• Most know of only famous freedom fighters. The story of Raje Dharmaji Prataprav from Maharashtra, is that of a forgotten hero who caused great grief to the British in the early 19th century. He is highly revered in Ahilyabainagar, Nasik, Jalgaon, Dhule, Beed and Solapur etc. End of article has links to articles on numerous unknown freedom fighters.

One way of imparting self-pride in the heart of common citizen is to celebrate the history of our nation. India is fortunate because every corner have its own glorious history.

At one point, all common people took arms against the British Empire to achieve freedom after two centuries of relentless struggle. In this struggle, many sons of India were martyred, some celebrated whilst many forgotten and limited only in local annals.

Raje Dharmaji Prataprav was the one from such forgotten annals of history. He waged war against the British and shook Crown.   

After decimating the Mughals, Marathas became new masters of India with the 18^th century said to be the Maratha Century. During the reign of Shahu Maharaj, many local heroes emerged and supported the Maratha Empire. The GARJE family was one that emerged then. In that family was born Dharmaji Prataprav.

Shahu Maharaj gave the rights / Patilki of Nagzari village in Beed to Rahuji Garje, father of Dharmaji Prataprav. As Rahuji was a capable and able leader, he increased his influence to the surroundings of Beed and Ahmednagar. Due to his capability, he was granted the title of Prataprav by Shahu Maharaj. This became the identity of family.

We have little information about the actual birth year of Dharmaji Prataprav. However, the Nagzari Temple inscription states that Dharmaji built that temple and lake around the temple. Which means in 1782, he had succeeded his father Rahuji Garje.

Like his father, Dharmaji was a capable leader, able strategist and a master in the art of archery. He increased his sphere of influence and built forts at Hatola, Patsara, Dabi, Nipani Jalgaon, Akola, Morala and Mohojdeodhe. Western Beed and some parts of Ahmednagar (now Ahilyabainagar) district was under his direct control.

Some of his area of influence came under Nizam’s territories as a result he was in frequent conflicts with the Nizam of Hyderabad. By attacking the Nizam’s Thanadars regularly he created fear in their minds. For three decades, he attacked Nizam and inflicted a considerable amount of damage on his territories. Later Nizam sought the help of the British, who sent Captain Freeman to kill Dharmaji but he failed. Thus, Dharmaji Prataprav continued to harass Nizam of Hyderabad. 

Early Nineteenth century was a period of turmoil and political instability. Peshwa and Shinde , Holkars were in busy in conflicts and intrigues. Britishers took the advantage of it and defeated Marathas in Second Anglo Maratha War. This defeat gave a boost of confidence to Nizam of Hyderabad, who was a loyal ally of the East India Company.

Due to increasing interfere by the Company, the Peshwas, Holkar, Bhosles of Nagpur and other Maratha Sardars started war against Company. As Dharmaji Prataprav too was fighting with Nizam, Peshwa Bajirao (2nd) invited Dharmaji Prataprav to join in.

Their meeting took place at the banks of Krishna River in Mahuli on 28/9/1817. Impressed with his abilities and bravery, Peshwa asked for his help in the Third Anglo Maratha War. Dharmaji Prataprav agreed and promised the Peshwa that he would participate in the war on Dussehra with an army of 10,000. Peshwa gave 30,000 rupees to Dharmaji for war preparations. Dharmaji sent letters through his spies to commanders of his dispersed army to gather at Barshi. Dharmaji with Dajiba Aatole marched to Barshi. At Barshi, Dharmaji was joined by shiledars and his dispersed army.

After the celebration of Dasara, Peshwa attacked the British in Pune on 5/11/1817. On getting this news, Dharmaji Prataprav started his march and attacked the British forces that were in the vicinity of Prachitgad. This surprise attack inflicted heavy casualties on British forces. After the attack on Prachitgad, Dharmaji with 5,000 horseman continued their march and attacked British forces at Baramati and Natepute. The British were routed.

Dharmaji continued his march and attacked the British settlement at Talegaon. British forces were unaware of this attack and succumbed. The attack was so brutal that the entire British settlement was burnt. British forces were mutilated and hanged to tree. Their graves were dug up. Lieutenant Vaughan of Madras Army and his brother were captured by Dharmaji and were hanged to death. This created terror in the minds of British forces. Dharmaji continued his march, joined Peshwa at Pune and later went to Hatola, his fort.

After few days of rest, he marched to Pune with 3,000 horsemen and joined the Peshwa again. This news reached to British government who sent Captain Gibbon to stop him. At Ahmednagar, Captain Gibbon tried to stop Dharmaji but failed. After a meeting with the Peshwa, Dharmaji marched to Balaghat Valley to harass the British forces.

His attacks drained the British efforts and made them feel helpless. Dharmaji Prataprav did not let British forces collect taxes in the entire Ahmednagar district. His parties swiftly attacked the British forces, forcing a retreat. Instead they collected the taxes for themselves. On 25/1/1818 Dharmaji joined Peshwa again. At Ranjanaon and Limbgaon, skirmishes occurred between British forces and Peshwa/Dharmaji forces. The latter retreated.

Dharmaji won the Thanas and Garhis (small forts) Kurrah, Patoda and Koregaon. He inflicted cruelties on British forces in Newasa, Seogaon and Beed Pargana. In response to this, British Government deputed Captain Gibbon and Captain Swantson to kill Dharmaji. Apart from this, the British government sent reinforcement to remaining Thanas in Ahmednagar to counter Dharmaji. The British also put a bounty on Dharmaji and promised the huge monetary assistance to those who defected from Dharmaji army. This shows proves how skill fully Dharmaji Prataprav had harassed the British Government.

After the surrender of Peshwa and other prominent Sardars to British government, they thought the war is over but Dharmaji, being the true heir to the title of “Prataprao” continued his war against the British. 

“Dharmaji Pratap Rao, the only individual who remains in arms on the southern side of Godavari.” M. Elphinstone

Dharmaji became the major obstacle to British paramountcy in Maharashtra. After the surrender of Peshwa and other big Sardars, the British Government now concentrated on killing Dharmaji Prataprav, the only individual who kept challenging them.  

M Elphinstone, the commissioner of Bombay Province, appointed General Smith, Maj Macleod and Captain Pottinger against Dharmaji. They systematically attacked the forts of Dharmaji Prataprav to pressurize him. They captured his forts of Mohojdeodhe, Nipani Jalgaon, Akola and Patsara. However, Dharmaji did not budge and kept harassing the British forces. He won Kurrah, Patoda , Koregaon and Fort of Amalner from British forces.

Meanwhile, other zamindars from Baramati and Natepute with 200 horsemen joined his banner. This unnerved the British who now went all out against Dharmaji.

After capturing his forts, the British sent Captain Deacon who had defeated Dharmaji earlier at Amalner. Dharmaji then marched towards Dongarkinhi and won that fort. This success was short lived as Yashwant Ghorpade and Major Macleod attacked at Dongarkini and defeated him. He lost 200 horsemen in this battle which was major blow. He disappeared, dispersed his forces only to regroup and revolt again.  

The British Government got an intelligence report that Dharmaji and his brother had started preparations for war. In order to quell him British, with the assistance of Nizam of Hyderabad sent Nawab Murtuza Yaar Jung and Lt Sutherland.

The combined British and and Nizam forces marched towards Beed on 11/7/ 1818. They got information that Dharmaji Prataprav was at Hatola fort. On 30/7/1818, they attacked the Hatola fort at night. Dharmaji too countered fiercely.

In this intense confrontation, Lt Sutherland got badly injured. British forces then started planting mines and blasted the fortification. Sensing the danger, Dharmaji and brother evacuated the fort and took refuge in another fort at Dabi. In the pursuit of Dharmaji, Lt Sutherland reached at Dabi at 3 am.  

Dharmaji, now sensing the situation, prepared for a final battle. He ordered his soldiers to throw the gates. His soldiers started slaughtering the Nizam forces under Shadee Khan. But due to numerical superiority of combined British and Nizam forces, the garrison fell and two parties advanced in the fort. After an intense battle, Dharmaji and brother were captured. Lt Sutherland was impressed with the bravery of Dharmaji and his soldiers.

“The fort is of considerable strength and contains 8 bastians and the garrison were chiefly of Vanjaris who fought with utmost determination, neither giving up their arms nor taking quarter.” Lt Sutherland

Thereafter, Dharmaji Prataprav and his brother were sent to the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) prison. They were charged with the killing of Lt Vaughan and his brother and executed on 12/9/1818 at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Thus, the continuous struggle of 30 years against the foreign invaders ended.

Whenever the discussions about the warriors and freedom fighters arises, instead of focusing on what they did , what they achieved and how they mass mobilized the general population against the Crown, mainstream media and academia discuss about either their ideological leaning or term them as freebooters .

However, in the minds of common Indians, these warriors have a separate place of respect. That is where the impact and influence of Dharmaji Prataprav lies.

To read all articles by author

References 

1) Selections from Peshwa Daftar vol 41

2) Selections from Peshwa Daftar Vol 42

3) Shiv Shahi cha asta by V G Lele

4) Bulletins of State intelligence vol 7

5) Poona Affairs Vol 13

6) Poona Affairs 1801 to 1810 by G S Sardesai

7) The East India Gazetteer Vol 2

8) The Asiatic journal and monthly register for British India and its dependencies

9) Political history of India from 1784 to 1823

10) Descriptive Catalogue of the secret and political department series (1954 )

11) Papers respecting Pindarry and Mahratta wars

12) A history of Hyderabad Contingent

13) European Magazine and London review (1782-1821 )

14) The East India Military Calendar.

To read about Indians who fought the British

1. Bhagat Singh from Punjab

2. Shivaram Rajguru from Maharashtra

3. Gopal Das from Odisha

4. Lala Lajpat Rai gave a fillip to the freedom movement in Punjab

5. Savarkar – A visit to Cellular Jail, Kala Pani

6. Birsa Munda from Jharkhand

7. Alluri Sitaram Raju from Andhra Pradesh

8. Chittranjan Das from Bengal

9. Vasudev Balwant Phadke from Maharashtra

10. LAL BAL PAL, the Tridev of India's Independence Movement in early 20 century

11. Veer Surendra Sai Odisha

12. The Triveni Sangam of the Independence Movement in Tamil Nadu

13. Lokmany Tilak

14. Did Ahimsa Get India Freedom

15. Rani of Jhansi