Gharge-Desai (Deshmukh)

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Gharge-Desai (Deshmukh) was a Maratha dynasty and one of the oldest existing Maratha Princely state of Nimsod in Satara District. The family is Agnivanshi Kshatriya, one of the most ancient in India.

Family Crest and Coat of arms of Nimsod State

Chatri of Shrimant Jijasinghraje alias Abbasaheb

History[]

Rana Ratansingh Alias Ranoji from Rajputana (Rajasthan) and ancestor of the family Shrimant Kalojiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh received the Sur-Deshmukhi of Nimsod along with 72 villages from the Delhi Emperor Muhammad bin Tughluq in 1342 during his peninsular campaign and in 1536 Shrimant Santajiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh received Various assets from the Ibrahim Adil Shah I ruler of Bijapur Sultanate in the Shirol area, and in 1615 Shrimant Ramraoraje from Ibrahim Adil Shah II in Raibaj and Kittur and remained as one of the Largest Deshmukh of Adil Shahi.

During the Maratha rule, the family served as the important milestone of Maratha Empire with blood relationship with various ruling families of those days, were in forefront in continuous War of 27 years between 1682 to 1707 that resulted in the end of the Mughal Empire in India and brought most of the sub-continent under Maratha control. In 1732, Jijasinghraje alias Abbasaheb Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh received Saranjam of 12 more villages and noble title of Saranjamdar-Deshmukh from Maratha King Chattrapati Shahu of Satara for lieu of military service rendered to the state and total Vatan of 84 villages in Nimsod Pargana was made hereditary. Maharani Tarabai of the Kolhapur State was closely related to Shrimant Jijasinghraje alias Abbasaheb.

From time to time, Deshmukhs of Nimsod supplied quality horses to the Maratha Army. In 1761, Son of Jijasinghraje, Shrimant Sidhojiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh along with his 2000 cavalry participated as one of the Commanders of Maratha Army in one of the largest battles fought in the 18th century, the Third Battle of Panipat and was brutally killed by the Afghan Ruler Ahmad Shah Abdali. He was also part of the Maratha army which defeated the first Afghan invasion of India in 1757 to 1759 and brought the present day North West Frontier province of Pakistan under Maratha Control.

After the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1818, Nimsod State came under British. Rajas of Nimsod were entitled for a nominal annual pension of Rs 60000/ by British. At that time, main branch of the family moved to Shirol and changed the family seat from Nimsod because Nimsod was an arid region with very scanty rainfall. Sidhojiraje's Grandson Yashojiraje (Shirol Branch) acknowledged the changing circumstances and introduced the family to business. The Shirol branch of Gharge-Deshmukh's acquired the surname Desai which was prevalent amongst the landlords of South Maharashtra & Karnataka. The Shirol branch holds the traditional rights to issue coines behalf of the Delhi Emperor and got Noble title Shikke-i-Bahadur from Delhi Emperor. Deshmukh title was almost dropped except for its occasional use in marriage invitation cards. So much so that people in Shirol are not even aware of this Deshmukh title now. They got into the business of money lending (Sahukari) and through this profession, the Shirol branch of Gharge-Deshmukh's acquired wealth, name and fame in Kolhapur District.

During the British Raj,Shrimant Raje Dattajirao alias Krishnarao held huge loans to various landlords (Zamindars) of those days and constructed the Vithal temple as memorial of Shrimant Jijasinghraje alias Abbashaeb in Shirol which is masterpiece of Maratha architecture.

During the Indian independence movement, [Sardar Dinkarrao Gharge-Desai(Deshmukh)] served as the close associate of Mahatma Ghandhi and one of the National Leaders of Indian National Congress and was sent for four years rigorous imprisonment in Katewar in Gujarat in 1930 for participating in Dandi Salt Satyagraha with Mahatma Ghandhi and again for 4 years in yerawada in Pune During Quit India Movement in 1942 for removing Union Jack flag and putting Indian Tri-Colour on Shaniwar Wada in Pune. He remained as one of the highly respected leaders of Indian freedom Movement. Mahatma Ghandhi used to call him as "Dinkarbhai". He was awarded with special Galantry bronze medal by Prime Minister Indira Ghandhi in 1971 for his contribution to Indian freedom movement. Shrimant Raje Dattajirao's son Shrimant Raje Jaising(26th Rajasaheb of Nimsod) was among the first five Gold Medalist of India in M.B.A from England and was one of the well known Barrister

Rulers of Nimsod[]

• Shrimant Balajiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh  (1226/1275)—1st Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Babajirahe Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh (1275/1302)—2nd Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Firingojiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh I (1302/1339)—3RD Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Kalojiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh  (1339/1377)—4TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Murojiraje Ghrage-Desai-Deshmukh  (1377/1419)—5TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Suriyajiraje Gharge-desai-Deshmukh (1419/1452)—6TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Sidhojiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh I (1452/1484)—7TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Bahirjiarje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh (1484/1521)—8TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Santajiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh (1521/1559)—9TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Shahajiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh I (1559/1592)—10TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Ramraoraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh  (1592/1637)—11TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Jijasinghraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh I (1637/1679)—12TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Mudhojiraje alias Bhauso Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh  (1679/1716)—13TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Jijasinghraje alias Abbasaheb Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh II (1716/1754)—14TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Sidhojiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh II (1754/1761)—15TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Pirajiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh  (1761/1798)—16TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Yashojiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh (1798/1820)—17TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Mankojiraje alias Bahirjiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh (1820/1824)—18TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Firingojiraje alias Santajiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh II (1824/1839)—19TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Sahajiraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh II (1839/1856)—2O^TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Shahuraje alias Ramraoraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh I (1856/1873)—21ST Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Jijasinghraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh III (1873/1884)—22ND Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Vyankojiraje alias Bhabusaheb Ghaege-Desai-Deshmukh   (1884/1897)—23Rd Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Raje Balvantrao Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh (1897/1930)—24TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Raje Dattajirao alias Krishnarao Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh (1930/1964)—25TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Raje Jaisingh Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh (1964/1997)—26TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Shahuraje alias Machindradatt Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh II (1997/2002)—27TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod
• Shrimant Janmejayraje Gharge-Desai-Deshmukh  (2002 and till date)—28TH Rajasaheb of Nimsod

See also[]

• Maratha Empire
• List of Maratha dynasties and states
• Maratha War of Independence
• Maratha clan system
• Third Battle of Panipat

Source/References[]

• Barani, Zia-ud-Din. Tarikh-I-firuz Shahi.
• Rafiuddin Shirazi, Tazkiratul Mulk.
• Nooruddin Mohammad Jahangir, Tuzuk-e-Jahangiri.
• Shivkalin Maharashtra by Setumadhavrao Pagadi Part Volume 1,2&3.
• Marathi Riyasat By Riyasatkar Desai
• Alamgir Bakar
• Panipatchi Bakar(Marathi)
• Encyclopædia Britannica Online
• Sanad and records Held with Shirol Branch & Kolhapur
• Records of Indian Princely states From 1750 to 1947
• Maratha documents British Library London
• Waring's Maratha's Page 244