Thread by @neha_laldas

#गद्दार_दिवस
#FakeHistory_BhimaKoregaon
Learn how a myth was turned into history (A🧵)

Facts about Bhima-Koregaon battle👇
1. The battle was between Peshwa faction of the Maratha empire & British East India Company

2. British army DID NOT win. Neither side achieved any decisive victory. British army retreated back to Seroor

3. Battle troops composition:
British side: 834+ artillery
Maratha side: 1800

4. British army didn't entirely consist of Mahars. There were other caste/religion soldiers

5. Peshwa side also consisted of dalits/non-dalits/muslim soldiers

6. Mahars served as foot soldiers in British army. No mahar was given any prominent position in british army

7. In 1892, the British stopped recruiting Mahars in their Army, saying that "Mahars are not a martial race but low caste untouchables"

On Jan 1, 1818, British troops marched from Seroor towards Pune with an intention to attack the Peshwa capital. They were unexpectedly intercepted by Marathas midway at Koregaon.
In this fight, both the British army, & Marathas (both armies consisting of dalits/other castes/muslims/others), suffered casualties.
Finally British aborted their Pune mission & retreated back to Seroor

Captain Staunton (leading the British side) sent a letter on the night of Jan 1, 1818 asking for urgent help:
"We are completely surrounded by the Peshwa's army and cannot hold out much longer than tonight. Many of our soldiers and officers have been killed. Send us help quickly or they will kill us by tomorrow."

The Maratha battalion consisted of 3 units-600 each of Arabs, Gosains & regular mixed infantry.
British side has 834 soldiers (mixed castes) + artillery.
In this fight, British side suffered 275 were either killed, wounded or went missing.
From Maratha side, there were ~500-600 killed/wounded. From maratha side, most causalities were Arab soldiers.
The dead Company soldiers of Indian origin included 22 Mahars, 16 Marathas, 8 Rajputs, 2 Muslims, and 1-2 Jews.

Neither side achieved a decisive victory in the battle. Shortly after the battle, Mountstuart Elphinstone described it as a "small victory" for the Peshwa.
Nevertheless, the East India Company government praised the bravery of its troops, who could not be overpowered despite being outnumbered.

No official British record has called this battle a ‘victory’.
Even the inscription on the pillar at BhimaKoregaon says that it was erected to commemorate the ‘defence of Corigaum’.

Here is the documentary evidence from James Grant Duff, a soldier and prominent historian of that time, which says British retreated back to Seroor!

Note that Mahars had originally served in Peshwas army & later capitalized on this experience to join British (i.e. Mahars became acquainted with warfare in Peshwas army & then enlisted themselves in British Army)!
This is mentioned by Christophe Jaffrelot, Dr Ambedkar and Untouchability: Analysing and Fighting Caste👇

The Peshwas army also consisted of ppl from low castes.
That means, Mahars of the British Army fought against & even killed the Dalits of the Peshwas Army!

This is not something to celebrate!!

British wanted to construct a monument to honor it's armymen's bravery in the battle.

This letter was written by chief secretary of British military dept (18-11-1824) to the Deccan Commissioner👇
This letter was in reference to the conditions laid down for appointing in-charge after erecting the Jayastambh (Military Pillar).

The letter states:
"The monument should be entrusted to a meritorious soldier who participated in the battle of Koregaon."
What is interesting to note is that the letter states "this person SHOULD NOT belong to Parwari (MAHAR) jaati".

The letter also stated that the land next to the pillar and the Jamadar post should be given to the said person.

So Jamadar Khandojibin Gajoji Malvadkar was honored by the then government with general orders, medals, regimental court and he was appointed in charge of the Jaistambha erected at Mauje Perne.
Currently his 7th generation descendants are the custodians of this pillar.

Rohan Jamadar Malvadkar (7th gen of Jamadar Khandojibin Gajoji) has also written a book on this topic & debunked the lies associated with this battle.

Note that in 1892, British stopped recruiting Mahars in their Army, saying:
"Mahars are not a martial race, but low-caste untouchables."

Also, British classified most of the nomadic & untouchable castes as "Criminal Tribes".

Infact the British, after conquering India, simply dismissed untouchables as "useless soldiers".

When British stopped recruiting Dalit Mahars in British Army because of their "Aryan" and "Martial race" theories, the Mahars sent a request to British wherein they claimed they were Kshatriyas and requested British to enroll them.
Infact, it was a Chitpavan Brahmin (Mahadev Govind Ranade), was instrumental in drafting a petition to the British govt requesting them to lift the ban on the recruitment of Mahars and opposing the reclassification of Mahars as a non-martial race.

Sources:
1. A History of the Marathas by James Grant Duff

2. Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency Vol XVIII Part III

3. History of the Madras Artillery Vol I

4. Supplement to the London Gazette (June 6 to June 9, 1818)

5. Battle of Koregaon: Lessons in Unity (OpIndia)

6. @AjaatShatrruu @Arya_Anviksha_ @rohan_jamadar @peshwaspeaks @VedicWisdom1