Battle of Pavan Khind
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Battle of Päwan Khind | |||||||
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Part of Battles involving the Maratha Empire | |||||||
A 20th century depiction by painter M.V. Dhurandhar of Shivaji and Baji Prabhu at Pawan Khind | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
| Bijapur Sultanate | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Baji Prabhu Deshpande † Fulaji Prabhu Deshpande † Rayaji Bandal † Shambu Singh Jadhav † |
Siddi Masud Siddi Jauhar | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
600[citation needed] | 10,000[citation needed] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
300[citation needed] | 5,000[citation needed] |
The Battle of Pavankhind (/pɑːvʌnxɪnd/ PAAVANKHIND); was a rearguard last stand that took place on 13 July 1660,[1] at a mountain pass in the vicinity of fort Vishalgad, near the city of Kolhapur by the Maratha warriors Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Shambhu Singh Jadhav against Siddi Masud of the Bijapur Sultanate.[2][3] The engagement ended with the destruction of the Maratha forces, and a tactical victory for the Bijapur Sultanate that failed to achieve a strategic victory.
Prelude
In 1660, Shivaji was trapped in the fort of Panhala, under siege and vastly outnumbered by an Adilshahi army led by an Siddi General called Siddi Masud. Shivaji planned to escape to the Maratha fort of Vishalgad. Two Maratha sardars under the Adilshahi General Siddi Jouhar, namely Suryarao Surve and Jaswantrao Dalvi had also encircled the fort of Vishalgad simultaneously. Shivaji waited for months, planning and depleting the Adilshah's food supplies.
Shivaji, Baji Prabhu, and around 600 of their best troops, would dash through the Adilshahi force at night. A man named Shiva Kashid, who resembled Shivaji in appearance, had volunteered to dress like the king and get captured. This bought some additional time due to the confusion over identity, before Siddi Masud realised the error and gave chase.
Shivaji made his escape on the dark night of 13 July, with his troops and the Adilshah army was in pursuit with 10,000 men. It was clear there was no way to shake off the enemy, and the Marathas would not simultaneously prevail over both the Mughal garrison at Vishalgad and the chasing Adilshahi army.
The only option was for a section of the Marathas to stay back and fight the larger Adilshahi forces in a rearguard action, while the rest of the Marathas would carry on to their destination. Shivaji decided to split his forces. Baji Prabhu agreed to face the troops of Bijapur with 300 soldiers. Shivaji told Baji Prabhu that he would hear cannons being fired 5 times from Vishalgad, signaling Shivaji’s safety. The strategic position of Ghod Khind (Horse Pass) was chosen for the defence, as it was very narrow and only a few soldiers could pass at any one time.
Battle
This section is written like a story.(February 2020) |
Baji Prabhu occupied Ghod Khind, blocking the path of the Adilshahi troops. His brother Fulaji Prabhu as well as sardars such as Shambusing Jadhav were present with him. Fulaji Prabhu and Shambusing were killed after a gallant and fierce fight. Baji Prabhu was severely wounded but carried on fighting at his station. The Adilshahi army repeatedly tried to break through the defenses of the pass, but were repeatedly repulsed. The unequal battle raged for hours, with the defenders maintaining their positions, but with rapidly depleting numbers. Only a handful of Marathas survived, and around a thousand soldiers of the Adilshahi army became casualties in attempting to take the pass.
Five hours after the battle started, the cannon fire announcing Shivaji’s safe return to Vishalgad was heard. Almost three hundred Marathas had been killed. Legend has it that a gravely injured Baji Prabhu continued engaging the enemy and held the pass, only laying down his life once he heard the sound of cannon fire. The handful surviving Marathas then retreated and disappeared in the forest as per the plan.
Shivaji and his 300 soldiers had to break through the encirclement of Suryarao and Jaswantrao at Vishalgadh. A fierce battle ensued in which Shivaji himself fought wearing Dandpatta in his both hands. Realising the fight was tough, the commander of Vishalgadh fort sent reinforecements to Shivaji enabling him and his troops to reach the fort safely. Shivaji then fired cannons as a signal for Baji Prabhu to retreat.[4][5][6]
Aftermath
The pass, Ghod Khind (Horse Pass) was renamed Pavan Khind (Sacred Pass) in honour of the sacrifice of 300 Maratha troops which let the rest of Shivaji's army escape.
In popular culture:
- The battle was depicted in episodes of Raja Shivchatrapati [1].
- In 2022, a Marathi-language film depicting the battle titled as Pawankhind directed by Digpal Lanjekar starring Chinmay Mandlekar as Shivaji and Ajay Purkar as Baji Prabhu Deshpande released on 21 January.[7]
See also
- Battle of Kolhapur
- Battle of Thermopylae
- Third Battle of Panipat (1761), A massive historic battle between the Maratha empire and the Durrani Empire of Afghanistan at Panipat. Shah of the Durrani empire Ahmad Shah Abdali led the invasion, Sadashivrao Bhau led the Maratha Army.
- List of last stands
References
- ^ Jann Tibbetts, 50 Great Military Leaders of All Time (Vij Books, 2016)
- ^ "Shivaji, Baji Prabhu & the Battle of Pavan Khind". Hindu Perspective. 4 May 2013.
- ^ "International film on Shivaji for global audience". Times of India. 4 April 2012.
- ^ Sawant, Indrajit. Parnalparvat Panhalgad.
- ^ (Tarikh-i-Ali Adil Shah II by Sayyid Nurullah, 82-93; Basitin-i-Salatin by Md. Ibrahim Al Zubairi, 353-357; Factory Records Rajapur, Kolhapur to Surat, at the India Office Manuscripts, dated 5 June. 1660. Chitragupta Bakhar 64; Shiva Digvijay 175-176; Tarikh-i-Shivaji at the India Office Persian manucripts I8b-19a.) Cited by Sir Jadunath Sarkar in Shivaji and His Times
- ^ [Chitragupta Bakhar. 64-65; Shiva Digvijay 182-185; Tarikh-i-Shivaji at the India Office Perisan Manuscripts S. 19a & b; the name of Siddi Aziz is given by Duff (i. 181) only, while T. S. reads Siddi Halal. The Persian works are absolutely silent about this retreat. Vishalgarh is 27 miles from Panhala via Malkapur. (Indian Atlas by the Survey of India 40 S. W.)]" Cited by Sir Jadunath Sarkar in Shivaji and His Times
- ^ "THESE character posters of Digpal Lanjekar's 'Pawankhind' will get you all excited for the film". Times of India. 28 December 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2022.