Chapter 101: Battle of Bawal Part -6
Rebel camp, Bawal , 1st March 1557.
Deep within the forest, in a grand tent belonging to the rebels, an ongoing meeting of leaders took place. Spread open in the center of the table were maps of the fort, their edges weighted down with small stones to keep them flat.
The meeting was hosted by rebel leader Rao Kishan Pal. Seated on his right was Jaunpur’s regent and current supreme commander, Rahimullah, while on his left sat Ajmer’s Prince Amar Singh Rathore. Surrounding them were their fellow nayaks (feudal lords). Despite the luxurious surroundings, tension filled the air as they waited for Rao Kishan Pal’s response, his attention focused on scanning the map.
He pointed at the intricate sketching that denoted the wall and remarked without looking up, "I’m starting to think this wall is mocking us, even with our strength of 100,000 strong. We should have breached it by now. Remind me why we’re still out here?" He gestured towards the marked area denoting the forest side.
Rahimullah Khan panicked, knowing the question was indirectly directed at him as the supreme commander of the force. In the face of defeat, it was the most polite inquiry he could expect from the man under whose banner he was fighting.
Before he could respond, a nayak, sensing the cue that the question was for all, answered, "Your Majesty, they were better prepared. The fire onslaught was overwhelming, and the flaming stones caused considerable damage."
Another voice chimed in, "Your Majesty, it’s because we couldn’t use cannons or anything like catapults; otherwise, it would have been a walk in the garden."
Another noble suggested, "Yes, My lord, I think we should use cannons again. Initially, we were able to fire few rounds. Maybe we should try firing intermittently after safe intervals, otherwise cannons are wasted."
At this point, Rao Kishan Pal looked up, and everyone fell silent. He turned towards Rahimullah Khan for answers.
Rahimullah Khan felt his throat dry. After clearing it, he replied, "Cannons can’t be used extensively with the sand-mixed gunpowder. It’s too risky as the barrel erodes with each use, and it also wastes the cannon anyways."
Rao Kishan Pal pressed his forehead in frustration, knowing the main fault lay with him, but unable to openly express his displeasure towards his benefactor. He controlled his rage and asked politely, "Commander Rahimullah Khan, tell me, how many lives have we lost?"
Rahimullah felt the weight of his title as commander and cautiously replied, "Your Majesty, the estimates suggest around forty thousand have fallen."