Bhor Ghat, 1779: Battlefield under a railway line

Ashish looked out of the window of the train as it wound its way around the ghats to Pune. The hills looked so majestic – covered in a rich coat of various hues of green.

"The British built this railway line, through the Bhor Ghat to connect the two cities I think in 1863, " he remarked to his friend Ashwin "That is how people could easily and swiftly travel to Mumbai "

"And Indian goods also reached Mumbai in double quick time !" replied Ashwin with a smile on his face.

"Talking of Bhor Ghat, mention of it always reminds me of two events – Chhatrapati Shivaji's loot of Surat and a famous battle at Wadgaon" said Ashwin

"I have read that Chhatrapati Shivaji brought all the loot from Surat and carried it up the Bhor Ghat to Lohagad. But Wadgaon?"

When Ashwin looked out the window, he realised they were approaching the station of Khandala. In his mind's eye he could see the station vanish, and be replaced by hundreds of Red Coats, standing guard with their pieces of artillery. He imagined the Maratha artillery sent from Pune by Nana Phadnavis making its way to the famed ghat.

"Are you lost somewhere? You were telling me about some battle at Wadgaon, near Pune."

Ashwin was broken out of his reverie.

"See, at the end of the 1770s, the British wanted to secure their only stronghold in Western India – Mumbai. This meant controlling the roads leading to it – from Vasai in the North and Pune in the East"

"The British plan was simple. Attack Pune and defeat Nana Phadnavis – who was ruling in name of the Peshwa Sawai Madhavrao. And place Raghunathrao as their puppet"

"So the British armies started from Mumbai under Capt. James Stewart and soon reached Khandala"

"Enroute, they captured Belapur and Panvel and established a camp at Khopoli. A Col. Egerton was also with him. It had been easy for them"

Ashwin took a sip of water.

"British expected Nana Phadnavis to resist at Pune. They also thought Maratha sardars like Mahadji Shinde will join them! But that is later. So James Stewart climbed up this very Bhor Ghat and reached Khandala. Governor General Warren Hastings then sent a large army to help them from Calcutta"

"Wow, that shows the importance of the campaign"

Ashish could now see that they had exited the ghat and were making their way to Pune. The dense forests, deep ravines, steep hills !

"At this point, if the British had stayed at Khandala, it would have been impossible to defend Pune once Hasting's men arrived. But Capt Stewart thought otherwise.

Also, Nana Phadnavis had sent Bhimrao Panse to counter the British. He waited in these very ravines and forests for the British descent to begin."

"That sounds so much like the mavlas of Shivaji ! Generations later, still fighting bravely for swarajya."

"So where was I?"

"Bhimrao Panse."

"So, Panse waited and sure enough in December 1778, Capt. Stewart began making his way to Pune. But almost immediately, Bhimrao Panse's soldiers attacked him with guns swords and cannons."

"These mute mountains must have come alive"

"Indeed, these hills have so many stories to tell. They have seen everything from the dinosaurs to this railway line—I envy them!" Ashish smiled knowingly.

"Capt James Stewart made it to Karla—yes, the one famous for its caves, where he was killed fighting. Col. Egerton had returned earlier to Mumbai and now one Col. Cockburn led the British"

"So many names! But please continue."

"He made his way. Expecting resistance to come straight at Shaniwarwada"

"But Nana Phadnavis and Mahadji Shinde had devised a clever plan. All villages leading to Pune—Pimpri, Chinchwad , Wadgaon, Talegaon etc were evacuated and their granaries burnt"

"Haha... one cannot imagine those places as villages today. But burn granaries?"

"It is called scorched earth. The British were starved of supplies and men. Nana Phadnavis and Mahadji Shinde and Tukoji Holkar now attacked them ferociously at Wadgaon. They simply decimated the British force."

"Meaning this was a grand Maratha victory over the British!"

"Indeed. One Babaji Phatak captured Khopoli and the noose was complete."

"This is all so exhilarating. And it happened right around here. I feel proud. Unfortunate that I have never heard of this great victory over the British"

"Eventually Pune would fall—but only after a leadership crisis, a drought and a long battle fort by fort in 1818."