Dhondia Wagh (died 10 September 1800) was a military soldier and adventurer in 18th century India. He started his career in the service of
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali ( حیدر علی, ''Haidarālī''; 1720 – 7 December 1782) was the Sultan and ''de facto'' ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born as Hyder Ali, he distinguished himself as a soldier, eventually drawing the at ...
, the ruler of
Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...
. During the
Third Anglo-Mysore War
The Third Anglo-Mysore War (1790–1792) was a conflict in South India between the Kingdom of Mysore and the British East India Company, the Kingdom of Travancore, the Maratha Empire, and the Nizam of Hyderabad. It was the third of four Angl ...
, he deserted Ali's successor
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan (born Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu, 1 December 1751 – 4 May 1799), also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore based in South India. He was a pioneer of rocket artillery.Dalrymple, p. 243 He i ...
, and subsequently raided territories on the
Maratha
The Marathi people ( Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as ...
-Mysore border. After the Marathas forced him to retreat, he sought refuge from Tipu and converted to
Islam, changing his name to Malik Jahan Khan. After Tipu's death in the
Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
The Fourth Anglo-Mysore War was a conflict in South India between the Kingdom of Mysore against the British East India Company and the Hyderabad Deccan in 1798–99.
This was the final conflict of the four Anglo-Mysore Wars. The British captured ...
, he raised a force comprising soldiers from the former Mysore Army, and took control of northern part of the Mysore Kingdom. He styled himself as ''Ubhaya-Lokadheeshwara'' ("King of two Worlds"). The
British East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...
as well as the Maratha
Peshwa
The Peshwa (Pronunciation: e(ː)ʃʋaː was the appointed (later becoming hereditary) prime minister of the Maratha Empire of the Indian subcontinent. Originally, the Peshwas served as subordinates to the Chhatrapati (the Maratha king); later ...
sent armies to check his rising power. He was ultimately defeated and killed by a British force led by
Arthur Wellesley.
Early life
Dhondia Wagh was born at
Channagiri
Channagiri is a town in Davanagere district in the state of Karnataka, India. It is a taluk headquarters in Davanagere District from 1997. Before it was the part of Shivamogga District.
Etymology
During Ganga Possession in this place called '' ...
in the
Kingdom of Mysore (present-day Karnataka).
He belonged to a
Maratha
The Marathi people ( Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as ...
family of the Pawar clan. During the reign of
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali ( حیدر علی, ''Haidarālī''; 1720 – 7 December 1782) was the Sultan and ''de facto'' ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born as Hyder Ali, he distinguished himself as a soldier, eventually drawing the at ...
, he joined Mysore's army as a trooper under the command of Bishnu Pandit. Gradually, he rose to the position of a
shiledar Shiledar was a term used for a soldier's position in India's Maratha Empire (1630–1818), particularly during the reign of Shivaji. The word ''shiledar'' means "a soldier who possesses his own sword and horse for taking active part in combat/war".
...
(cavalry officer) during the reign of
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan (born Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu, 1 December 1751 – 4 May 1799), also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore based in South India. He was a pioneer of rocket artillery.Dalrymple, p. 243 He i ...
.
After Third Anglo-Mysore War
During the
Third Anglo-Mysore War
The Third Anglo-Mysore War (1790–1792) was a conflict in South India between the Kingdom of Mysore and the British East India Company, the Kingdom of Travancore, the Maratha Empire, and the Nizam of Hyderabad. It was the third of four Angl ...
, Wagh left Tipu's service, taking along several soldiers as well as considerable wealth. He took shelter under the
desai
Desai (Hindi: देसाई) () is an Indian administrative, princely or honorary title and surname.
Etymology
The word is derived from the Sanskrit ''deśa'' (country) and ''svāmī'' (lord).
Desai as a title
Desai was a title given to feud ...
(Maratha revenue collector) of
Lakshmeshwara
Lakshmeshwara is a town, and newly created Taluk place along with Gajendragad in Gadag district, in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is about 40 km from Gadag and 55 km from Hubli. It is an agricultural trading town. Lakshmeshwara T ...
. After the war ended in 1792, he proclaimed himself as the ruler of the areas on the Maratha-Mysore border. He started plundering villages and levied taxes in areas around
Dharwad
Dharwad (), also known as Dharwar, is a city located in the north western part of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of the Dharwad district of Karnataka and forms a contiguous urban area with the city of Hubballi. It was merge ...
. In January 1793, he captured
Haveri
Haveri is a city in Karnataka, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Haveri district. Haveri is famous for its cardamom garlands and Byadagi red chillies. Around 25 km away, there is a place called Bada, which is the birthplace o ...
, and occupied
Savanur
Savanuru is a locality and taluk headquarters of Savanuru Taluk in Haveri District of Karnataka state, India.
History
Savanuru was one of the princely states of British India, under the Bombay Presidency, and later the Deccan States Agen ...
. He also started raiding other territories ceded by Mysore to the Marathas as per the
Treaty of Seringapatam
The Treaty of Seringapatam (also called Srirangapatinam or Srirangapatna), signed 18 March 1792, ended the Third Anglo-Mysore War. Its signatories included Lord Cornwallis on behalf of the British East India Company, representatives of the Niz ...
.
In 1794, the Maratha general
Parashuram Bhau sent an army commanded by Dhondopant Gokhale (also known as Dhondu Pant) to check Wagh's rising power. Gokhale forced him to flee and seek shelter with Tipu Sultan in June 1794. Recognizing his ability as a warrior, Tipu forgave his past act of desertion and asked him to convert to
Islam. Wagh adopted Islam, and was given a new name "Shaikh Ahmad", although he preferred to style himself as "Malik Jahan Khan". He was given a military command in the Mysore Army. However, sometime later, he fell out of Tipu's favour, and was imprisoned. At one point, Tipu considered releasing Wagh, but his minister
Mir Sadiq
Mir Sadiq held the post of a minister in the cabinet of Tipu Sultan of Mysore.
Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
In the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
The Fourth Anglo-Mysore War was a conflict in South India between the Kingdom of Mysore against the Brit ...
dissuaded him from doing so.
After Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
After the
British East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...
defeated
Defeated may refer to:
* "Defeated" (Breaking Benjamin song)
* "Defeated" (Anastacia song)
*"Defeated", a song by Snoop Dogg from the album ''Bible of Love''
*Defeated, Tennessee, an unincorporated community
*''The Defeated
''The Defeated'', al ...
Tipu Sultan in 1799, Dhondia Wagh and other prisoners were freed by the British troops. Wagh reached
Shikaripur
Shikaripur or Shikaripura is a major town in Shimoga district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of Shikaripur taluk and is known as the land of shivasharanas.
Geography
Shikaripur is located at . It has an average elevatio ...
, where he raised a band of soldiers from Tipu's former army. He gained support of Krishnappa Nayaka of Balam, and declared himself ''Ubhaya-
Loka
Loka () is a concept in Hinduism and other Indian religions, that may be translated as a planet, the universe, a plane, or a realm of existence. In some philosophies, it may also be interpreted as a mental state that one can experience. A prima ...
dheeshwara'' (King of the Two Worlds). He also assumed the title of
Nayaka of
Bidnur (in the style of the
Nayakas of Keladi
Nayakas of Keladi (1499–1763), also known as Nayakas of Bednore and Ikkeri Nayakas, were an Indian dynasty based in Keladi in present-day Shimoga district of Karnataka, India. They were an important ruling dynasty in post-medieval Karnat ...
). While the British were busy strengthening their hold over Mysore, Wagh started collecting taxes from traders and cultivators in and around
Shimoga
Shimoga, officially known as Shivamogga, is a city and the district headquarters of Shimoga district in the central part of the state of Karnataka, India. The city lies on the banks of the Tunga River. Being the gateway for the hilly region of ...
. The
polygar
Palaiyakkarars, or Poligar, (as the British referred to them) in Tamil Nadu refers to the holder of a small kingdom as a feudatory to a greater sovereign. Under this system, ''palayam'' was given for valuable military services rendered by any in ...
feudal lords of
Hangal
Hangal, is a historic town in Karnataka, It is away from Hubli through NH 766E.
Location
Hangal lies about south of the city of Hubli-Dharwad, about west of the Tungabhadra river and east of the Arabian sea. It is located on state road o ...
,
Harpanahalli
Harapanahalli is a city and sub-divisional headquarter of Harapanahalli, Huvina Hadagali, and Kotturu Taluks; and the headquarter of Harapanahalli taluk in the Vijayanagara district. it is the second largest and fastest growing city in the Vija ...
,
Ranebennuru,
Savanur
Savanuru is a locality and taluk headquarters of Savanuru Taluk in Haveri District of Karnataka state, India.
History
Savanuru was one of the princely states of British India, under the Bombay Presidency, and later the Deccan States Agen ...
,
Sodhe
Sode is a village near Sirsi in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka in India.
Location
Sodhe is a village in the Malenadu region, surrounded by thick forests. It is 22 km from Sirsi and 13 km from Hulekal.
Prehistoric rock art
Prehist ...
and
Vittal
Vitla (ವಿಟ್ಲ) also Vittal is a town in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, India, around 18 km from Bantwal in Bantwal Taluk. It is also 14 km from Puttur and 40 km from Mangalore. Vitla was an assembly consti ...
acknowledged his suzerainty. At the height of his power, he is believed to have gathered an army of 90,000 cavalry and 80,000 infantry.
By July 1799, he had become enough of a nuisance for the British to send a force against him.
In 1799, Wagh led a small band northwards, and raided territories located around the Maratha-Mysore border. He entered the present-day
Dharwad district
Dharwad is an administrative district of the state of Karnataka in southern India.The administrative headquarters of the district is the city of Dharwad, also known as Dharwar. Dharwad is located 425 km northwest of Bangalore and 421&nbs ...
with 300 men, and sought an alliance with the Maratha chief Dhondopant Gokhale, who had earlier helped rogue mercenaries plunder territories in Dharwad. However, Gokhale did not entertain him.
In fact, he launched a surprise attack on Wagh's camp and plundered it. Wagh then vowed to "dye his mustache in the blood of Gokhale's heart".
Subsequently, he took shelter in
Kolhapur
Kolhapur () is a city on the banks of the Panchganga River in the southern part of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarter of the Kolhapur district. In, around 2 C.E. Kolapur's name was 'Kuntal'.
Kolhapur is ...
but had to leave after a conflict with the local authorities. He returned to Shimoga and then re-entered Dharwad with a larger force. In 1800, he occupied Savannur, followed by
Dambal
Dambala is a village in the gadag district of the state of Karnataka, India. It was an ancient center of Buddhism and remained so as late as the 12th century. Dambal is at an elevation of .
Demographics
India census, Dambala had a population ...
on 4 May. By this time, he controlled all the forts in the present-day
Haveri district, with the exception of
Havanur
Havanur is a village in the southern state of Karnataka, India.Village code= 853700 Havanur, Haveri, Karnataka It is located in the Haveri taluk of Haveri district in North Karnataka.
Demographics
India census, Havanur had a population of ...
. He also captured the
Jamalabad
Jamalabad Fort is an old hilltop fortification in Killoor road, Belthangady, Dakshina Kannada District, Karnataka, India. It is located in the Kudremukh range of hills, 8 km north of Beltangady town and 65 km from the city of Mangalore ...
fort built by Tipu. Several soldiers disbanded from
Aurangabad
Aurangabad ( is a city in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarters of Aurangabad district and is the largest city in the Marathwada region. Located on a hilly upland terrain in the Deccan Traps, Aurangabad is the ...
,
Hyderabad
Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India ...
and
Kadapa
Kadapa (colonial spelled Cuddapah) is a city in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located in the Rayalaseema region, and is the district headquarters of YSR Kadapa district. As of the 2022 Census of India, the city had a popul ...
joined him.
Wellesley's campaign
![Pursuit of Dhondji Wagh](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Pursuit_of_Dhondji_Wagh.jpg)
Alarmed at his rising power, the British decided to send a strong force against him. In May 1800, the newly-appointed British Governor of Mysore
General Wellesley was given his first independent command.
Describing the seriousness of Wagh's insurgency, General Wellesley wrote to the
Governor General
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy ...
Marquess Wellesley
A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...
on 26 May:
In June 1800, Wellesley gathered a force made up of the
25th Light Dragoons
The 25th Dragoons was a cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1941 to 1947.
Previous regiments bearing the number have been:
* De La Bouchetiere's Regiment of Dragoons was re-formed in 1716 as the 25th Dragoons and disbanded in 1718.
* 25th ...
,
73rd Foot,
77th Foot
The 77th (East Middlesex) Regiment of Foot (The Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a line regiment of the British Army, raised in 1787. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot to form the Duke of Cam ...
and native troops at
Chitradurga
Chitradurga is a city and the headquarters of Chitradurga district, which is located on the valley of the Vedavati river in the central part of the Indian state of Karnataka. Chitradurga is a place with historical significance which is locate ...
. As the British advanced towards him, Wagh fled to Maratha-controlled territory. General Wellesley obtained permission from the Maratha
Peshwa
The Peshwa (Pronunciation: e(ː)ʃʋaː was the appointed (later becoming hereditary) prime minister of the Maratha Empire of the Indian subcontinent. Originally, the Peshwas served as subordinates to the Chhatrapati (the Maratha king); later ...
to pursue Wagh in the Maratha territory. The Peshwa also dispatched a Maratha force led by Chintamanrao Patwardhan against Wagh.
Wellesley reached
Harihar
Harihara ( also called ''Harihar'') is a city in Davanagere District in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Harihara Taluk. Harihara is famous for Harihareshwara temple, also known as "Dakshina Kashi", a ...
on 16 June; Wagh, meanwhile, fled and reached Hubli on 19 June. On 20 June, Wellesley's men captured the
Airani fort. Over the next week, the British also captured the
Ranibennur fort. The British handed over all these forts to Patwardhan for his help.
The British also stormed the Bidnur fort on 27 June, but Wagh still remained elusive.
Meanwhile, Dhondopant Gokhale, with his two nephews Appaji Ganesh and Bapuji Ganesh, also joined Patwardhan's Maratha force. On 30 June, the Marathas attacked Wagh at Dawangi Nala near
Kittur
Kittur, historically as Kittoor, is a ''taluka'' in the Belagavi district of the Indian state of Karnataka. It was part of Bailhongal taluka but was declared as an independent taluka on 23October 2012 by the Chief Minister of Karnataka on the ...
. Dhondopant Gokhale and his few men, separated from the main army, were caught in an ambush. Wagh killed Gokhale and his nephew Appaji at
Londa, and is said to have literally fulfilled his vow by colouring his mustache with Gokhale's blood. Patwardhan then attacked Wagh, but was severely injured in the battle. Along with Bapuji Gokhale and other Marathas, he had to take refuge in the British-controlled fort at
Haliyal
Haliyala is a town in Uttara Kannada in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters town for Haliyal Taluk. It can be classified as a main-road town.
Geography
Haliyal has an average elevation of 559 metres (1834 feet).
...
.
On 4 July 1800, General Wellesley sent a letter to Patwardhan, praising his bravery in the battle, and invited him to join the British operations against Wagh. The British forces continued pursuing Wagh, and took control of
Savanur
Savanuru is a locality and taluk headquarters of Savanuru Taluk in Haveri District of Karnataka state, India.
History
Savanuru was one of the princely states of British India, under the Bombay Presidency, and later the Deccan States Agen ...
on 12 July. Wellesley's advance was slowed down by bad weather.
Meanwhile, Wagh had advanced towards
Kittur
Kittur, historically as Kittoor, is a ''taluka'' in the Belagavi district of the Indian state of Karnataka. It was part of Bailhongal taluka but was declared as an independent taluka on 23October 2012 by the Chief Minister of Karnataka on the ...
, before retreating to
Kundgol after hearing about Wellesley's army. He left 600 soldiers at Kundgol, and reached
Annigeri
Annigeri is a taluk of Dharwad district in the state of Karnataka, India, located 20 km west of Gadag en route to Hubli and 35 km from Hubli.
Introduction
Annigeri ()is the place of birth of the famous Kannada poet Adikavi Pampa ...
on 17 July, via
Kanavi.
On 25 July, Wellesley met Patwardhan, and made plans to fight Wagh.
The next day, a joint British-Maratha force captured the Dambal fort, which was being guarded by a thousand of Wagh's men. Wagh continue to evade the enemy forces, traversing
Saundatti
Savadatti is one of the oldest towns in Belagavi district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a celebrated pilgrimage centre located 78 kilometres from Belagavi and 41 kilometres from Dharwad. Savadatti is also the name of the ta ...
, Annigeri, Munavalli, Kittur,
Khanapur
Khanapur officially known as Khanapura is a panchayat town in Belagavi district, Karnataka, India. It is about 26 km from Belagavi. The town is governed by the Khanapur Municipal Council. Khanapur is the headquarters for Khanapur taluk. ...
and
Badami
Badami, formerly known as Vatapi, is a town and headquarters of a taluk by the same name, in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, India. It was the regal capital of the Badami Chalukyas from CE 540 to 757. It is famous for its rock cut monuments ...
.
By the end of July, Wellesley's forces had captured nearly all of Wagh's former territories. After several of Wagh's men deserted him, he fled towards the
Nizam
The Nizams were the rulers of Hyderabad from the 18th through the 20th century. Nizam of Hyderabad (Niẓām ul-Mulk, also known as Asaf Jah) was the title of the monarch of the Hyderabad State ( divided between the state of Telangana, Mar ...
's territory. On 30 July, the British managed to launch a surprise attacked on Wagh's forces when the latter were crossing the
Malaprabha River
The Malaprabha River (Kannada ಮಲಪ್ರಭಾ ನದಿ) is a tributary of the Krishna River and flows through the state of Karnataka in India. It rises in the Western Ghats at an elevation of in the state's Belgaum district. The rive ...
at Manoh. Wagh managed to escape, but Wellesley's force pursued him in three separate
columns
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression membe ...
, supported by the Marathas and the Nizam.
There were several confrontations between the two parties during August 1800.
On 25 August, Wagh managed to cross the Malaprabha river. On 9 September, a column led by
Colonel Stevenson succeeded in intercepting Wagh.
The next morning, Wagh was killed in a battle with General Wellesley's
19th Light Dragoons
The 19th Light Dragoons was a cavalry regiment of the British Army created in 1781 for service in British India. The regiment served in India until 1806, and in North America during the War of 1812, and was disbanded in Britain in 1821.
History G ...
near Konagal or Conaghalli (in present-day
Raichur district
Raichur District is an administrative district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located in the northeast part of the state and is bounded by Yadgir district in the north, Bijapur and Bagalkot district in the northwest, Koppal district ...
).
According to the Maratha chronicles, Wellesley took away his blood-stained mustaches to England as a trophy. Wellesley offered protection to Wagh's 4-year old son Salabat Khan, and paid for his maintenance before he left for Europe. When he grew up, Salabat Khan was employed by the King of Mysore. He died of cholera in 1822.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wagh, Dhondia
Indian outlaws
Indian warriors
Converts to Islam
18th-century Indian Muslims
People of the Kingdom of Mysore
People from Raichur district
Converts to Islam from Hinduism
Islam in India