Thread by @dhavalkulkarni

#LokmanyaTilak was a journalist & freedom fighter. This thread is about his guru & nationalist 'Bramharshi' #AnnasahebPatwardhan, who had attempted to 'liberate' the Berar province from the #British for revolutionary activities
#Pune #history #Maharashtra #Vidarbha #Marathi

Ramchandra Vinayak Patwardhan aka Annasaheb was born in a #ChitpavanBrahmin family in 1847. He was muscular and had dedicated himself to a physical culture in his youth. He claimed to have the strength of a horse.

Annasaheb would dare British soldiers to a race on foot from Wanowrie to Swargate (around 6km). It was a passion for him to outpace and defeat them.

#AnnasahebPatwardhan wore many hats with ease. He completed his BA from #Mumbai, trained as a lawyer and then learnt medicine! He was also a Vedic scholar.

While studying medicine, #AnnasahebPatwardhan pointed to some mistakes made by the examiner. As a result, he was made to appear for the same exam six times!

Annasaheb was both, a lawyer and a medical practitioner. He was a renowned lawyer with a booming practice. #AnnasahebPatwardhan however refused to take his fees from his patients and treated them for free.

#AnnasahebPatwardhan lived in a wada behind the Shaniwarwada in #Pune. He was associated with revolutionaries like Vasudeo Balwant Phadke. A photo of Annasaheb's residence is attached to this tweet.

Phadke learnt shooting, using weapons like the 'dandpatta', swords, spears etc from Krantiveer Lahuji Vastad Salve and Ranba Mahar who stayed in Vetal Peth.

Lahuji Vastad Salve had another illustrious student who would leave his stamp on history--#MahatmaJotibaPhule. Phule and his friends Walvekar and Paranjape had trained under him.

#AnnasahebPatwardhan too learnt the use of weapons like the dandpatta with Phadke in Lahuji Vastad and Ranba Mahar's training school. The duo use to teach their students at Gultekdi in #Pune.

#AnnasahebPatwardhan wanted to liberate a province, which could be used as a base by the revolutionaries in their activities against the #British. He zeroed in on Berar (present-day western Vidarbha) which had been mortgaged to the British by the #Nizam of #Hyderabad.

He wanted to launch a bank in #Hyderabad, loan a massive amount running into crores (a much bigger fortune in those days than today) to the Nizam, and help him get possession of Berar. Then, Annasaheb would take over the administration of that region.

#AnnasahebPatwardhan had taken Salarjung, the chief minister of the #Nizam into confidence for it. However, Salarjung's sudden death frustrated these plans but Annasaheb had to bear the financial liabilities.

#AnnasahebPatwardhan was also a mentor to young revolutionaries like Damodar Balwant Bhide aka Bhatji. The samadhi of this unknown, unsung freedom fighter is in the premises of the Omkareshwar temple in #Pune.

Sources:
V.S. Joshi, Adya Krantikarak Vasudev Balwant Phadke
Aprabuddha, Brahmarshi Annasaheb Patwardhan
Portrait of Annasaheb- Internet
The photo of his residence- Self