History of the Jats:Dr Kanungo/Surajmal’s Great Disappointment

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History of the Jats

By K. R. Qanungo. Edited by Vir Singh. Delhi, Originals, 2003, ISBN 81-7536-299-5.

Chapter VII. Surajmal’s Great Disappointment


The Prelude to Panipat

[p.72]: India held her breath in painful suspense for the last six months of the year 1760. The two mighty war-clouds which had so long darkened the political horizon, were now gathering impetus for a more tremendous shock. A struggle between the foreign Afghan invader and the Marathas for ascendancy in Northern India was given the appearance of a great communal and religious war by the Durrani and the Peshwa. The Afghan monarch claimed the support of all Muhammadans as the champion of decaying Islam against the aggressive Hindu reaction; while the Maratha declared his mission to be to rescue his co-religionists from their age-long servitude under oppressive Muslim rule. Agents of the Peshwa visited the Court of every Hindu prince of Rajputana, but received a cold reception and evasive replies. If the periodical visits of the Marathas when moving under the shadow of the Mughal throne meant such misery and ruin to them-so the princes argued - what would be their fate under the undisputed sovereignity of the Southerners, relieved of the fear of the Abdali? No Rajput prince responded to the Peshwa's appeal;so little was the faith reposed in them even by their Hindu allies that Raja Suraj Mal dared not visit the camp of the Bhao without taking before-hand from Holkar and Sindhia the most solemn pledges of his safety.

The Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao sent his cousin Sadasiva, and his son Biswas Rao at the head one of the largest and


[p.73]: best-equipped armies, numbering about half a lakh, that had ever crossed the Narmada to contend for the dominion of India. His parting words to his cousin were: "Take this nephew of yours to Hindustan and win over all non-Afghan nobles-of the empire to our side. I shall soon follow you with another strong army; through the blessings of Shri Bhawaniji, I shall make Qandahar empty of living beings, and leave no seed of the Afghan race on earth. After that only one or two Musa1mans like Shuja-ud-daula and Jafar Ali Khan (Mir Jafar of Bengal) would remain to be dealt with. If they show hostility, their existence would be wiped out; if they submit, we shall keep them like pigeons stripped of their feathers (manand kabuiaran par buridah). Then placing Biswas Rao on the throne of Delhi I shall go on pilgrimage" (Imad,78). How far these high hopes were realised is now a notorious facts in the history of India.

Jats Join Sadashiv Rao Bhau

After his arrival on the bank of the Chambal, the Bhao sent a high-flown letter to Raja Suraj Mal requesting him to come without delay to the Maratha camp and unite [Iamd., 78, 178]. Malhar Rao Holkar and Sindhia persuaded him to meet the Bhao at Agra. Suraj Mal went to the Maratha camp and was honourably received by the Bhao and other Maratha generals. From Agra they marched together to Mathura where the sight of Abdun-nabi's mosque inflamed the anger the Bhao. He turned upon Suraj Mal and said to him, "You profess to be a Hindu: but how is it that you have kept this mosque standing so long?" Suraj Mal mildly replied: "Maharaj! of late, the Royal Fortune of Hindustan has become fickle in her favours like a courtesan; to-night she is in the arms of one man and the next in the embrace of another. If I could be sure that I should remain master of these territories all through my life, I would have levelled this mosque down to e earth. But of what use will it be, if I to-day destroy this mosque, and tomorrow the Musa1mans come, and demolish the great temples and build four mosques in the place of this one? As Your Excellency has come to these parts the affair is now in your hands." The Bhao rejoined, "After defeating these Afghans I shall everywhere build a temple on the ruins of a mosque." However, a holy bath in the Jamuna, after the capture of Delhi, cooled his


[p.74]: temper; the faqirs of the Jama Mosque shared his charity equally with the Brahmans (Waqa, 178).

Everything went on well for a few days and it was all love and cordially between the Jats and Marathas. But a coolness soon sprang up owing to a difference of opinion as to the plan of campaign against the Abdali. The Maratha commander-in-chief called a council of war at Agra, and there, Suraj Mal was asked to give his opinion as to the proper method to be followed in the impending campaign.

Suraj Mal's opinion on plan of campaign against the Abdali

The Jat chief (Suraj Mal) replied: "I am a mere zamindar (peasant), and Your Highness is a great prince; every man forms his plan according to his capacity. Whatever appears advisable in my opinion, I shall submit to you. This is a war against a great emperor, assisted by all the chiefs of Islam. Though Shahan-Shah is a sojourner in Hindustan, his adherents are- all inhabitants of this country and lords of large estates. If you are clever, the enemy is cleverer .... Undoubtedly it is proper that you should act with great caution and reflection in conducting this war. If the breeze of victory breathes upon the cow's tail (on your standard) it should be considered as written by the pen of destiny on your auspicious forehead. But war is a game of chances, holding out two alternatives .... It is wise not to be too confident and rest in too much tranquility. It seems proper that your ladies, the unnecessary baggage, and large cannon which will be of little use in this war, should be sent off beyond the Chambal, to the fort of Jhansi or Gwalior, and you yourself with light-armed war-like troops, meet the forces of the Shah. If victory is Won, much booty would come to our hands; if the case is the reverse, we shall have our legs (unfettered by females and other impediments) to flee away on. If you are opposed to the idea of sending them to such a distance or consider it impracticable, I shall vacate anyone of my four iron-like forts according to your choice where you may keep in safety your women and baggage, stocking it well with provisions, so that at the moment of decisive action your heart may not be weighed down and your hands fettered by anxiety about the honour of your ladies.

And in this time of famine, the road for the supply of grain must be kept open, so that scarcity of grain may not cause hardship to the


[p.75]: army. I shall wait upon your stirrup with my troops; and as my country has been free from the depredations of the enemy, supplies can be secured from that quarter ....

It is advisable to carry on an irregular warfare with light cavalry (jang-i-kazzaqana) against the Shah, and not encounter him in pitched battles after the manner of kings and emperors (jung-i-Sultani). When the rainy season will arrive both sides will be unable to move from their places, and at last the Shah, who will be in a disadvantageous position (in comparison with us), will of himself become distressed and return to his own country. The Afghans, thus disheartened, would submit to your power" (Imad, 179-180).

He further advised the Bhao at "one division of the army should be sent towards the east, another towards Lahor, so that by devastating those countries, the supply of grain to the army of the Durrani may be cut off.1 We find Raja Suraj Mal and the Marathas in communication with the Sikhs of the Punjab, the most resolute enemies of the Abdali, and with Raja Balwant Singh of Benaras, who was a thorn in the sides of the Abdali's ally Shuja-ud-daulah, evidently with a view to prevent supplies being sent from Oudh and the Punjab to the Abdali's camp or to cause diversions in the rear and left flank of the invader.

All the chiefs of the Maratha army having praised his plan, declared with one voice that this was their opinion too."We are ourselves predatory fighters (kazzaq); so this mode of fighting can bring no blame upon us. Our skill lies in flight, i.e., evading blows. If the enemy cannot be conquered by stratagem, it is not wise to be entangled in a difficult situation and throw ourselves into destruction."

But the arrogant Bhao looked upon this mode of fighting as unworthy of a prince like himself - the cousin of the Peshwa, whose mere servants and agents had already achieved such brilliant exploits in Hindustan. He regarded this advice as the outcome of the senility of Holkar and other aged chiefs and the stupidity of the Jat upstart. All the chiefs thus disappointed and insulted went out, saying to themselves


1. Abdul Karim Kashmiri, the author of the Bayan-o-Waqa, corroborates the above statement, viz. Suraj Mal's advice "that no pitched battle should be fought with the army of the Durrani who has been joined by all the amirs of Hindustan." He says that Suraj Mal advised the Bhao to leave his baggage at Akbarabad (MS. p. 289).


[p. 76]: that some great reverse would bring this fiery and rash leader to his senses and make him more attentive to the opinions of his lieutenants (Imad, 180-181). Suraj Mal's enthusiasm for his Maratha allies somewhat cooled down and an injurious misunderstanding was avoided only by the tact of the other Maratha chiefs. They induced the Bhao to be more considerate to the Jat chief whose adherence was represented to be of primary importance for the success of their enterprise.

Raja Suraj Mal, accompanied by Ghazi-ud-din, joined the Bhao with 8,000 Jats. The allied army reached Delhi in July, 17602 and laid siege to it. Ghazi-ud-din threw himself into the task of capturing the city with his characteristic energy and resourcefulness. When the imperial capital fell, he had his revenge upon the Mughals (i.e., Abdalis) and the Marathas their plunder. So much booty fell into their hands, that none remained poor among them (Sardesai, Panipat, p. 162). "Ghazi-ud-din brought out of the imperial seraglio a prince of the royal line, seated him on the throne, restored order in the city, and for the first few days discharged the duties of the wazir, which office was believed by all to have naturally reverted to him.

But the Bhao suddenly signified his unwillingness to recognise Ghazi-ud-din as wazir. He confered the title of Raje Bahadur upon Naro Shankar, appointed him commandant of the fort, and governor of the capital, and formally invested him with the office of wazir. Raja Suraj Mal's word was thus violated: he strongly represented to the Bhao that the new appointment was unjust and injudicious, and prayed for the reinstatement of Ghizi-ud-din. Holkar and Sindhia supported the Raja's representation. But nothing could shake the haughty obstiriacy of the Bhao. These disappointed chiefs remarked with grave concern: "Our prestige in Hindustan is gone. What will it lead to?" Suraj Mal came to his mentor, the priest-politician Rupram Katari, and told him that the Bhao had utterly disregarded their joint and earnest representation


2. The Tarikh-i-Muzaffari (MS. p. 180), gives the date of the Bhao's arrival as 9th Zihijja, 1173 A. H. = Wednesday, 23rd July, according to the Waqa-i-Shah Alam Sani, 10th Zihijja (p. 178).


[p.77]: to restore the office of wazir to Ghazi-ud-din : "It is no good staying here; some mishap may come. It is prudent to try by every means to draw our heads out of it." But Sindhia and Holkar were encamped close by, there was no way of escape. His mind became disturbed by anxiety.

Bhao removed gilded silver ceiling of the Diwan-i-am

The folly and perversity of the Bhao did not end there. The gilded silver ceiling of the Diwan-i-am, beautifully inlaid with jewels, attracted the greedy eye of the rude Southerner. At heart he deliberated "Here is this ceiling; I shall strip it off and melt it to pay the daily wages of my troops. And in its place I shall make one of wood! Having first decided he called Sindhia, Holkar and Suraj Mal to hear their advice about it. Nothing does so much credit to the heart of Raja Sural Mal as the following passionate appeal to the Bhao to spare this last relic of imperial grandeur. He said "Bhao sahib! this room of the Emperor's throne is a place of dignity and veneration. Even Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Durrani, who had laid their grasp upon many a precious thing of the imperial palace, spared ceiling. The emperor and the amirs are now in your hands. We shall not see this (disfiguring of the place) with our own eyes. It can bring us no credit but only the odium of disloyalty.3 To this humble prayer of mine about it today, you should kindly pay due consideration. If you are short of funds, you have only to order me. I am ready to pay you five lakhs of Rupees (for sparing the ceiling)." The Bhao paid no heed to these words, thinking that he would get more by melting the ceiling. This heartless act of vandalism was committed under his orders, the ceiling was taken down and weighed; but to his great disappointment the bullion was found only worth three lakhs of Rupees. Raja Suraj Mal could restrain himself no longer; he went to the Bhao and bursting with honest indignation said, "Bhao Sahib! you have destroyed (the sanctity of the throne while am resent here and thereby brought odium upon me (as well). Whenever I make any request on any affair, you disregard and reject it. We at heart profess to be


3. Suraj Mal though a habitual rebel from necessity, always considered himself, like other virtually independent rulers of his time, a subject of the Mughal Emperor.


[p.78]: Hindus. Do you attach this much importance to the Jamuna's water which you touched (as a solemn proof of your alliance with me)?"

In October 1760, the Bhao having decided to march against the Nawab of Kunjpura (a place 78 miles north of Delhi, commanding a ford on the Jamuna), summoned his chiefs, Holkar, Sindhia, Suraj Mal and others, to consult them. Suraj Mal took this opportunity to vent his embittered feelings and with great bluntness said to the Bhao: You have taken off the silver ceiling against our wishes. Replace it to its former position .... Give back to Ghazi-ud-din the office of the wazir, which of right belongs to him. Sindhia, Holkar and I myself are all embarrassed on this account, and our honour and good name have been affected by it. From this time, be kind enough to give greater consideration to our little requests. In that case you may consider me and all my resources at your disposal. I shall continue to help nd supply you With provisions as before. You should not leave Delhi. Mature your pIariS from this place .... It is not advisable to be now entangled in the affair of Kunjpura."

These wholesome but unpalatable words of advice fell like a sprinkling of clarified butter (ghee) into the smouldering fire. "What!" replied the Bhao in haughty disdain, "have I come from the South relying on your strength? I will do what I like. You may stay here or go back to your own place. After overthrowing the Ghilcha (the Abdali) , I shall come to a reckoning with you." Hearing these harsh words, Sindhia and Holkar in dismay sat motionless and dumbfounded.

Suraj Mal’s withdrawal from Bhau’s camp

Suraj Mal, greatly disgusted and mortified, left the assembly and returned to his place, cursing his own folly in coming to the Marathi camp. He was virtually a prisoner and his position was one of great danger. Sindhia and Holkar had pledged their word of honour for his safety, and upon thier fidelity depended his only chance of escape. These two chiefs, now greatly concerned, met secretly and thus deliberated: "We have brought the Jat here by pledging our word of honour to him; the design of the Bhao is very bad. Balwant Rao and the Bhao have secretly planned to arrest Suraj Mal Jat, imprison him and plunder his camp. Suraj Mal


[p.79]: must be anyhow sent away in safe , so that the blame of faithlessness may not be laid on us. Let the master (the Bhao) do what he can (to punish us) on this account." Havingdeliberated thus, they sent for Rupram Katari, the vakil of the Jats, and advised him thus: "DO flee from this lace to-nightt by any means. The encampment of the Bhao Sahib lies at a distance: without letting him know it, slip out in silence. The pledge of honour between you and us is thus redeemed; say not a single word to us after this"; saying these words of two chiefs pulled their own ears in repentance and made a silent vow not to compromise their honour and involve themselves in such difficult situations again for the benefit of such a haughty and faithless master.

Rupram Katari came back to the Jat camp and explained the whole situation to his master. Raja Suraj Mal found himself between Scylla and Charybdis, the Bhao on one side and the Durrani on the other. He said to Rupram, "If by fortune we manage to escape to-night we incur the enmity of the Bhao. Should he succeed by chance in beating the Durrani, my ruin is inevitable. If he is in earnest, I shall find no refuge and none will be able to save me. Should I stay here, in fear of this future danger, I become a prisoner. Both courses are beset with difficulties. What is to be done now?" Rupram replied, "You know the proverb - Escaping one bad astral conjunction in one's horoscope means a further lease of twelve years of life. Both the Bhao and the Durrani are equally strong and equally implacable enemies. Who knows which of them would come out successful? Till then, in our own place we shall sit silent, holding our breath. Whatever is destined ahead for us by God must be good. Why do you trouble yourself now by the thought of the future (which is uncertain)? Let what may come afterwards; but to-night we must flee." Rupram's cool head and clear vision chalked out the right path for Suraj Mal, whose indecision might otherwise have brought down disaster on his head at this critical point.

When three hours of the night remained, the Jats silently struck their tents, packed their baggage, and marched off, with the connivance of Sindhia and Holkar, in the direction of Ballamgarh, the nearest Jat stronghold, 22 miles to the


[p.80]: south of Delhi. Malhar Rao, whose policy was to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds, sent his Diwan Gangoba Tatiya to the Bhao, after Suraj Mal had covered four kos, to inform him that Suraj Mal without telling anything to anybody, had gone away; and that their forces had been sent in pursuit, and that the Bhao should send his own army to join them in the chase. Suraj Mal safely reached Ballamgarh; the Maratha troops who went in pursuit came back after plundering some bazars. The Bhao bit his lip in anger, and exclaimed in public, "God willing, if the Durrani is defeated, of what greater weight (the affair of) the Jat can be?"4


4. These interesting and accurate details are taken from Bhao Sahib chi Bakhar (in Marathi, pp. 114-121) of which the above sketch is a free translation. The learned Maratha historian Mr. Sardesai gives, on the authority of Kashi Rai four causes of the defection of the Jats: (i) the families of the Marathas were not sent to Gwalior; (ii) the wazirship was not given to Mir Shihab-ud-dm (i.e. Ghazi-ud-din Imad-ul-mulk); (iii) the removal of the silver ceiling of the darbar room; and (iv) the management of Delhi was not given to them. (Panipat Prakaran, p. 166). The first point is undisputably true. The second is mentioned explicitly in the Maratha chronicles only, but not in the Persian histories, which however make certain statements leading to confirm this, as we shall see next. As regards the third. the author of the Siyar says : "What had so much shocked the Jat prince was this- They (the Marathas) stripped the imperial Hall of Audience of its wainsroting which was of silver, elegantly enamelled, and had sent it to the mint and without any respect for things held sacred by all mankind they had laid their sacrilegious hands upon the gold and silver vessels consecrated to the use of the monument of the sacred foot-prints, and of the mausoleum of saint Nizam-ud-din; nor did they spare Muhammad Shah's mausoleum, which they stripped of its incensory, candelabras, lamps and other utensils, all of solid gold. .... all of which were torn away and sent to the mint." (Siyar ill. 385-386). For the last point, bearing against Suraj Mal, Mr. Sardesai gives no other authority, and he silently passes over the treacherous design of the Bhao, which is attributed to him by the Persian historians as well as by the Marathi bakhars. The author of Imad-us-Saada: (Pers. text, p. 181) says that the Bhao demanded two krores of Rupees from Suraj Mal and kept him under suspicious watch and that the Jat Raja owed his deliverance to Malhar Rao.


Panipat and its Sequel

[p.81]: The defeat of the Marathas at Panipat was not an accident but a foregone conclusion. They had been beaten by the Shah in the held of diplomacy, several months before their overthrow in the trial of arms at Panipat. Not to speak of winning the "non-Afghan Muslim nobles" as instructed by the Peshwa, the Bhao had made an enemy of the only powerful Hindu Raja wno had come to serve him loyally and placed all his resources at the disposal of the Marathas. The value of Suraj Mals adherence had hitherto been hardly appreciated by the Bhao; but one day's hostility of the Jat brought him to his senses. "Raja Suraj Mal, accompanied by Ghazi-ud-din Imad-ul-mulk, marched away to Tughlaqabad; grain became very dear (at Delhi), and next day the Marathas went to make a compromise, with and pacify Imad-ul-mulk and Suraj Mal Jat."5 (Waqa, 178). A large tract of the country about Delhi had been so completely ruined by constant ravages, that the Durrani became dependent on the country of the Ruhelas for his supplies and the Maratha army drew theirs from Suraj Mal's kingdom. The foolishness and treachery of the Bhao now dried up this inexhaustible source. So it is no wonder that the Marathas had to fight on an empty stomach at Panipat.

Raja Suraj Mal's position was so conspicuous and his attitude so important that even his neutrality was considered by both the parties as worth securing. He could not be persuaded to join the Marathas again. He thanked his star and the wisdom of his priest Rupram for his recent escape. The vigilant Abdali at once seized this opportunity to make an attempt to win over Suraj Mal. He knew that it was more easy for him to beat the Maratha army than to capture the Jat strongholds, and that his enemies could not be decisively crushed till they had been deprived of such an impregnable base of operations as the country of Suraj Mal. He had, without success, tried several times before to detach the Jat Raja from the Marathas. He now opened fresh negotiations with the Jat, through Nawab Shuja-ud-daula. "Raja Devi


5. The date is somewhat confused and indefinite. It was between Safar 14, and Rabi I. 15; 1174 H. (i.e. Sept. 25-0ct. 25, 1760).


[p. 82]: Dutt, Ali Beg (of Georgia), and others came, on behalf of Shuja-ud-daula to the Jat for negotiating the terms of a compromise. The Jat agreed to it. wore the khilat sent by Shuja-ud-daula and the Shah, and exchanged oaths." The practical result of this treaty was to ensure only the neutrality of Suraj Mal, but not his active assistance on the Afghan side. In spite of the harsh treatment of the Bhao, the sympathy of Suraj Mal continued to he with the Marathas. He entered into this alliance with the Abdali only to provide against an emergency, and because complete isolation was too dangerous for any State in the then prevailing political condition of India.

Suraj Mal entertains Maratha refugees from Panipat

After the fearful wreck of the magnificent Maratha army at Panipat (14 January, 1761), the survivors fled southwards. In their hour of misfortune , the very: peasants stripped them of their arms, property and clothes. Naked and destitute the Maratha soldiers entered the country of the Jats who welcomed them to their hospitable doors and provided medicine, clothes and food for their relief. If Suraj Mal had not forgotten the wrongs done to him by the Marathas, and befriended them in their hour of adversity, very few of them would have crossed the Narmada to tell the woeful tale of Panipat to the Peshwa. And this he did at the imminent risk of incurring the enmity of the Abdali staking his life and fortune at the impulse of a pious and noble sentiment which would have done honour to the stoutest heart of Rajputana in her heroic days. All Muslim writers6 extol the generosity of Suraj Mal: the Maratha writers also acknowledge this: "At Mathura they entered the territory of the Jats. Suraj Mal, impelled by the Hindu religious sentiment, sent out his troops to protect them, and relieved their distress in every way by distributing food and clothes to them. At Bharatpur was the Jat queen, who showed much Charity to the fugitives. Thirty to forty thousand men were fed here for eight days; the Brahmans being given milk, peda, and other sweetmeats. For eight days all were


6. Imad, p. 203; Bayan-o-Waqa, MS. p. 293.


[p.83]: entertained in great comfort. A proclamation was made to the citizens that quarters and food were to be given to the fugitives in the manner most convenient to each. None wasto be put to trouble. In this way the Jat spent altogether ten lakhs of Rupees. Many men were thus saved. Shamsher Bahadur7 came wounded to the fort of Kumher; Suraj Mal tended him with the utmost care; but he died in grief for the Bhao" (Sardesai, Panipat Prakaran, 205). After relieving their distress, and pacifying their hearts, Suraj Mal gave one Rupee in cash, a piece of cloth, and one seer of grain to every ordinary man (common soldier and camp followers), and sent them to Gwalior" (Bayan, MS. 293).

Did Suraj Mal Plunder Naro Shankar?

Francklin, presumably on the authority of Munna Lal, gives a completely wrong version of this affair which amounts calumny: "It is said, that he (Naro Shankar, the Maratha governor) was stopped in the way by order of Suraj Mal at, stripped of all his ill-gotten wealth and left to pursue his journey, in equal distress and terror, to Akbarabad" (Shah-Aulum, 23). This hearsay is opposite the truth, as we learn from the letter of a Maratha fugitive who was with Naro Shankar: "Naro Shankar and Balaji Palande, with two to four thousand troops had fled beforehand from Delhi. On the way they met Malhar Rao Holkar who had about eight or ten thousand troops with him. We are now staying with Holkar at Gwalior. At Bharatpur Suraj Mal took the greatest care of our safety and comfort. We stopped there for fifteen to twenty days. He paid us great respect and attention, and said with folded hands "I am one of your own household]1 your servant; this kingdom is your's and such other words. Alas! there are so few like him. He sent his chiefs to escort us to Gwalior' (Sardesai, Panipat, p. 193). In another letter, Nana Fadnavis remarked: "The Peshwa's heart was greatly consoled by Suraj Mal's conduct"


7. He was the son of Peshwa Baji Rao I by a Muslim concubine and professed the Muhammadan faith. The author of Imad us-Saadat says. that Suraj Mal built a masjid and a house over his grave. (Pers, text, p. 203).


[p. 84]: (ibid). Nothing more is required than a mention of these facts to wipe off this unjust stain upon the memory of the great Jat ruler. To believe Francklin in the face of this unanimous Maratha assertion to the contrary, is to act in defiance of the laws of historic evidence.

Capture of Agra Fort in 1761

After the victory of Panipat Ahmad Shah, having entered Delhi in triumph, contemplated an expedition against Suraj Mal who had given refuge to the Marathas. The Jat Raja sent Nagar Mal to turn away the wrath of the Abdali (Waqa, 184), and hold out offers of submission. Suraj Mal, who knew well that the warworn Afghans would be reluctant to pass another summer in India, was not prepared to sacrifice much for peace. The negotiations were protracted from March to May, 1761. But during all this while, with cynical indifference to the presence of the Conqueror of Panipat at Delhi, he was engage in capturing Agra, the second capital of the empire, from the Musalmans. After a Siege of 20 days the conquest was achieved. Suraj Mal carried off 50 lakhs in the pillage of the city. (Wendel, Fr. MS., 46-47). Only five days before the Shah' departure from Delhi, "news arrived that the troops of Suraj Mal had forced the qiladar of Akbarabad to evacuate the fort, and entered it" 11 Sawwal, 1174 = 16th May, 1761; Waqa, 185). As a solace to the Shah, he paid one lakh of rupees in cash and executed a new bond for five lakhs to be paid afterwards, i.e., never. The claim to the five lakhs promised by Suraj Mal in 1757 was tacitly dropped. The rainy season was coming in, and the Sikhs had risen in his rear; the Shah was only too glad to get this much from the stubborn Jat. On the 16th Shawwal (21st May, 1761) he started from the garden of Shalimar8 (outside Delhi) for his country, leaving Suraj Mal to pursue with impunity his more ambitious designs of aggression.


8. This Shalimar stood near Badli (9 miles n. w. Delhi on E. I. Ry.).


End of Chapter VII. Surajmal’s Great Disappointment

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