Battle of Pavankhind, History, Composition, Events

The Battle of Pavankhind was fought between the Maratha warriors Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Sambu Singh Jadhav against Siddi Masud of Bijapur Sultanate. The war was fought on 13 July 1660, at a mountain pass in the vicinity of Vishalgad fort, near the city of Kolhapur. The war ended with the Maratha forces losing against the Bijapur state. In this article, we are going to cover about the history of Pavankhind battle, battles between Maratha forces and Adilshah. 

Battle of Pavankhind History 

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj forces defeated the Adilshahi generals and as a rebellion, Adilshah sent Siddi Jauhar to fight against the Marathas. At the same time, Adilshah also took the assistance from Mughals leading to Shaista Khan, attacking from north towards Pune. At the same time, Siddi Jauhar attacked the Panhala Fort but failed to enter it. Instead of fighting back, Shivaji Maharaj planned a safer escape to reach Fort Vishalgad to continue the battle from there. 

Adilshahi Forces Composition 

Siddi Jauhar led the Adilshahi forces, supported by Siddi Masud and Fazal Khan. Meanwhile, Jasvantrao Dalvi of Palavani and Survey of Shringarpur besieged Vishalgad.

Composition of Maratha Forces

Shivaji Maharaj commanded the Maratha army with the support of leaders like Bandal, Jadhavrao, and his trusted Sardar, Bajiprabhu Deshpande. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Marathas had around 600 skilled light infantry soldiers—experienced mountaineers from the naval zone who had never been conquered before.

Battle of Pavan Khind Events Serial Wise

In the Maratha War the Panhala Fort was tightly surrounded by the Siddi Jauhar army, making it difficult for anyone to escape. In order to create a diversion, Shivaji Maharaj sent his messenger to pretend to be negotiating a peace treaty. Siddi Jauhar got distracted by this negotiation and let his guard down. 

Shivaji Maharaj saw this as an opportunity and along with his army of 600 warriors, headed by Bajiprabhu Deshpande, headed towards Vishalgad. The Adilshahi forces believed one of them to be Shivaji and quickly captured him, only to find out he was a soldier named Shiva Kashid. As the enemy moved forward, Siddi Masood, Jauhar’s son-in-law led the attack. While all this happened, Shivaji reached Ghod Khind, while Bajiprabhu Desh fought the war with only 300 soldiers, while Shivaji raced to Vishalgad.

Battle of Pavan Khind Aftermath

After the end of war, Ghod Khind was renamed as Pavan Khind. The armies of both Adilshahi and Maratha fought their final war here in Pavan Khind where the Marathas won and gained the title of autonomous power. The war proved a sacrifice of BajiPrabhu Deshpande and Shiva Kashid. 

Battle of Pavan Khind: Important Facts 

The table below shows the important facts about the Battle of Pavan Khind.

Battle of Pavankhind FAQs

Q1. Who won the Battle of Pavan Khind?
Ans. The Marathas, led by Bajiprabhu Deshpande, secured Shivaji Maharaj’s safe escape, making it a strategic victory.

Q2. How many Marathas fought in Pavan Khind?
Ans.  Around 300 Maratha warriors fought under Bajiprabhu Deshpande to defend the pass.

Q3. Was Baji Prabhu Deshpande against Shivaji?
Ans.  No, Bajiprabhu Deshpande was a loyal commander and sacrificed his life for Shivaji Maharaj.

Q4. Is Pavan Khind a true story?
Ans. Yes, the Battle of Pavan Khind is a historical event showcasing Maratha bravery.

Q5. How many hours did Baji Prabhu Deshpande fight?
Ans. He fought relentlessly for about five to six hours to delay the enemy.

Q6. Who was Siddi Jauhar?
Ans. Siddi Jauhar was a general of the Adilshahi Sultanate who led a siege against Shivaji Maharaj.