Chapter 108: Mumbai Battle: One
At the break of dawn on the first day of battle, Vijay stood on the deck of the Vijayanagara Empire's flagship—the Man of War Battleship, acquired from the Dutch. Behind him, Ramayya Senapati stood ready for his commands. The sea breeze swept towards the north, propelling the warship forward. In its wake, hundreds of smaller merchant ships trailed, transporting the remaining forces of Vijayanagara.
For this expedition, a full ten brigades were dispatched to conquer the Mumbai port, constituting half of the existing Vijayanagara army. Vijay agreed to this arrangement because Mumbai was crucial to both Vijayanagar and the Mughal Empire. It was evident that the Mumbai port would be heavily defended as informed by the intelligence department, but he was confident that with the battleship he was standing on, it would not be too difficult to break through the stone wall of the Mumbai fort.
In terms of why he was so intent on conquering Mumbai, there were several reasons. Mumbai, a coastal marvel, is a pivotal trade hub with roots extending to a thousand years in the past and probably into the future. Its strategic location on Bharat's west coast facilitated maritime commerce, making it a beacon for international trade with ancient African and Arabic nations. Under the colonial rule in the past Earth timeline, the British shaped Mumbai into a major port and economic centre, and even in the present time, Mumbai stands as the Mughals' financial powerhouse. The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))
Because of its rich commercial and diverse heritage, Mumbai has gained a lot of cultural diversity from trade with African and Arabic nations, introducing various new concepts and cultures.
In ancient times, Mumbai was at the forefront of the spice road connecting India, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asian countries. This spice road facilitated the exchange of spices, precious stones, and other goods for which India was renowned. Mumbai was one of the cities that had a significant impact on Indian civilization.
It is imperative that Vijayanagara is successful in regaining control of Mumbai. Even before he left for this expedition, Vijay knew that this would be an arduous task.
Mustafa rushed to the balcony of his house, situated on a small hill with a higher vantage point, overlooking the sea. As he spotted the large warship approaching, flying the Vijayanagara flag, fear gripped him. However, his expression quickly shifted from fear to Greed. "If I capture this ship, maybe I'll get a higher rank," he pondered, eyeing the largest ship he had ever seen. Though not well-versed in naval matters, he was certain this was an exceptional vessel.
With this notion in mind, he hollered to his subordinates, "Hurry up and fetch the cannons!" Contemplating the few cannons still in his possession, yet to be delivered to the buyer, he moved with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation.
The servants hastened, rushing to the fort wall as the imposing battleship drew closer, now a mere 100 meters away, looming in silence. Finally, only a moment later the servants reached the wall, heaving a dozen cannons into position, Mustafa, stationed on his balcony for safety, gave the nod, signalling the cannons to fire in unison.
"Booom, Boom, Boom ".
To his dismay, the cannons fell just short of reaching the distant target.
Observing the giant ship's response to the fired cannons, Mustafa felt a growing sense of foreboding, squinting his eyes in scrutiny , Trying to peek at the farther image. He discerned a large iron barrel-like structure on the ship, resembling a cannon, being loaded with a significantly larger iron ball than his own cannons. He comprehended the implications, but before he could react,
"Boom!"
A thunderous explosion echoed as the top of the city wall cracked, and a deformed iron ball plummeted down. Although Mustafa couldn't witness it directly from his vantage point on the other side of the wall, the shockwave visibly shook him. Even at a distance, he could feel the reverberation in his gut, leaving him visibly shaken by the impact.
To be Continued...