Krantiveer  Bhagoji Naik भागोजी नाईक

नाशिक व नगर जिल्ह्यात आदिवासी समाजाच्या वतीने
राघोजी भांगरे यांनी ब्रिटिशांविरुद्ध पहिला उठाव केला.
शेतकर्यांकडून इंग्रज त्याकाळी शेतसारा वसूल करीत असत.
त्यामुळे आदिवासी बांधव सरकारविरुद्ध नेहमी बंड करीत.
याच काळात इंग्रजांनी आदिवासी समाजाचील
युवकांची पोलीस दलात भरती सुरु केली. सिन्नर
तालुक्यातील नांदूरशिंगोटे भागोजी नाईकही पोलीस दलात
भरती झाला.
१८५७ च्या काळात भारतभर इंग्रजांविरुद्ध उठाव झाले.
भागोजी पोलीस दलात असल्याने आपल्याच
बांधवांच्या विरुद्ध लढा द्यायचा, याबद्दल त्याला खेद
वाटत होता. याच काळात अकोले, संगमनेर, सिनार, कोपरगाव,
निफाड, पेठ या भागातील महादेव कोळी व भिल्ल
बंडखोरांनी इंग्रजांविरुद्ध उठाव केला.
भागोजींनीही याचवेळी बंडाचा पवित्रा घेऊन नांदूरशिंगोटे-चास
दरम्यान असलेल्या खिंडीत पन्नास जणांची तुकडी तैनात
करुन त्यांना मार्गदर्शन केले.
भागोजींनी ब्रिटीशांना ’सळो की पळो’ करुन सोडले. चास
खिंडीत जेम्स हेन्री याच्या नेतृत्वाखालील सैन्यात व
भागोजी नाईक यांच्यात जोरदार लढाई झाली. या लढाईत ४
Oct १८५१ रोजी ब्रिटीश अधिकारी हेन्री मारला गेला.
त्यानंतर इंग्रज सरकार भागोजी नाईकच्या मागावर होते.
सिन्नर तालुक्यातील सांगवी, मिठसागरे, पंचाळे या भागात
इंग्रजांविरुद्ध भागोजीची शेवटची लढाई झाली. ११ Nov
१८५१ रोजी झालेल्या लढाईत फितुरीमुळे भागोजीला वीरमरण
आले. तसेच त्यांच्याबरोबर असलेले ५० पैकी ४८
क्रांतिकारक मारले गेले. भागोजी व त्यांचे क्रांतिकारक
सहकारी त्याकाळी शरण न जाता सारखे लढत राहिले.
नांदूरशिंगोटे येथे सुरु झालेले क्रांतियुद्ध सांगवी येथे संपले.



Bhagoji Naik, 1857-1859: During the 1857 risings Ahmadnagar was the scene of considerable disturbance. The rebels were about 7,000 Bhils of south Nasik and north Ahmadnagar. Detachments of troops were stationed to guard the frontier against raids from the Nizam's dominions, and to save the large towns from the chance of Bhil-attacks. The work of scattering the Bhil gatherings and hunting the rebels was left almost entirely to the police who were strengthened by the raising of a special Koli corps and by detachments of infantry and cavalry. The first gathering of Bhils was under the leadership of one Bhagoji Naik. This chief, who had been an officer in the Ahmadnagar police, in 1855 was convicted of rioting and obstructing the police and was sentenced to imprisonment. On his release he was required to find security for his good behaviour for a year. Shortly after the year was over, in consequence of the order for a general disarming, Bhagoji left his village of Nandur-Shingote in the Sinnar sub-division of Nasik, about five miles to the north of the Ahmadnagar boundary. Being a man of influence he was soon joined by some fifty of his tribe and took a position about a mile from his village. commanding the Pune-Nasik road. [Bhil women joined the party. The Commissioner of Police later reports to the Secret Department, Bombay, in his despatch of June 1st, 1858, " Bheel women are just as troublesome and mischievous as the men...... They obtain information and supply it for the males, cook their food, and fight also. They should be retained as hostages and not released till Bhagoji and other Naiks are captured.". (Source material for the History of Freedom Movement in India, Vol. I, p. 307).] After a few days (4th October 1857) Lieutenant J. W. Henry, the Superintendent of Police, arrived at Nandur-Shingote and was joined by his assistant Lieutenant, afterwards Colonel, T. Thatcher, and Mr. A. L. Taylor, inspecting postmaster. The police force under Lieutenant Henry consisted of thirty constables and twenty revenue messengers armed with swords. Lieutenant Henry told the mamlatdars of Sangamner and Sinnar to send for Bhagoji and induce him to submit. Bhagoji refused unless he received two years' back-pay and unless some arrangement was made for his maintenance. On receiving this message, the police were ordered to advance against his position. The first shot killed a man immediately behind Lieutenant Henry. The officers dismounted, but before they had advanced many yards were met by a volley, and Lieutenant Henry fell wounded. He regained his feet, and pressing on, received a mortal wound in the chest. The attack was continued under Lieutenant Thatcher and the Bhils retreated. This engagement excited the whole Bhil population. A fresh gang of about 100 Bhils was raised by Patharji Naik in the Rahuri sub-division. Dadoba Pandurang Tarkhadkar who was then the Huzur Deputy Collector of Ahmadnagar proceeded to the place of disturbance and courageously met the Bhils asking them to surrender. The Bhil leaders were so impressed by his confident behaviour that they submitted [A. K. Priolkar Biography of Dadoba Pandurang, p. 224.] and for a time dispersed only to meet again and follow their routine. Their gang was soon dispersed by Major, later Lieutenant, General Montgomery, the new superintendent of police. On the 18th October, an engagement took place in the hills of Shamsherpur in Akola, between Bhagoji's men and a detachment of troops and police under Colonel Machan of the 26th Native Infantry in which Lieutenant Graham who was on special police duty and Mr. F. S. Chapman of the civil service who accompanied the force were wounded. As disorder was wide-spread, Captain, later General, Nuttall, who succeeded Lieutenant Graham, was ordered to raise a corps of Kolis, the hereditary rivals of the Bhils, who in Maratha times, had been among the bravest of the Mavlis or West Deccan footmen. The corps was recruited chiefly in the hilly parts of Akola, of Junnar in Pune, and of Nasik. In December 1857 a hundred men armed with their own swords and muskets were fit for the field, and so useful did they prove, that in January and February 1858 a second levy of 110 was ordered, and shortly after the strength of the corps was increased to 600 men with a commandant and adjutant.

In raising the corps Captain Nuttall dealt with the heads of the different clans, promising them rank and position corresponding to the number of recruits they brought to the corps. Javji Naik Bomla, the chief of the Bomla clan, was made the head of the corps and a brother of the famous outlaw Raghoji Bhangre and other leading men were chosen as officers. Drill masters were lent by the Ahmadnagar police, and inspite of the want of leisure, the Kolis mastered their drill with the ease of born soldiers, and proved skilful skirmishers among hills and in rough ground. In 1858 the rebels were chiefly engaged in Nasik, Khandesh, and the Nizam's dominions and gave no trouble in Ahmadnagar. In the hot weather (April-May) of 1859 the Bhils under Bhagoji and Harji Naiks again appeared in the district. On the 5th of July after a forced march, Captain Nuttall came upon the Bhils near Ambhora Dara eight miles south-east of Sangamner. The Bhils took a strong position from which they were driven by twenty-five men of the Koli corps with a loss of ten killed, including Yashvant Bhagoji's son, several wounded, and three prisoners among whom was Harji Naik, one of the leaders. In October 1859 parties of Bhils were reported to be gathering in the Nizam's territory with the intention of joining Bhagoji. In the British districts also they were again becoming uneasy and excited. Under these circumstances, a detachment of Native Infantry was kept posted along the frontier which was constantly patrolled by strong parties of the Pune Irregular Horse. On the 26th of October, Bhagoji plundered the village of Korhala in Kopargaon and carried off property worth about Rs. 18,000. He was closely pursued by Captain Nuttall for nearly a fortnight along the rough Sahyadri country, down to the Konkan, and up again into Ahmadnagar, but by very rapid and secret marches always succeeded in baulking his pursuers. At last on the 11th of November, the rebels were pursued by Mr., later Sir, Frank Souter, the newly-appointed police superintendent of the district, and at Mithsagar, in the Sinnar subdivision of Nasik, in a hand-to-hand fight Bhagoji and most of his followers were killed and the rebellion brought to an end. The Nizam Bhils who were awaiting Bhagoji's arrival dispersed, and on the 20th in falling back from the British frontier with a loss of forty killed were attacked and routed by a detachment of the Hyderabad contingent under Lieutenant Pedler. On the 12th of November a large party of Bhils, under an influential chief, a relative of Bhagoji's, left Sonai in Nevasa to join Bhagoji. On hearing of his death they turned towards Khandesh where they were caught. As they had committed no crimes they were pardoned and allowed to return to their homes. Though disturbances were at an end posts of regular troops were maintained till 1860. When the regular troops were withdrawn their places were taken by detachments of the Koli corps. The Koli corps continued to perform this out-post duty till March 1861, when they were disbanded, and all, except a few who entered the police, returned to their former life of tillage and field labour. The strategy of raising the Kolis against Bhils was eminently successful. Instead of heading disturbances, as had often happened since, the disciplined Kolis were a powerful element in repressing disorder. Under Captain Nuttall's patient and kindly care, and by the example of his dashing bravery and untiring energy, they proved a most orderly, well-disciplined, active, and courageous force. They showed themselves superior to the Bhils in strength and spirit, and in their two and a half years of active service five times earned the special thanks of Government. [Recently in 1962, an autobiographical account (Atmahakikat) of Pandurang Mahipat Belsare of Pathardi has been brought to light by the Archives Department of the Government of Maharashtra wherein, Belsare gives an account as to how he had served in the regiment of Tatya Tope from 8th October to 27th October, 1858, but subsequently escaped and fled to Gwalior.]

In 1873, one Honya Bhagoji Kengle, an influential Koli of Jamburi in Pune, at the head of a well-trained gang, began a series of attacks on the money-lenders who habitually cheat and oppress the hill-tribes and at intervals drive them into crime. Honya's robberies extended over the western parts of Pune, Ahmadnagar and Nasik and the eastern sub-divisions of Thana. They became so numerous and daring that in 1874 a special police party of 175 armed men under Colonel Scott and Mr. W. F. Sinclair C. S. was detached for his arrest and proclamations were issued offering rewards of Rs. 1,000 for Honya and Rs. 200 to Rs. 600 for any of his followers. Inspite of these measures Honya managed to evade pursuit till July 1876 when he was caught by Major H. Daniell, then superintendent of police. In 1875 the spirit of disorder spread from the Kolis to the peace-loving Kunbis of the plain country and between May and July chiefly in Parner, Shrigonda, Nagar and Karjat. Twenty-two cases of assaults on money-lenders by bands of villagers were committed. Troops were called to the aid of the police and the disturbance was put down. The rising of Kolis in the seventy's of the 19th century were not so much a revolt against the established British authority as they were the outcome of extreme famine conditions then prevailing in the Deccan, when it is on record that people suffered from deaths due to starvation. While peasants suffered from extreme want and poverty, the money-lenders were keen on demanding their Shylock's pound of flesh, through the law courts established by the British. That is why they were the victims of the fury of famine-stricken people.

Source for information in english: http://ahmednagar.gov.in/gazetteer/his_modern_period.html