India, Past and Present Volume 1

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1903 Excerpt: ...or mingled by distance with the sky. In that quarter lies Rdigurh, from which place, directed by Tanaji Malusre, the thousand Mawalis prepared for the attempt on Singurh." Dispersing into small parties, they stealthily approached the citadel by paths practicable only to mountaineers. One by one, with the aid of a rope ladder, they gained the interior of the fort to the number of three hundred, when they were discovered by the garrison. A desperate struggle ensued. The Mawalis, although greatly outnumbered, held their own until Tanaji fell mortally wounded. Disheartened by the loss of their leader, the attacking party wavered and was upon the point of breaking into flight when reinforcements arrived under Suryaji, the brother of the fallen chief, who had contrived to effect an entrance through a gateway. Thus encouraged, the Mawalis, shouting their battle-cry, "Har! Har! Maho Deo!" renewed the onslaught with such fury that those of the Rajputs who were not killed made a desperate attempt to escape over the precipice, where many of them were dashed to death on the rocks. In this terrific conflict between about one thousand men on either side the attackers lost upwards of three hundred and the defenders not less than five Colonnade of Palace--Tadpatri hundred, while the commanders of both parties were slain. Raigurh is now little more than a memory, but time was and oft in the history of Marashtra when all men's eyes turned toward the rock-bound fortress. Upon its battlements one may see the stone slab upon which the great Sivaji was cremated. The flames of his funereal pyre must have been seen for miles around, from the valley below and the hills beyond. One may see the base of the Durbar Hall--the building has been destroyed to furnish materia...