Everyone is familiar with the name ‘Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’ the lionhearted king of Hindus. He dedicated his entire life in establishment of Swarajya. But this great act of his was accompanied by the most fearsome and dreadful warriors that gave nightmare to ISLAMIC invaders. This is the story of one swarajya’s most fearsome warrior – Bajiprabhu Deshpande.
Bajiprabhu Deshpande was in initially in service of sardar who served a Mughal and called Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj a bandit. He did not support his cause at first. But during an encounter he met Maharaj and saw the shine of this young Shivaji in his eyes. He realized his intentions were true. Bajiprabhu was 15 years older than Maharaj. Maharaj explained his aim to him and Bajiprabhu at that time decided to dedicate his entire life to serve the cause of Swarajya with Shivaji Maharaj. Maharaj then assigned Bajiprabhu on various missions. He was also given a fort to renovate and handle. Days passed by and fame of Maharaj went on increasing rapidly. His enemies had started fearing him. Jihadis were getting nightmares because of Shivaji Maharaj. Maharaj was expanding his territory slowly. He nearly had acquired the northern and middle part of Karnataka.
Adilshah was getting restless. He wanted to stop Maharaj in any manner possible or he knew his end was near. He made a move and sent his most trusted general Siddi Masud to capture Maharaj. Siddi Masud along with a force of 10000 men, elephants, siege weapons led a siege around Panhala fort, Kolhapur as Maharaj was at this fort.
His plan was to capture Maharaj and then after for his release they would compel him to sign the pact where Maharaj would surrender the part of Karnataka that he had acquired. Many days past but Siddi Masud was nowhere to move. Shivaji Maharaj along with his men hatched a super plan for escape. They decided to send a man named Shiva Kashid in the disguise of Shivaji Maharaj and when the troops will get distracted, Maharaj will escape from Panhala and move towards Vishal gad. Date was fixed, Maharaj decided to escape on the dark night of 13th July 1660. Shiva Kashid disguised as Maharaj went to meet Siddi Masud. The disguise was so perfect that for nearly an hour those idiots didn’t even recognize him, after all jihadis have a history of never using their brain.
Maharaj was accompanied by an army of 600 men and the second-in-command was Bajiprabhu Deshpande.
The road to Vishal gad was hard. It was through the jungles. Uneven and to add to that there were swamps (A swamp is an area of wet land with wild plants growing in It.) in between.
Adilshah’s general realized that he had been tricked and then and there he cut Shiva Kashid in pieces. One more Mavla got martyred for the cause of Swaraj. Enraged by this act, Siddi Masud decided to follow Shivaji Maharaj and capture him. He ordered his entire army to move in that direction. Maharaj had taken an easy lead. But army was so furious that they were running towards him like wild boars.
The contingent of 600 men with Maharaj was moving towards Vishal gad, it had nearly been 3 hours. It was a dark night, the insects were chirping, the sound of gushing wind was terrifying, noises of wild animals were clearly audible. Suddenly, sound of running horse came from behind. A Mavla had come to give the message to Maharaj about the incident and to inform that Siddi Masud with his army was walking towards him to catch him. Entire contingent of 600 men was shook by this news. Bajiprabhu realized that they were in deep trouble. Maharaj got down from palkhi consulted with Baji about the next step.
Bajiprabhu ordered 300 men to accompany Maharaj and take him safely to Vishal gad and kept 300 men along with him to defend the enemy. He decided that the battle will take place in GhodKhind (Khind- A narrow passage for travelers between two mountains, barely 4 to 5 people could adjust if they walked parallel). Maharaj said that he would stop and fight the enemy. Baji Prabhu had no choice but to push his king inside the palkhi. Maharaj was astonished by this gesture but he realized the care of Bajiprabhu behind this act. Baji Prabhu told Maharaj, to blow the canon from Vishal gad when he reaches safely and promised that he will fight until he hears the sound of the canon.
300 men along with Maharaj marched forward towards Vishal gad. The road was hard. Soldiers were extremely tired. Due to low light at night the road wasn’t visible clearly. The road to Vishal gad from GhodKhind was nearly 2 hours in that situation.
Men along with Bajiprabhu were also tired but they had no choice but to fight in order to save the creator of Swarajya and the hope of Maharashtra. Bajiprabhu had decided to fight in GhodKhind because it was strategically very important. Maratha Mavlas were expert in the guerilla warfare. Bajiprabhu divided 300 men in group of 50-50each (total 6 Groups). He ordered two groups to go on the top of Khind and be ready with heavy boulders (MASSIVE STONES) and the second group was to assist them in providing boulders frequently.
He ordered another 2 groups to hide and be ready for backup whenever needed. He along with the remaining 2 groups decided to face the enemy first. The vibration of 10000 men approaching them was clearly audible from a distance. Baji Prabhu knew that it was going to be a long night and the night to be remembered. He prayed to Aai Jagdamba to give him immense power to fight the enemy. Now the enemy was visible. It was just a matter of time and the battle of Ghodkhind started. The clanging of the swords was so loud that it would have torn apart our ears easily. The Mavlas were fearless and great warriors. They yelled ‘HAR HAR MAHADEV’.
They started tearing apart the flesh of enemies as if they were possessed. Bajiprabhu was watching this, he was even seeing his men getting tore apart, but there was no choice. When Baji realized that the Khind was full with the enemy soldiers he ordered the group that he had sent above to throw boulders on them.
The plan went successful; an entire fleet of enemy got crushed. But this was just the beginning. The fleets of enemy soldiers were nowhere to end. As the Khind got full every time, the boulders from above came and hit the soldiers and crushed them like insects. The sound of enemy saying ‘Ya Allah!! Rehem kar’ was coming frequently. Siddi Masud realized the tactic that Bajiprabhu was using. He ordered one of his fleet to go and kill the groups above the Khind. The boulder show stopped. Bajiprabhu along with the backup groups now got into the fight. Bajiprabhu was an expert swordsman but much more expert in using DANDPATTA (Gauntlet sword). He yelled ‘HAR HAR MAHADEV’.
Took out DandPatta that was folded around his waist. His both hands were being utilized. He had started cutting enemy into pieces with the speed of lightning. His stature was so huge that even the mightiest warrior would easily pee in his pants. He was fighting like he was possessed. It was like lord Shiva himself was performing the tandav. The bloodshed was nowhere to stop. It had been nearly 2 hours since the battle had started. Maratha had lost nearly half of their strength. But remember when enemy had killed 150 of Marathas, Marathas had succeeded sending a 1000 enemies to their graves. Bajiprabhu’s strength and power were not even close to finish. He was fighting and cutting the enemy. He himself was wounded. His entire poshakh (Dress) had become red due to blood, he was in agony, he was in pain but he didn’t stop as he remembered the promise that he had made to Maharaj. He hadn’t heard the sound of cannon yet.
Siddi Masud was terrified when he saw the sight of Bajiprabhu. He muttered ‘Ya Allah, admi hai ya shaitan (OH ALLAH, is he a man on a beast)’. Siddi Masud knew that was it impossible to pass this passage unless Baji was defending it, he devised a plan to kill Baji. He made a vicious move. He called one his soldier who was an expert in handling hand canons (small sized canon, more like pistol now a day).
Siddi ordered his man to hit Baji. The man was also terrified when BAJI set eyes on him. (Imagine an enraged lion looking at you with an intention of eating you, the same was the feeling that you felt now in the man who held canon). His hands started shaking, but he had to follow his master’s order. He aimed at Baji, pointed towards his heart and pulled the trigger. THE BULLET HIT BAJI, but didn’t pierce the heart, it had hit him an inch above. He survived that, he was in lot of pain and a pain that can give us pain only by imagination. He still wasn’t ready to give up, as he hadn’t heard the noise of canon. It had been nearly 4 hours since the battle had started, the contingent along with Maharaj had gotten slow due to the road condition.
At the dawn, he heard the sound of canon. Bajiprabhu closed his eyes and thanked Aai Jagdamba for taking Maharaj safely at Vishal gad. Baji’s body had become like a sieve (CHALNI), there was darkness in his eyes, it was getting harder and harder for him to breathe, but his hand was still fighting……. His end was clearly visible to him, he fell on the ground and a legend named Bajiprabhu came to an end on 14th July 1660. He lost his life at the age of 45 for the hope that someday Maharaj will be successful in getting Swarajya.
BAJIPRABHU might have gone physically, but
THE LEGEND OF BAJIPRABHU
still resides within our minds. KOTI KOTI NAMAN to all the warriors who laid their lives to build this Swarajya. After reading this lets close our eyes for a minute and remember BAJIPRABHU and 300 men who laid their lives for us to live safely in our land.
ALWAYS REMEMBER THE PAIN THAT OUR ANCESTORS WENT THROUGH IN SAVING THIS LAND FROM ISLAMIC AND OTHER FOREIGN INVADERS.
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Refrences :-https://www.flipkart.com/pavankhind/p/itmdyugxczdwgyvb( PAVANKHIND by - RANJIT DESAI) Shriman Yogi:-Ranjit Desai.
JAY HIND !!