1878.] 
315 
W. Irvine —The Ba n g ash Nawdhs of Farrukhdbdd. 
above the ghdt. Thank God ! the Subah of Gujrat was freed from Baji 
Rao, Malwa was no longer in danger, and the fort of Surat, which is the 
gate of God’s house (Mecca), had been recovered from the infidel. 
While Muhammad Khan had gone to meet Nizatn-ul-Mulk, he had 
sent his son, Ahmad Khan, with Mukim Khan to the east to reduce- Kalk- 
li and Chakaldah* two forts on the right bank of the Narbada, the head 
quarters of Uda Punwar. Both were places noted for their strength, more 
especially Chakaldah, which had four forts and deep ditches, with jungle on 
three sides and the Narbada on the fourth. As the garrisons offered a 
stubborn resistance, Muhammad Khan himself determined to march to his 
son’s aid ; and leaving Akbarpur on the 1st Shawwal 1143, (29th March, 
1731), in two days he arrived near Kalkli. By an effort this fort was 
taken, and the next day they proceeded to invest Chakaldah. After six 
hours’ fighting the besieged were overcome so far that they sued for terms. 
Three thousand souls, men and women, submitted and were set at liberty. 
The walls, ditch and bastions were razed to the ground, and gold keys as a 
token of the capture were forwarded to the Emperor. While the Muham¬ 
madans were encamped near Chakaldah, Baji Rao was plundering in the 
direction of Jabwah,f while Rajah Abhai Singh was opposing him. Mu¬ 
hammad Khan hoped to march that way after clearing the country and 
destroying the forts. 
This capture of Uda Jl’s forts provoked a strong remonstrance from 
Nizam-ul-Mulk. He had told Muhammad Khan that Uda Ji and his 
friends were at enmity with Baji Rao. To secure success in the negocia- 
tions with them, they must be treated with consideration. If there were 
any of Holkar’s men in the forts, then with God’s aid they should be seized. 
Otherwise it was highly advisable to postpone any attack, and to put these 
men out of humour for a trifling cause was undesirable. The year before, 
when Raj Adhiraj (Raj Jai Singh Sawai of Jaipur) had cleared out the 
forts, he could not maintain himself, and the former owners re-occupied 
them. Former Nazims had not troubled themselves about the place, which 
was at a distance from Ujain and in one corner. To retain it would give 
great trouble and bring little profit. Above all, at such a time they should 
not be interfered with, and the Emperor’s advisers knew nothing of the 
state of affairs. The break up of the confederacy by the defeat on the 1st 
April, 1731, rendered these remonstrances of little weight, and before the 
letter was received the forts had been taken and levelled with the ground. 
Muhammad Khan turned against the fort of Konsi, the home of 
* Chakaldah is about 110 miles S. E. of Ujain, on the right hank of the Narbada, 
Kalkli has not been traced. 
f There is a Jabwah 100 miles W. of Ujain. 
s s 
