On the history trail: Siddi Sat killed in a bloody battle by Chimaji Appa

The sudden demise of Sarkhel Sekhoji Angre on 28 August 1733 proved to be a serious impediment to the war preparations. Sekhoji Angre possessed remarkable foresight and patience and exercised a considerable hold over his three brothers namely Sambhaji, Manaji and Tulaji.

 

His unfortunate demise at the prime of his youth signalled the end of the mighty Angre lineage and the gradual ruin of the famed Maratha navy. This forced Peshwa Bajirao to abandon the campaign and return to Satara and explain the events that had transpired.

 

Bakaji Naik who had laid siege to Siddi Sat’s fortified forts of Gowalkot and Anjanvel was recalled and in September 1733, the Pratinidhi also made his way back to Satara. The difficulties of the situation increased two – fold with a succession dispute between the Angre brothers.

 

Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj declared that he would confer the office of the Sarkhel to the one who captured both these strategic posts. There were minor skirmishes with the Siddi in 1734 and 1735 near Bankot and Gowalkot.

 

Shahu Raje was getting impatient with the slow desultory fighting and called upon Chimaji Appa and Pilaji Jadhav to save Manaji Angre from a calculated attack on Colaba by Siddi Sat in early 1736. Chimaji Appa took stock of the situation and prepared his plans carefully after correctly ascertaining the Siddi’s movements through his network of spies.

 

Siddi Sat was reported to have left his base at Anjanvel with his forces towards Colaba. Chimaji Appa moved quickly and launched a surprise attack on Siddi Sat when he encamped near Rewas.

 

The Siddi was left with no option but to retaliate with equal measure in an open fight. A bloody battle ensued at the villages of Chari and Kamarle in which Siddi Sat was killed while defending himself. More than 1300 of his followers met their end including Siddi Yakut who was in charge of Underi Fort.

 

A sizeable number of the Muslim mercenaries were grievously wounded. The decisive victory over the Muslim barbarian who had mercilessly destroyed the divine Parashuram Temple at Chiplun earned Chimaji Appa eternal fame.

 

Chimaji Appa was formally congratulated on his resounding success by Brahmendra Swami, “By killing Siddi Sat, a demon of the type of Havana, you have uprooted the very life of the Siddis and earned an undying fame.”

 

Shahu Raje showered Chimaji Appa with honours, costly jewels and dresses including a rare sword set studded with diamonds. This humiliating defeat unnerved the Siddis of Janjira and forced them to seek a peace treaty with the Peshwa.

 

Anjanvel and Gowalkot remained their mainland ports and was eventually captured by Tulaji Angre in January 1745. A great wrong was righted by the ingenious Chimaji Appa who would be remembered in the Konkan for his extraordinary military acumen and prowess for centuries to come.

 

Written by Lakshmi Subramanian

 

* Information about Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj is taken from archives