300 which happened in India !!!!

Many people must have watched 300 movie and amazed at the valor of Greeks who stopped an army 10-20 times it’s size. The story is of the battle of Thermopylae but no movie maker would know a similar story which happened in India.

After killing Afzalkhan, Shivaji Maharaj had made a name for himself throughout India. Adilshahi which ruled the most of Deccan suffered a paralytic attack due to the death of it’s most famous and cruel general. No one in the Adilshahi court was ready to take on the “mountain rat”. Finally, it came down to Tiger of Kurnool called Siddi Johar an Abyssinian general. He attacked with a large army and vowed to arrest Shivaji. To avoid any discomfort to the people of his kingdom Shivaji took refuge in Panhala fort which was the border of Swarajya.

The game of cat and mouse had begun. Siddi Johar laid siege to Panhala with Shivaji trapped inside for months. Several Maratha attacks to break the siege and free Shivaji failed. Shivaji expected that torrential rains will loosen Siddi’s grip and he would escape easily. But Siddi was an experienced general and did not allow any lapses. To make matters worse Mughals and Britishers also helped him to fizzle out the torch of Swarajya.

Finally on a dark monsoon night, Shivaji escaped from the fort with 600 soldiers being led by his general Baji Prabhu Deshpande. The same day he had sent a letter of surrender to Siddi saying that he is ready to get arrested tomorrow. With help of his spies he escaped through a gap in the siege. As they were traversing the path to Vishalgad , another fort, they were spotted by the spies of Siddi. To trick the enemy, the group split into two, with Shiva Kashid, Shivaji’s barber sitting in the palanquin and original Shivaji escaping with another group. The first group was caught by the enemy and taken back to the camp, only to realize that they had been tricked.

The hot pursuit began again, and the enemy closed on the second group near a pass called Ghodkhind, named such because only one horse could pass through it. Bajiprabhu was requesting Shivaji to take half of the soldiers and proceed but Shivaji wanted to fight. It is said that Bajiprabhu told Shivaji, that you can get 100 Bajiprabhu but without you there will be no Baji. With a heavy heart Shivaji proceeded and Bajiprabhu with his 150-200 soldiers got ready to fight an epic battle. The enemy numbered in excess of 2000 and attacked several times to pass through. But all the soldiers and Baji himself showed indomitable courage and persistence to block the pass. The fight went on for 8-10 hours and finally when Baji heard the canon fire as a sign of Shivaji reaching safely to Vishalgad, he laid down his life. Maratha soldiers had walked and fought for 24 hours continuously without any sleep or refreshments.

Shivaji Maharaj was saved and so was FREEDOM. Today is the day when Bajiprabhu laid down his life to become immortal in the history of India.
HAR HAR MAHADEV !!!!

On 22nd June 1897

It is an amazing day today in history of armed revolution in India. It was on the same day in 1897 Damodar and his younger brother Balkrishna killed two British officers Ayerst and Rand. Who were these guys and why the whole family sacrificed themselves on the altar of freedom.

The 3 Chapekar brothers Damodar, Balkrishna and Vasudev were from Chinchwad but settled in Pune. From childhood they were interested in martial qualities and intended to join the Army. But Damodar was rejected on the grounds of his caste and he took up profession of kirtan i.e bhajans and philosophical discourses. Taking inspiration from Vasudev Phadke and Tilak the discourses were structured to inspire people to fight against injustice. In this backdrop Pune was attacked by bubonic plague. People died in droves due to Black Death.

So the British government appointed Rand as officer in charge for controlling the menace. But the medicine was worse than the illness. In the name of containing plague, houses were ransacked, people were thrown outside Pune even on suspicion. British soldiers used this as an opportunity to loot and outrage the modesty of women. People were seething with anger and to make matters worse, the empire was celebrating diamond jubilee of Victoria’s coronation.

Chapekar brothers decided to avenge the injustice and what better occasion than the party for celebrating diamond jubilee in club near Ganeshkhind of Pune. As the coach carrying Rand was near, Balkrishna leaped from behind and fired shot in the head of the officer. But realized that he had killed Ayerst instead of Rand. As the original coach approached Damodar with the same agility fired on Rand. Ayerst died on spot and Rand a few days later. The empire was jolted and used all it’s resources to catch the revolutionaries.

On the basis of information by Dravid brothers they arrested Damodar and later Balkrishna. Dravid brothers were lured by money and government service. To teach them a lesson Vasudev Chapekar and his friend Ranade killed them near their house. All the four were sentenced to death by hanging. All the three brothers left behind their parents, young widows and infant children. Ranade was 18 and a bachelor.

Sister Nivedita came from Bengal to visit the family which sacrificed all their sons in freedom struggle. It is said that in an unbroken chain Vasudev Phadke inspired Chapekar brothers and they inspired Veer Savarkar who wrote a beautiful poem on them in his young days.

BHARAT MATA KI JAI !!!!