg, 1 It is stated in the Se.r tnat after his defeat at the bait e of Balasore, Mnrshid Quli Khan together with his son-in-law, Mirza Baq.r All £hn, with “t£ to^ of Balasore, with two or three thousand troops ing treachery from the latter, he gave out that he would entrench^ h.mse in the townf told them off to some distance to guard the roads leading to town wS he himself with Mirza Baqir Ali moved towards the sea-sh re At this time it so Surat, had his mercantile ship in the ’ A g and g 5ji Mohsin and KM" ■ “ Wd The .hip S sailed del to Mesnli. some servants, embarked on ^ B0nfc MIrzd B5qir A]l to . patam. From Masulipatam, Dnrdanft h Begam and her daughter wards Sikakul and Ganjam, to bring away from Katak (Cuttack). 0 f the Dakhin under Emperor 8 Nizamu-l-Mulk Asaf Jah was J himself 8 mi .j ndep endent ^r'o^he Centra, Government at Deihi.