Fight against Manusmriti - the story of a heroic battle of a small Dalit army in alliance with British against a larger army of Brahminic kingdom.“If we wish to be free, we must fight. Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.” – Patrick Henry (March, 1775)
Manusmriti, a collection of ancient Hindu laws stipulating a social order with caste hierarchy. This inhuman text is still considered holy by Hindu fundamentalists and the leaders of Hindu mutts
The history of India is nothing but the fight/struggle between untouchables and the so called upper castes. Historians who ought to be rationalist, have always misled the masses and never showed the true colors of Indian History. Hence, this battle has also been lost into history and no reference is found in any history book.
January 1st 1818, everyone around the world was busy in celebrating the ‘new year’, when everyone was in cheerful mood. But a small force of 500 untouchable soldiers were preparing themselves for battle. Who knows this battle was going to write the future of ‘Brahmin Peshwa Baji Rao-II’? It wasn’t just another battle; it was a battle for self respect, esteem, and against the supremacy of Manusmriti. This battle is important in history, as everyone knows that after this battle the rule of ‘Peshwa Rao’ ended.
In the early 19th century, the Maratha Empire led by Peshwa Baji Rao II was gradually diminishing due to internal dissents and setbacks in the previous Anglo-Maratha wars. Maharashtrian society under Peshwas had followed the nastiest kind of social discrimination wherein the lower strata of society such as untouchables were confined to stringent Brahmanical laws and subsequently their mobility and development were impaired. The untouchables had suffered the most in the 2000 year old caste system. But regimes like the Brahmincal Peshwas are the best examples where untouchables and the lower caste groups experienced horrendous and worst form of social humiliations to carry broom sticks on their backs and earthen pots hung on their necks wherein they released their spit.
This battle took place on January 1st, 1818, near the banks of Bhima River in Koregaon (north-west of Pune) between the small forces of ‘500 untouchables’ (Mahars) soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 1st regiment of ‘Bombay Native Light Infantry’ and Peshwa soldiers. ‘Bombay Native Light Infantry’ was headed by ‘Caption Francis Staunton’. Compared to the ‘500 untouchable soldiers’ Brahmin Peshwa Rao’s force was large in numbers - more than 20,000 horsemen and 8,000 infantry soldiers. After walking down more than 27 miles distance from Shirur to Bhima Koregaon without rest or reprieve, without food or water ‘500 untouchables’ fought so bravely for 12 hours and won the battle. The battle ended not only with victory over Peshwa but it become responsible for the end of ‘Peshwai’ in Maharashtra.
This battle had unusual significance for many reasons. First, the British army fought this battle with a minuscule army expecting the worst, especially after their experience of the Pune Regency. Secondly, the battle of Koregaon was one of the most important events which helped tear down the Peshwa Empire and subsequently the Peshwa had to abdicate. Thirdly and most importantly, it was an attempt by the untouchables of Maharashtra to break the shackles of the age-old caste order
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