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{{Short description|Maratha general of 17th century}}{{More citations needed|date=August 2023}}{{Infobox person
| name = Baji Prabhu Deshpande
| image = Baji Mahadji Prabhu Deshpande.jpg
| caption = Posthumous sketch of Baji Prabhu Deshpande
| other_names =
| birth_date = {{circa|1615}}
| birth_place = Shind, [[Ahmadnagar Sultanate]]<br/>(modern day [[Pune district]], Maharashtra, India)
| death_date = {{death date and age|1660|1615|df=yes}}
| death_place = Ghod Khind, [[Bijapur Sultanate|Bijapur]], [[Mughal Empire]] <br/>(modern day Pavan Khind, [[Kolhapur district]], Maharashtra, India)
| nationality =
| occupation =
| known_for = [[Battle of Pavan Khind]]
}}
'''Baji Prabhu Deshpande''' ({{circa}} 1615 – 1660)<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 12, 2022 |title=Baji Prabhu Deshpande Death Anniversary: What transpired at Pawankhind |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/baji-prabhu-deshpande-death-anniversary-what-transpired-at-pawankhind}}</ref> was a general of the [[Maratha Army|Maratha army]].<ref>{{Cite journal |editor-last=Tripathi |editor-first=Anuj |title=Baji Prabhu Deshpande Death Anniversary |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/baji-prabhu-deshpande-death-anniversary-what-transpired-at-pawankhind |journal=The Free Press Journal}}</ref> He is known for his role in the [[Battle of Pavan Khind]], where he sacrificed his life defending [[Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj]] from Siddi Jauhar's [[Sultanate of Bijapur|Bijapur]] forces.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sawant |first=Indrajit |title=Parnalparvat Panhalgad}}</ref> He also was a landlord or ''[[Vatandar]]'' in the [[Maval]] region.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

== Early life ==
Baji Prabhu was born around 1615 in a [[Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu]] family.<ref name="gokhale">{{cite book | title = Poona in the eighteenth century: an urban history | first= Balkrishna Govind |last=Gokhale |author-link=Balkrishna Govind Gokhale | page = 112 | publisher = Oxford University Press | year= 1988 |quote = "The early great hero of the CKP community was Baji Prabhu Deshpande, who sacrificed his own life in 1660 to enable Shivaji Maharaj to escape the Mughals at Vishalgad."}}</ref> Earlier he worked under Krishnaji Bandal of Rohida near [[Bhor]]. After Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj defeated Krishnaji at Rohida and captured the fort, many commanders including Baji Prabhu joined [[Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Pagdi |first1=Setumadhava Rao |title=Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj |date=1974 |publisher=Continental Prakashan |pages=72 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BKwdAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref><ref name="kantak">{{cite journal |last=Kantak |first=M. R. |date=1978 |title=The Political Role of Different Hindu Castes and Communities in Maharashtra in the Foundation of the Shivaji Maharaj's Swarajya |journal=Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute |volume=38 |issue=1 |page=46 |jstor=42931051 |quote=Among Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's [chandraseniya] kayastha prabhu officers, the names of Baji Prabhu Deshpande, Murarbaji Deshpande, Babaji Prabhu and Yeshwantrao Buvaji Prabhu have become famous in Maratha history. Baji Prabhu fell fighting against the forces of the Bijapur government near Vishalgad in 1660. Murarbaji died a hero's death while defending the fort of Purandar against the Mughal forces of Jaisingh in 1665}}</ref>

==Battle of Pavan Khind==
{{main article|Battle of Pavan Khind}}
[[File:Shivaji Maharaj and Baji Prabhu at Pawan Khind.jpg|thumb|A 20th century depiction of Baji Prabhu with [[Shivaji]] at Pavan Khind by [[M.V. Dhurandhar]].]]
After defeating [[Afzal Khan (general)|Afzal Khan]] and routing the [[Bijapur Sultanate|Bijapur]] army at [[Pratapgad]], Shivaji continued to push into the Bijapur territory. Within a few days, the [[Maratha]]s captured [[Panhala]] fort. Meanwhile, another Maratha force, led by [[Netaji Palkar]], pushed towards Bijapur. Bijapur forces repulsed this attack, forcing Shivaji, some of his commanders and soldiers to retreat to Panhala fort.

The Bijapur troops were led by Siddi Jauhar, an [[Ethiopia|Abyssinian]] general. Discovering Shivaji's location, Jauhar laid siege to Panhala. Netaji Palkar made repeated attempts to break the siege from outside, but these failed.

A risky plan was then put into action: Shivaji, Baji Prabhu Deshpande with a select band of troops would attempt to break through the siege at the night, and make for [[Vishalgadh|Vishalgad]]. In order to deceive the Bijapur forces, to avoid a chase if they found out that Shivaji had broken the siege, Shiva Kashid a barber by profession, had physical resemblance to Shivaji, volunteered to dress like the king and let himself be captured.

At night, Shivaji, broke through the siege. They were pursued by the Bijapur force. As planned, Shiva Kashid allowed himself to be captured and taken back to the Bijapur camp, guessing that he would be put to death once the charade was discovered. This gave the fleeing Maratha force some breathing space.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2015-08-15 |title=Shivaji, Baji Prabhu & the Battle of Pavan Khind {{!}} Sanskriti - Hinduism and Indian Culture Website |url=https://www.sanskritimagazine.com/shivaji-baji-prabhu-the-battle-of-pavan-khind/ |access-date=2023-11-11 |language=en-US}}</ref>

As soon as the Bijapur force realized their mistake, the chase was on again, led by [[Siddi Masud]], the son-in-law of Siddi Jauhar. Near the pass of Ghodkhind (Horse's Pass), the Marathas made a final stand. Shivaji and half of the Maratha force pushed for Vishalgadh, while Baji Prabhu, his brother Phulaji and the remaining ''Bandal Sena'' of a few hundred men blocked the pass and fought off the pursuing Bijapur soldiers for more than 18 hours.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Duff |first=James Grant |author-link=James Grant Duff |url=https://www.ibiblio.org/britishraj/Duff.html |title=A History of the Mahrattas |publisher=Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green |year=1826 |location=London |pages=151-153 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Kincaid |first=Dennis |author-link=Dennis Kincaid |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.8382/page/n115 |title=The Grand Rebel: An Impression of Shivaji, Founder of the Maratha Empire |publisher=Collins |year=1936 |pages=127-128 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Sarkar |first=Jadunath |url=http://archive.org/details/shivajihistimes00sarkrich |title=Shivaji and his times |date= |publisher=Longmans, Green and co. |others=University of California Libraries |year=1920 |edition=2nd |location=London, New York |pages=83-85}}</ref>

Through the battle, Baji Prabhu, continued fighting though grievously injured, inspiring his men to fight on until Shivaji's safe journey to Vishalgadh was signaled by the firing cannons.

The Ghod Khind pass was subsequently named ''Pavan Khind'' ("Holy Pass") by Shivaji, in honor of the sacrifice of Baji Prabhu and his troops.<ref name=":0" />

==Descendants ==
Baji Prabhu Deshpande was born in [[Bhor]], Maharashtra.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}

Vishnu Narayan Deshpande, the 10th descendant and former [[Sarpanch|Sarapanch]] of Parhar Budruk, was a freedom fighter. His wife Latika Deshpande was a relative of the author [[Ram Ganesh Gadkari]]. The family has a relationship with the family of [[Rango Bapuji Gupte]]. Vishnu Narayan Deshpande had four sons and four daughters. His son Dilip Deshpande helped people displaced by dam building, and farming is their family business. The family conducts social work and is aware of the legacy of Baji Prabhu.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}

One of Baji Prabhu Despande's descendants, Ramchandra Kashinath Deshpande, was an Indian freedom fighter against the British rule, an educationalist and a social activist who worked in [[Dhule]] and [[Jalgaon]]. He participated in the [[Quit India Movement]] during the British rule and was imprisoned for 19 months in the Kolhapur Central Jail. He was congratulated after Independence by the then Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]]. For his social work, he was given the title of 'Special Executive Magistrate' by the Maharashtra government in 1989.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/shivaji-lieutenants-heir-files-plea-against-maharashtra-government/article6797707.ece|title=Shivaji lieutenant's heir files plea against Maharashtra government|newspaper=The Hindu |date=January 17, 2015|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-freedom-fighter-s-land-used-as-cremation-ground-daughter-moves-bombay-high-court-2057125|title=Freedom fighter's land used as cremation ground, daughter moves Bombay High Court|website=DNA India}}</ref>{{Verify source|date=February 2023}}

== In popular culture ==
[[File:BajiPrabhu Statue Panhalgad.jpg|thumb|Baji Prabhu Statue, [[Panhala Fort]].]]
*In 1909, [[Sri Aurobindo]] composed an English poem titled ''Baji Prabhou'', describing his heroic sacrifice at the battle at the [[Panhala Fort]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_rM1DgAAQBAJ&pg=PA272|title=Mapping the Nation: An Anthology of Indian Poetry in English, 1870–1920|publisher=Anthem Press|date=June 25, 2012|isbn=9781783080755}}</ref>
* ''Baji Prabhu Deshpande'', an Indian [[silent film]] about Baji Prabhu was made by [[Baburao Painter]] in 1929. Another silent film, ''Veer Baji'', released in the same year and was produced by Omkar Films.<ref name="RajadhyakshaWillemen1999">{{cite book|last1=Rajadhyaksha|first1=Ashish|last2=Willemen|first2=Paul|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediaofi0000raja|url-access=registration|accessdate=12 August 2012|year=1999|publisher=British Film Institute|isbn=9780851706696 }}</ref>
* Indian independence activist and politician [[Vinayak Damodar Savarkar]] wrote a ballad about Baji Prabhu but it was banned by the colonial British government. This ban was lifted on 24 May 1946.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nzisCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT7755|title=Censorship: A World Encyclopedia|publisher=Routledge|date=December 1, 2001|isbn=9781136798634|editor-first=Derek |editor-last=Jones}}</ref>
* Baji Prabhu's character was played by [[Raja Shivchhatrapati (TV series)|Raja Shivchhatrapati]] in the TV series [[Star Pravah]] in the 2000s.
* [[Ajinkya Deo]] portrayed Baji Prabhu in 2021 series ''Jai Bhawani Jai Shivaji'' which aired on [[Star Pravah]].
* A Marathi-language film, ''[[Pawankhind (film)|Pawankhind]]'', directed by Digpal Lanjekar and starring Ajay Purkar as Baji Prabhu Deshpande, was released on 18 February 2022.
* ''[[Har Har Mahadev]]'', a film directed by Abhijit Deshpande, starring [[Sharad Kelkar]] as Baji Prabhu Deshpande and produced by Zee Studios released 25 October 2022 in 5 language (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada, along with Marathi).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-07 |title='Har Har Mahadev' becomes first Marathi film to release in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/har-har-mahadev-becomes-first-marathi-film-to-release-in-tamil-telugu-kannada-1151439.html |access-date=2022-10-09 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Tanaji Malusare]], another ''[[Sardar]]'' known for his bravery at [[Battle of Kondhana]] (1670).
*[[Netaji Palkar]], Sardar Senapati (Commander-in-Chief) of Shivaji.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Baji Prabhu Deshpande}}
* [https://archive.org/stream/historyofmaratha01kincuoft#page/168/mode/2up A history of the Maratha people p.168-171]
* [https://archive.org/stream/ethnographicalno00chanrich/ethnographicalno00chanrich_djvu.txt Full text of "Ethnographical notes on Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu"]

{{Shivaji}}
{{Maratha Empire}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deshpande, Baji Prabhu}}
[[Category:17th-century soldiers]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:People from the Maratha Empire]]
[[Category:Indian military leaders]]
[[Category:1610s births]]
[[Category:1660 deaths]]

Baji Prabhu Deshpande - Revision history

Allenjacksparrow at 00:41, 5 March 2026