Sidhout,[1] east of Cuddapah, was also conquered, and his captains penetrated as far as
Chandragiri and Tirupati in the North
Arcot district. By looting the rich old temples
of the South and hunting out buried treasure,
Mir Jumla amassed a vast fortune. The huge
Hindu idols of copper were brought away in
numbers, to be melted and cast into cannon!
By diligently working the diamond mines which
he farmed from his sovereign or discovered by
his own exertions, he multiplied his wealth, till
he came to be known as the richest private man
in the South and the owner of twenty maunds of
diamonds. On entering Shah Jahan's service he
made presents worth 15 lakhs of rupees to the
Emperor, besides what he gave to Aurangzib and
his eldest son. By his conquests he raised his jagir in the Karnatak into a kingdom 300 miles
long and 50 miles broad, yielding a revenue of
40 lakhs a year, and possessing several diamond
mines. At his own cost and under his absolute
command he maintained an army of 5,000 well-
mounted and well-equipped cavalry, besides the
4,000 troops of the Golkonda king's service,
whose captains he had won over. His foot
numbered 20,000 strong. An excellent park of
- ↑ Sidhout is nine miles due east and Gandikota 42 miles N. W. of Cuddapah town. Both are situated on the Penner river.