10 Jan 1760 is the Hautatmya diwas of Dattaji Shinde. In a pitched battle against the combined forces of the invading forces of Ahmed Shah and the "local anarchist" Najib Khan Rohilla, Dattaji fell at the battle of Buradi Ghat. Sometimes, I wonder, if later historians while studying our history, came up with a popular marathi phrase of "satarashe sath(chi) vighna.(seventeen sixty hardships)" based on the happenings, events movements between this date and the culmination on 14th Jan 1761. The lead up to Panipat was full of difficulties which could have led to the popularization of the phrase, along with "Sankrant Kosalane" for the disaster that struck on the fateful day. If not, we should make it a point to remember it as such, considering the terrible price we had to pay a year later.
Let us also never forget Najib Khan Rohilla- the person who killed Dattaji. A recurring blot of a character throughout Indian history he was a catalyst for the third battle of Panipat. It is essential that we identify these modern Najibs and unmask them before they unleash any more cross border Abdalis on us. We can see them peeping up from various campuses all over the country.
Prabhu Ramchandra gave us Hindus a very wise teaching which reads मरणान्तानि वैराणि निर्वृत्तं नः प्रयोजनम्।[Enmity ends with death; it is of no use to desist] This was always respected, with the notable exception being Najib. Maratha armies, under the command of Visaji Pant Biniwale and Mahadji Shinde later in 1771 defeated his son Zabita Khan, captured Patthargadh and gave Najib his much needed Azadi from a claustrophobic tomb.
These Najibs should never be forgotten as they are entrenched in our society - scheming to find schisms in your ranks and exploit it for their own selfish motives and benefits.
Neither should we ever forget our history and our mistakes. We had our share of Satarashesath Vighna - the reasons for which are well established. No more should they repeat. Panipat 3 could have been won, maybe should have been won. Panipat 4 is in the making, and if we are to win, reflecting on our history is a must.
Keeping in mind the possibility of the inevitable and the generosity of the bridge building Najibs of today for wholesale mass reporting and stifling a differing opinion than their own, we will remember the warrior Dattaji with his famous last words to carry us through any darkness that may befall and give us the strength to fight - "बचेंगे तो और भी लड़ेंगे."
||हर हर महादेव||
