Baji Prabhu Deshpande : The legend of Pawankhind battle

HISTORY OF BAJI PRABHU DESHPANDE AND BATTLE OF PAWANKHIND

    BajiPrabhu Deshpande(1615-1660) was  SARDAR (COMMANDER) in Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj army. Baji Prabhu has great contribution in the establishment of MARATHA Empire.

We all seen Hollywood American epic war movie 300 (2006), in which 300 Spartan defend their kingdom from Persian king Xerxes with more than 3,00,000 soldiers.

Bajiprabhu at Pawankhind

      India has a wide history with many brave and great warriors, fight for their motherland. This story was same as 300 movies, in which few soldiers of Maratha empire for defending their king Shivaji sacrifice themselves in PAWANKHIND (a narrow way between two mountains) by opposing enemy forces to enter and follow king Shivaji.

Bajiprabhu Deshpande Early Life :

     Bajiprabhu Deshpande was born in Shind village near Bhor town in Pune district in Maharashtra. He was born in He was born in a Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu family, his original surname was Pradhan. He was also honored by Kulkarni Hakka by king Shivaji Maharaj.

Bajiprabhu born in a village in Maval region, he has started his army carrier for serving Chandra Rao More, who was serving for Adilshahi of Bijapur.

Bajiprabhu statue

Chandra Rao More was enemy of Maratha Empire and enemy of Shivaji Maharaj.

Chandra Rao More was defeated by Shivaji Maharaj in the war fought near Jawali (nearRaigad) after the war ended Shivaji Maharaj convinced Bajiprabhu to join him and got a strong ally to strengthen Maratha Empire. Shivaji Maharaj honored him with the occupation of SARDAR(commander) in his army.

Bajiprabhu plays important role in defeating Afzal Khan(commander of Adilshahi) and continue his services in next victorious wars.

Battle of PAWANKHIND :

    After defeating Afzal Khan at Pratapgad the Adilshahi gets weak, and this was the ideal time to deep attack on the Adilshahi and Shivaji Maharaj done the same thing. Shivaji Maharaj opens a front against Adilshahi and within weeks Maratha forces captured fort PANHALA(Fort near Kolhapur).

King Shivaji Maharaj

   Shivaji Maharaj made a plan to fully invade Adilshahi i.e Shivaji with some Sardar open a front and started to capture important forts and territories and another front lead by NETAJI PALKAR attack straight to BIJAPUR capital of Adilshahi. Netaji Palkar attacked Bijapur but due to the heavy defense of Bijapur causes him to fall back and the plan goes slows down. Netaji Palkar attempt to break the siege of Bijapur but failed causes time to consume and chances to the failure of the hole the plan.

      The Adilshahi forces were lead by Siddhi Johar, an Abyssinian general. Who was experienced and fought many victorious wars? He got information about Shivaji that he was on the fort of Panhala with Bajiprabhu Deshpande and some troops with him. Siddhi Johar didn’t miss the chance and siege the fort of Panhala with his troops causes Netaji Palkar to return back and break the siege from outside but he failed, because of high numbers of the enemy.

Role of Shiva Kashid in the battle of Pawankhind :

    Shivaji has soldiers that can scarify their life for their king and their motherland. Shiva Kashid is one of them. He was joined Shivaji Maharaj as his duplicate and later work as a spy for Shivaji Maharaj.

Shiva Kashid

    The plan was made for broke the siege of Bijapur, Bajiprabhu with his 500 troops with Shiva Kashid as a decoy had to break through siege and make safe passage for their king Shivaji Maharaj to the VISHALGADH.

   The stormy full night moon, Bajiprabhu with Shiva Kashid as the duplicate of Shivaji attempted to break through the siege. Bijapur forces got aware and the fight started Shiva Kashid allowed himself to capture as planned knowing that he will be hung for death after captured but he sacrifices his life for the King Shivaji and their SWARAJ.

   The sacrifice of Shiva Kashid doesn’t waste hole the Army think that Shivaji was captured they get distracted,  by taking advantage of this situation Shivaji Maharaj succeed to break the siege and with Bajiprabhu and his 500 troops started to travel towards Vishalgadh.

Death of Bajiprabhu in The Battle of PAWANKHIND :

      After capturing of Shiva Kashid he was introduced to Siddhi Johar, he realizes that he was not Shivaji and he orders his troops to follow Shivaji. He appointed  Siddhi Masood (son-in-law of Siddhi Johar) as the officer to chase and capture Shivaji with giving him trained 30000 soldiers.

Pawankhind

     Near the Godhkind (later named as Pawankhind In the honor of Bajiprabhu Deshpande ) Maratha army makes the last stand and shows a piece of Bravery that noted in Indian history that can never be forgotten. Shivaji with some of his troops continue to travel towards Vishalgadh and half of troops will stop the enemy forces in Godhkhind.

Bajiprabhu promises Shivaji he will not die until the hearing of three cannon rounds from Vishalgadh, which was signal that king Shivaji has safely Reached Vishalgadh. Bajiprabhu with his troops faced the massive enemy forces with the help of swords, shields, and stones.

     In the bloody battle Bajiprabhu shows extraordinary Bravery, he was so wounded so much that he turns in a red color due to his own blood. But he didn’t give up until he hears three rounds of the cannon shot fired from Vishalgadh.

Death of Bajiprabhu at Pawankhind

    In the battle, Bajiprabhu gets shot by a gun which causes him unconscious for some time but after he gets conscious he again stands up and started to fight until the hearing of the three cannon rounds from Vishalgadh, and takes his last breath on the battleground.

After him, King Shivaji Maharaj honored his family   "maanache pahile paan" ("Honor of the Court") (Marathi: मानाचे पहिले पान).

Upcoming movies on Bajiprabhu Deshpande :

In Maharashtra, King Shivaji Maharaj and Bajiprabhu Deshpande are popular in the people.
So Marathi film industry decided to cast a film of Bajiprabhu Deshpande starring Ajay Devgan and superstar Rajnikant.
The film named as

Veer Bajiprabhu Deshpande

According to sources, the role of Bajiprabhu will be played by Bollywood star Ajay Devgan and role of King Shivaji Maharaj will be played by Rajnikant if all goes well.