Chapter 112: Reclaiming Paradip Port
While Vijay is planning for his next attack, things are going very well for Narasimha Naik as he is on his way with a brigade, moving towards Puri.
First, let's talk about the events that happened a few days ago.
Narasimha Nayak departed from the Visakhapatnam Port simultaneously with Vijay's departure from the Mangalore Port. He was leading four brigades aboard the man-of-war battleship seized from the Dutch, with the remaining soldiers transported on temporarily acquired merchant boats, courtesy of the wartime requisition. Additionally, the fleet included 10 Dutch Whisperer frigates, enhancing their naval capabilities for the upcoming endeavours.
Much like Vijay's fleet, Narasimha Nayak's capital ship was also equipped with a formidable 20 kg calibre cannon. With a wealth of experience in various battles, Narasimha exuded a calm and composed demeanour as he stood firmly on the deck, savouring the refreshing sea breeze. The journey swiftly progressed, and within a few hours, they arrived at the estuary of Lake Chilika. Situated in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, Lake Chilika is renowned as the largest saltwater lake in Bharat, spanning the cities of Puri, Khurda, and Ganjam. This expansive lake, a major regional attraction, is formed by the confluence of water from 52 rivers and tributaries. Its water levels fluctuate between 900 to 1165 square feet, covering a vast area totalling 1165 square kilometres.
Considering the estuary as a good place for defence, three Dutch frigates along with the captured ten Mughal frigates, along with two battalions, were arranged to guard the lake.
After the small skirmish, the battle group set sail again for the actual location, the Paradip port. Half an hour later, the battleship made its way to a small fishing town called Paradip. Paradip was not yet a port as Vijay made it out to be; the Paradip port of modern-day India was established in 1966 for the convenience of iron ore and industrial raw material transportation into and outside of Odisha, as the area around the Paradip port was rich in iron ore resources.
Vijay decided to capture here for various reasons. Personally, it held sentimental value as this was the place where he interned during his previous life while studying metallurgy. Geographically, Paradip seemed ideal for a port due to the presence of a small estuary in Paradip town that could be easily developed for larger ship docking. From a strategic standpoint, the port served as a crucial point for countering the Mughal Kolkata Navy, acting as a strategic spearhead. This decision also aimed to foster improved trade relations with the northeastern Hindu countries of Bharat.
As the Mughals did not attach great importance to the town of Paradip, there were only a few surveying officers around who were easily brought into custody. The battleship couldn't dock at the Paradip town, so it stayed in the Bay of Bengal sea. The rest of the small and medium-sized merchant ships of 150 tons and below were being unloaded batch by batch.
Soon, the three brigades of infantry and three battalion artillery men, along with the rest of the auxiliary soldiers consisting of the engineering corps, scouting corps, and the rangers, had disembarked.
To be continued...