Wakinkheda, a small village in the Sagar (सगर) district of Karnataka is situated on the banks of rivers Bhima and Krishna. Wakinkheda was known for the sovereignty of it’s Berad community. The Berad community housed brave men who had once upon a time fought in defense of the Vijaynagar Empire. Pamnaik and Pidnaik were among the vice and valiant sardars of the Berad community.
Pamnaik and Pidnaik-
Pidnaik was the nephew of Pamnaik who was serving under Aurangzeb since 1683. In the year 1687 Pamnaik too asserted that he would work for the Alamgir. However after the death of Pamnaik in 1689 the Mughals expressed their wish to win over the Raichur district in Karnataka and under the assistance of Pidnaik, captured it. Sensing an impending danger from the Mughals on the Berad’s capital of Wakinkheda, Pidnaik decided to covertly prepare for a counter attack, to build his force, increase the ammunition and importantly prepare a strong defense structure to withstand the Mughal force. When RahullahKhan was informed about this, he gave orders to capture Pidnaik. Pidnaik sensing this alluring danger had started off with upgrading a strong and sustainable fort that would capably handle attacks and fight for its capital. Thus the already existing fort of Wakinkheda was restructured, reconstructed.
Strategic Importance of Wakinkheda for the Marathas:
The Wakinkheda fort was of great strategic importance to the Marathas. It was a strong and sustainable fort that could fight the able Mughal storm. The Berads had in the past joined hands with Marathas on many of their missions; they had been allies and had fought battles together including some against the Mughals themselves. Marathas had therefore trustfully sheltered their families in the fort of Wakinkheda which included the families of Santaji (Ghorpade) and Dhanaji (Jadhav).
It was yet again time to foster this strong bond, against an enemy, not so unruffled. Pidnaik approached the Marathas seeking their help and Marathas had contentedly agreed. Aurangzeb upon learning about this alliance sent his son Muhammad Azam with mighty army towards Wakinkheda . As the news reached Pidnaik, he decided to met Azam and pled for forgiveness. He promised to join hands with Azam against the Marathas. Azam agreed. Days passed by with no further move from the Berad’s. Azam grew restless until one day he realized that Pidnaik had turned to be a traitor. Pidnaik’s only aim in this strategy was to get some time until the Berads could form strategic plans and collect men and ammunition to counter Azam and his army.
Azam immediately launched an attack on the capital fort. The year was 1705. A fierce battle soon commenced. Lal-Tekdi (named after it’s red soil), bearing an important geographical defense for the fort was won over by Mughals after much of a struggle. Chinkhilaj Khan, Muhammad Aminkhan, Ajijkhan Rohila, Ikhalaskhan Miyan had given their finest for this mission. However a strong backfire was observed from the Berads and Lal-tekdi slipped out of the hands of Mughals. Aurangzeb then himself stepped onto the battle field and gave instructions to his sardars. However the battle seemed to be slipping out of their hands. The bravery and strength of the Berads was such. In the words of Jadunath Sarkar “The strength of Wakinkheda lay not so much in it’s natural position or artificial defenses, as in the courage and number of it’s garrisons, the deadly accuracy of their musketry fire and it’s ample supply of guns, rockets and artillery munitions.”
The next strategy of Mughals was to establish trenches between the Lal Tekdi and a hillock opposite named Talwargera (Talwarkhed). Finally Kam Baksh’s troops had been successful at the task. Outposts were built. The Berads would attack daily with great tenacity and the Mughals bravely fought these strenuous battles with them, however there was a greater loss that the Mughals had to bear. It was then necessary to protect their force form these attacks and therefore the main aim of these trenches was to guard the Mughal force against enemy attacks.
When the situation seemed to be getting in the hands of Mughals and signs of victory were foreseen, the Maratha’s under the command of Dhanaji Jadhav and HinduRao Ghorpade arrived with five thousand cavalry and twenty thousand infantry in support to the Berads.
Pidnaik had promised the Marathas daily subsidy of several thousand rupees as long as they would assist in the defense of their capital. Hence during this siege the Marathas would launch frequent attacks. The general situation in the Mughal camp deteriorated due to these attacks. Grain and fodder became extremely scarce. Pidnaik however made submission to the emperor proposing peace as they too had been bearing significant loss. He went a step forward and sent his brother Som Singh offering to give up the fort and asking the zamindari to be given to his brother, which was eventually granted .Aurangzeb established a man named MuhatshimKhan as the captain of the fort. As Muhatshimkhan took hold of the fort, Pidnaik’s mother wrote a letter to the emperor stating the following- “That crazy Pidnaik has gone mad and fled with the Marathas. He has joined hands with the Marathas. I therefore request the emperor to send back my son (Som Singh) to the fort, so that the fort can be vacated as soon as possible (as promised).” Accordingly Aurangzeb sent Som Singh back into the fort, stopped the attacks and called back his sardars from the siege. Pidnaik was however very much sane and on the fort. It turned out that all this was a very well planned execution by the Berads and Marathas. However well planned Pidnaik thought of his plan, Aurangzeb was not unaware of the possibilities. He had been after all for almost 25 years now been tolerating the Maratha’s mischievous ways and therefore was versed with the same. He had long recognized the fact that the strength of the Marathas lie equally in their brains. While Pidnaik was preparing for war inside the fort, so was Aurangzeb inside his camp.
Days went by. Aurangzeb waited. The Berads seemed to have forgotten about the surrender. Aurangzeb ordered Zulfhikarkhan and Nasrat Jung to launch the final decisive attack. Zulfikarkhan’s army caused destruction all over. He captured their wells and the Berad’s were now deprived of the water supply. The Berad’s and Marathas then decided to again launch their plan for the treaty, however Zulfikarkhan was not going to pay any heed and stopping him was now out of anybody’s control. The Berad’s and Marathas realized this and decided to fight with all their might. Many of the Rajput sardars were killed at the hands of the Berads. Many of the Mughals were killed at Talwargera. However it was difficult to sustain their strength against the powerful force from Zhulfikarkhan’s army. Alas, on 27th April 1705 (Julian Date) Zulfikarkhan launched a final attack on the fort. Pidnaik placed 2,000 of his best men at the entrance of the fort to stop the Mughals from entering, meanwhile with the help of Marathas the others along with their women and children fled from the fort. The Mughals after some time accented the fort to find it deserted and burnt. The Berad’s had burnt down everything before fleeing. HanmantRao Nimbalkar, a brave sardar was found martyred on the fort.
After winning the fort, as per the customary ritual Aurangzeb changed the name of the fort into ‘RehamanBaksh Kheda’. Within a few days Aurangzeb moved his troops out of Wakinkheda and settled at Devapura.
The Mughals had captured a burnt fort without been able to arrest a single Maratha or a Berad. After sacrificing thousands of soldiers, what remained in the hands of Mughals were only the relics. It was that time in history w hen the history repeated itself. Many years back it was Shivaji Maharaj who had fled from under the very nose of Aurangzeb in Agra and today yet again Aurangzeb had won a seemingly strayed and unlucrative war. The hardships Mughals had to face to win over Wakinkheda speaks volumes about the deteriorated leadership and will of the Mughal force. In the word of Jadunath Sarkar “It supplies the most graphic illustration of the utter decline and weakness of the Mughal state”.
- JANHAVI DATAR
REFERENCES:
Maratyanche Swatantrasamar (II) – S.Puranik
Ranaragini Tararani- Sadashiv Shivde
Chhatrapati Rajaram Tararani- Sadashiv Shivde
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