276 HISTORY OF AURANGZIB. [CHAP. XI. this interval, Mughal detach- ment ravages the country Kulbarga. to having repaired their losses they began to assemble in order to oppose the Mughals. So, on 22nd July, Aurangzib sent a large division under his eldest son and Mir Jumla to break up their forces be- fore they could gain formidable strength. This Mughal corps advanced forty-eight miles, and then, sighting the enemy's camp at a distance, charged and broke their formation, and pursued them for four miles. The victors proceeded, laying the Bijapuri villages waste with fire and sword, and leaving no vestige of habitation or tillage in their path. They reached the un- protected hamlet near the fort of Kulbarga, the old Bahmani capital, where they reverently spared the tomb of Syed Gisu Daraz, a famous saint of Southern India.* Kaliani taken by assault. At last the end of the siege came in sight; the ditch was filled up with stone and mud, the parapets demolished by artillery fire, and on 29th July the Imperialists scaled a were
- Kambu, 5a. Aqil Khan states that after taking Kali-
ani, Aurangzib himself besieged Kulbarga (pp. 16, 38). Grant Duff (i. 157) makes him besiege Bijapur! But neither the official history of Kambu nor Aurangzib's letters support the assertion. Aurangzib did not advance further south than Kaliani and his son, who had penetrated to Kulbarga, did not besiege that forcrosoft®
