| Battle of Vani | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of battles involving the Maratha Empire and Mughal-Maratha Wars | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Maratha Empire |
 Mughal Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Chatrapati Shivaji Prataprao Gujar Vyankaji datto Makaji Anand Rao |
Daud Khan Ikhlas KhanTemplate:WIA Sangram KhanTemplate:WIA Mir AbdulTemplate:WIA Rai Makarand | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 10000 Cavalry[6] | 5000 Cavalry[7] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Few[8] |
3000 killed 4000 horses captured many wounded & ran away Many Mughal officers & soldiers were captured and released after healing wounds[9] | ||||||
The Battle of Vani was fought between forces of Marathas under Shivaji & Mughals under Daud Khan, Ikhlas Khan & other reputed generals at Dindori, a village in Nashik district of Maharashtra. In this battle, Shivaji personally led the Maratha Army from the front & defeated the army of the Mughal Empire,[10]
Background[edit | edit source]
As Shivaji had sacked Surat in the Battle of Surat for the second time & was about a return to the territory with the booty, this news reached Mughal prince Bahadur Shah I, who was then stationed at Burhanpur. He immediately sent Mughal forces under Daud Khan to attack Shivaji. Meanwhile, Shivaji divided his forces into many divisions. a smaller body with a booty of surat managed to slip away through a secret pass, while another division under Shivaji decided to engage with the enemy. Both forces met at Dindori, a village near Vani, present in the Nashik district of Maharashtra.[11]
Battle[edit | edit source]
The Mughal army fought under their various capable officers, well directed by Daud Khan himself. This time Shivaji personally led the Marathas in an open and sanguinary action. Ikhlas Khan (son of bahlol khan, a former Pathan leader of Bijapur), commanded the Mughal vanguard by ascending a hillock in the early morning, he beheld the enemy standing ready for battle in the plain below. while his men were putting on the armor, which was conveyed on camels, he himself with his followers charged the Marathas. Ikhlas Khan very was soon wounded and unhorsed. After a time Daud Khan arrived and sent up rai makarand and other officers to reinforce the vanguard. For hours together an obstinate and bloody battle raged. Sangram khan ghori and his kinsmen were wounded, and many were slain on the Mughal side. the Marathas accompanied by Bargis of the Deccan fought hovering round the Mughal army. But the Bundela infantry of the Mughal army with their abundant firearm kept the Marathas back. daud khan himself entered the fight and rescued the wounded Ikhlas Khan. Meantime, in another part of the field, mir Abdul Madub, the Darogas of the divisional artillery, who had separated from the main army by a fold in the ground, was attacked. He was wounded with one of his sons and some followers, while his other son and many soldiers were killed; and his flags and horses were carried out by Marathas. On the whole 3000 Mughals and a few Marathas were killed in the battle. 4000 horses were captured by the Marathas along with a number of officers and soldiers. They were subsequently released by Shivaji and allowed to go back to their home with safety.[12]
Aftermath[edit | edit source]
The Marathas proceeded to Konkan after this huge victory without further opposition. Daud Khan marched with the broken remnant of his army to Nashik, the wounded were sent to Aurangabad. This battle neutralized the Mughal power for more than a month.[13]
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Sarkar, Jadunath. History of Aurangzib. p. 154.
- ↑ A HISTORY OF MARATHAS BY GRANT DUFF VOL 1. p. 199.
- ↑ Sardesai, Govind Sakharam (1946). New History Of The Marathas Vol.1. p. 206.
- ↑ Sarkar, Jadunath (1920). Shivaji and his times. London, New York, Longmans, Green and co. p. 207.
- ↑ Shivaji The Great Vol.ii. 1932. p. 333.
- ↑ Sarkar, Jadunath (1920). Shivaji and his times. London, New York, Longmans, Green and co. p. 206.
- ↑ A HISTORY OF MARATHAS BY GRANT DUFF VOL 1. p. 199.
- ↑ Sarkar, Jadunath. History of Aurangzib. p. 154.
- ↑ Shivaji The Great Vol.ii. 1932. p. 333.
- ↑ Shivaji The Great Vol.ii. 1932. p. 332.
- ↑ Sarkar, Jadunath. History of Aurangzib. p. 153.
- ↑ Sarkar, Jadunath. History of Aurangzib. p. 154.
- ↑ Sarkar, Jadunath. History of Aurangzib. p. 154.