The Battle of Pavan Khind was the last battle between the Maratha warriors Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Sambhu Singh Jadhav against Siddi Masud of the Bijapur Sultanate at a mountain pass in the vicinity of Vishalgad fort, near the city of Kolhapur on 13 July 1660. The battle ended with the defeat of the Maratha forces and a victory for the Bijapur Sultanate; however, the battle failed to achieve a strategic victory.

The Battle of Pavan Khind is one of the most important topics for the UPSC IAS exam. It covers a significant part of the Medieval History subject in the Mains General Studies Paper-1 syllabus and General Studies Paper-1 of the UPSC Prelims Syllabus.

In this article, we shall study the historical background of the Battle of Pavan Khind, the series of battles between Adilshah and Maratha forces, and all other important facts for the UPSC IAS Exam.

Battle of Pavan Khind: Historical Background

Adilshahi generals were defeated by the Maratha Empire led by Shivaji Maharaj. As a result, Adilshah used all of his resources as a last resort and dispatched Siddi Jauhar on the Marathas' expedition. To fight Shivaji Maharaj, he corresponded with the Mughals simultaneously. Shaista Khan consequently launched an attack from the north side toward Pune. The Panhala fort was under siege by Siddi Jauhar. The attempts to raise the siege failed. Senapati (Commander) Netaji Palkar of Shivaji Maharaj could not breach the siege from the outside. So Shivaji decided to fight one last time. But he chose a different course of action than a suicide attack. To present a battle from Fort Vishalgad, a spectacular escape was planned.

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Composition of Adilshahi Forces

The Adilshahi forces were led by Siddi Jauhar, and he was assisted by Siddi Masud and Fazal Khan. Vishalgarh was under siege by Jasvantrao Dalvi of Palavani and Surve of Sringarpur.

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Composition of Maratha Forces

Chhatrapati Shivaji served as the commander of the Maratha armies, with help from Bandal, Jadhavrao, and many others, as well as his Sardar Bajiprabhu. However, there were only about 600 light infantry troops available. They were composed of seasoned mountaineers from the naval zone who had previously remained unconquered.

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Series of Events of Battle of Pavan Khind

• Siddi Jauhar had carefully and skillfully constructed the siege around Panhala. First, Siddi Jauhar received a vakil from Shivaji, declaring he was willing to form a pact with him. 
• As a result, Siddi Jauhar and his army began to because they knew their lengthy siege would soon end. Even still, it seemed impossible to escape the approximately 10,000 Adilshahi forces laying siege. 
• According to the plan, Shivaji and 600 warriors under the command of Bajiprabhou Deshpande broke through the siege on the death of the full moon night. Surprisingly, they were successful, and they were now racing toward Vishalgad. 
• The enemy pursued and captured a portion of Shivaji's army after learning of his escape from Panhala.
• The monarch who was taken prisoner turned out to be a Shivaji impostor. His name was Shiva Kashid. 
• Adil Shah's forces recommenced the attack, this time commanded by Siddi Masood, Siddi Johar's son-in-law. 
• Shivaji had already arrived at the gorge known as Ghod Khind (Horse Pass), which was a key spot of the battle. Only a few soldiers could travel through at once due to its narrow infrastructure. 
• With 300 members of his army, brave general Baji Prabhu Deshpande took up the position to guard the pass till Shivaji arrived at Vishalgad Fort.
• Shivaji Maharaj broke another siege at the foot of Fort Vishalgad. With the help of 300 men, Baji Prabhu, his brother Fulaji, and Sambhaji Jadhav successfully guarded the pass. 
• They were wounded, and Siddi Masood's warriors were shocked to see 300 soldiers fighting savagely with swords in both hands. 
• They didn't give up until they heard Shivaji's cannons firing from the fort, which signaled that he had arrived safely. It is today referred to as Pävan Khind or The Sacred Pass. 
• The enemy attacked Shivaji at Fort Vishalgad after passing through the pass. However, Rango Narayan Sarpotdar, Shivaji's officer at the Fort, brutally thrashed them again.

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Battle of Pavan Khind: Aftermath

In recognition of the 300 Maratha soldiers who gave their lives, the route previously known as Ghod Khind, also known as Horse Pass, was renamed Pavan Khind (Sacred Pass). The remainder of Shivaji's army was able to escape. The Marathas and Adilshahi armies engaged in their final significant conflict here. Marathas were afterward acknowledged as an autonomous power. This battle proved a legendary sacrifice of Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Shiva Kashid.

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Battle of Pavan Khind: Important Facts & Figures for UPSC

The table below shows the important facts about the Battle of Pavan Khind.

Battle of Pavan Khind | All Important Facts For UPSC: Download PDF Here!

Conclusion

The battle of Pavan Khind is one of the last battles fought by Maratha forces. Many Maratha soldiers were wounded and killed in this battle. This battle shows the strong military powers of Adilshahi forces.

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