English
Overwhelmed with disaster, and unable to stand their ground, Mir Habib and Bhaskar Panijit with other Maliratte officers fled 346 from the battle-field, leaving their array to their fate, just as a cow is left to the tender mercies of a butcher. A crushing defeat 1 was inflicted on the Mahratta array, which was triumphantly chased to some distance Bhaskar and other Mahratta Generals fell back to Ramgadh, from where with common consent they marched with celerity across jungles, to invade and ravage the Subah of Orissa. • Shaikh Muhammad Ma'sura, the Deputy Nazim of Orissa, in order to resist the enemy, advanced from Katak, and opposed the enemy’s march. When the two armies encountered each other, the fire of conflict flared up once again. Although the Zamindars had deserted his side, with a small band numbering five thousand cavalry and infantry, Shaikh Muhammad Ma‘sum stood his ground dauntlessly on the field. The Mahratta army, which was more numerous than ants and locusts, surrounded Shaikh Ma'sum from all sides like a circle, and slaughtered him together with his comrades. The Subah of Odisah (Orissa), together with the Fort of Barabatl and the citadel of the City of Katak, fell once again into the hands of the enemy. Nawab Mahabat Jang, on hearing of the above disaster, march¬ ed swiftly to Bardwan. He paid to each soldier two months’ pay and also other gifts on account of the victory of Katwah, advanc¬ ed to Katak, and repeatedly assaulting the Mahratta troops drove them from Katak, and victoriously entered its citadel. Leaving General Abdu-r-Rasul Khan, who was a second Mustafa Khan, and 1 This defeat ot the Mahrattas at Katwah took place in 1155 A.H. The 8eir otates that after his defeat at Katwah, Bhaskar Pandit, the Mahratta General, fled through the hill-passes of Pachit into a forest, but losing his way, and not succeeding in making his retreat to his own country (Nagpur), under the guidance of Mir Habib, came back to the jungles of Bishanpur, passed through -,hem to the jungles of Clyindrakonah, emerged at Midnapur, and made for Katak, fought with and killed Shaikh $ubad.r of Orissa. Mahabat Jang hotly chased Bhaskar Pandit np to the confines of the Cbilka Lake, but Bhaskar succeeded in effecting his retreat into the Dakhin. Then Mahabat Jang returned to Katak, where he installed Abdul Nabi Khan (nephew o Shaikh Ma‘?um) as Snb.idar of Orissa, and left Dulab Ram (son of Janaki Ram) as Peshkar under the latter, and then returned to Murshidabad (p. 619, 8eiru-l-Mutak£erin, Pers. text). There is a village called Masurapnr about 11 miles north from KfltK It is a colony of respectable Muhammadans, and iB probably named so after the above Shaikh Ma'sum Panipati. Six miles from Masumpor, ia another colony of respectable Musalmans at Salibpur. who was also the latter’s nephew, as the Deputy Nazim of Orissa, together with a contingent of six thousand cavalry and infantry, Mahabat Jang returned to the Subah of Bengal. On receiving news of the defeat of Bhaskar Pandit, Sis Rao evacuating the fort of Hugli retreated to Bishanpur. Other Mah¬ ratta officers, who were posted at different places for the collection of revenue, also fled. The Collectors and Faujdars of Mahabat Jang entered the ravaged tracts, and again set about to re-settle them. But Bhaskar Pandit, after his defeat, sent Bairagi dacoits to¬ wards Akbarnagar (Rajmahal), Bhagalpur, and Behar. Mahabat Jang, who had not yet breathed freely, again set ont from Bengal for those places. He had not yet reached the $ubah of Behar, when the Bairagis retreating from those parts swooped down on Murshidabad. Mahabat Ja*ig fell back from Behar, and pursued them. These Bairagi freebooters were busy with looting Baluchar, when the music of the drum and tambourine of Mahabat Jang’s vanguard rang in the ears of those maniacs. Losing all courage, acid leaving behind bags of booty, they fled from Baluchar. Mahabat Jang chased them up to Ramgadh, from where he returned. In short, this sort of guerilla warfare lasted three years. Victor¬ ies on both sides were mingled with defeats, and it was hard to decide which side eventually came off the best. Nawab Mahabat Jang, following the saying that “ war is made up of fraud,” diplo¬ matically established friendly relations with All Qarawal, who was one of the Mahratta leaders that had embraced the Mnhammadan faith, and was snrnamed All Bhai. From considerations of expe¬ diency, Mahabat Jang invited him over. Receiving him kindly and courteously, using dissimulation and artfulness, and profess¬ ing friendship and benignity, he made him consent to arrange an interview between himself and Bhaskar Pandit with other Mah¬ ratta Generals. Heedless of the duplicity of the times, that simple¬ ton was taken in, and arrived at Dlknagar. He induced Bhaskar and other Mahratta Generals to meet Mahabat Jang, by conveying to them the assurances and avowals of Mahabat Jang with refer¬ ence to the settlement of the Chauth and the establishment of friendly relations. And these, in accordance with the saying; — “ One perceiveth according to the length* of his sight,” placing - I The Arabic saying is: clki iSi the finger of acceptance on their blind eyes, summoned to their presence Rajah Janaki Ram and Mn^tafa San for fixing the basis of a treaty, and for ratifying it by protestations and oaths. These going over to Bhaskar made vows and oaths, according to the forms of their respective religions and creeds. Mustafa Khan had with him, under a cover, a brick instead of the Qoran , and holding it he repeated oaths. Falling into the trap laid by Mahabat Jang, and reiterating the vows of peace, All Bliai and Bhaskar with other Mahratta Generals promised to meet Mahabat Jang at a place called Mankarah, 1 and permitted Mustafa San and Rajah Janaki Ram to return. These going to Mahabat Jang assured him of the sac- cess of their mission, and related the mutual promises and vows that had taken place. Expressing his satisfaction, Mahabat Jang ostensibly set about collecting valuable khilluts and jewelleries, together with elephants, horses, and other rare and precious pre¬ sents for presentation to the aforesaid Mahratta Generals. Announc¬ ing to the general public news of the approaching peace, Mahabat Jaug covertly laid a plot of treachery, and took into confidence his own Generals towards its development. He picked out veteran and brave soldiers from his army, and caused long and wide tents capable of holding large detachments with horses and elephants, to be pitched at Mankarah. Himself going into one of the tents, he arranged a grand party of friends and comrades. He secreted in battle-array inside the tents a battalion of picked men, and sent a message to All Bliai to bring over Bhaskar with all the Mahratta Generals. In short, Bhaskar, leaving all his troops in camp, came to All Vardi’s tent, together with Ali Bhai and twenty-one other Mahratta Generals. The tent-pitchers following the signal drop¬ ped down the screens of the pavilion, tied them strongly with tent- ropes, and cat off the ingress and egress of friends and foes. Mahabat Jang, at the very sight of Bhaskar, said to hi* comrades who were waiting for the signal : “ Kill these heathen sinners. * Instantly, swords sprang up from every side on thn Mahrattas. 1 In Beir (p. 529) Mankara is described as lying on the banks of the tfhagi- rati. How the wily Ali Vardi Khan treacherously inveigled Bhaskar Pa^fc and other Mahratta Generals into bis tent, is luoidly described in the 8e%ru-l- Mutakherin (p 529). In this game of treachery, Ali Yard! Khan's pnncip coadjutors were Majtafa EiiLn and Rijah Janaki Ram, the Peshkar. It must, however, be added-that the Mahrattas were well paid back in their own coin. * The expression given in the Beir (p. 630) is : “ Kill this enemy. 349 The clamour of assault rose up to the skies, Breasts were pierced through by swords. Bhaskar and twenty-one other Mnhratta Generals were butcher¬ ed. lu the midst of this carnage, Mahabat Jang mounting an ele¬ phant ordered the music of victory to be struck up, and ordered his select battalion to charge the Mnhratta army with theip^words. On seeing this, one 1 * * * S * * of the Mahratta Geuerals, who was posted out¬ side the pavilion with ten thousand cavalry, fled together with his force. Mahabat Jang’s soldiers pouncing like fighting lions on tin's flock of sheep fiercely attacked the Mahratta troops, and slaughtered them, right and left, raising human shambles, and captured those who escaped the sword. On hearing of this disaster, other Mahratta detachments which were encamped at Bardwan and Diknagar , 8 <fec., or patrolled the tracts between Mednipur and Akbarnagar (Riijmahal) fled to Nagpur. When news of this disaster reached the ear of Ragboji Bhoslab, He knitted his brow', from fury of rage, And coiled, like a serpent, from anxiety of lost treasures. He kindled such a fire of wrath in his heart, That he scorched himself from head to foot. After the rainy season was over, Raghoji Bhoslah 8 mobi¬ lised a large force, and marched towards Bengal, to avenge the I His name was Rngho Gaekwar. (See Seir, p. 631). Muafn Khan tried hard to inveigle him also into All VArdi's tent, but this Mnhratta General ap¬ pears to have been an uncommonly shrewd man, and said he would wait on Ali Vardi Khan on the following day, after Bhaskar Pandit and All Bhai had returned from their interview with Ali Vardi S In the printed Pars, text * Diknagar,' which place I cannot locate. 8 The Seiru-l-Mutafsheri a (Pers. text, pp. 545-548) gives a very lucid acoount of thie second Mahratta invasion of Bengal by Raghoji Bhoslah.