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Siege of Barabati fort
| Siege of Barabati fort | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Maratha Invasions of Bengal | |||||||||
 Image of Barabati fort in Cuttack | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Bengal Subah | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Dulabram (POW) Mir Abdul Aziz |
 Raghuji the Great Nilo Pant | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| Unknown | 14000 troops | ||||||||
Prelude
To exact revenge on Nawab Alivardi Khan, Mustafa Khan enlisted Raghuji's help to invade Bengal. Raghuji, still seething from the treacherous death of Bhaskar Ram, eagerly seized the opportunity. In March 1745, he led a force of 14,000 cavalry, bypassing Sambhalpur and crossing the mountain tracts to reach Orissa. There, he swiftly captured the city of Cuttack without encountering any resistance. At this time, Raja Durlabhram was preoccupied with the Sanyasis on the banks of the Mahanadi River and was unaware of Raghuji’s approach. When news of the invasion reached Katak, chaos erupted, and the inhabitants fled in panic. Raja Durlabhram, caught off guard and dressed only in his undergarments, hurriedly sought refuge in the Barabati Fort, which was nearby.