Ibrahim Khan Gardi

Ibrahim Khan "Gardi" was a 18th century Dakhani Muslim general whose forefathers were from some Bhil or allied tribe living in the Deccan or peninsular India and may have embraced Islam during Aurangzeb's military campaign in the Deccan. He was soldier of fortune who commanded a force of 10,000 men, infantry and artillery, under the leadership of the Marathas.

Origin

Khan is the name of a title given as a family name to people of Pashtun origin. The Gardi community is a group of sub castes such as Bhils, Laman, Vanzara, Pardhi, Mahadeo Koli, Masan Jogi and other Maratha subcastes living in the Deccan between Burhanpur on banks of Tapi up to Hyderabad in Telangana region. The major part of Gardhi subcaste communities have settled in Mathawada region of Mahararashtra bordering Hyderabad and Telangana regions, some of their rituals they claim to have originated 250 years ago from Gardhi traditions. Some castes in the Pardhi community of Burhanpur worship Ibrahim Khan Gardi as well as Suleiman Khan Gardhi in their rituals & ballads. Pardhi community have developed special aptitude to handle weaponry such as guns and pistols as well as dynamite. Their forefathers, the Gardhis, were essentially musketeers serving as personal guards of the Peshwas with an extreme sense of loyalty to their masters. The same trend continues with the Pardhi community.

Military career

Trained to the French discipline as commandant de la qarde to Bussy, Ibrahim Gardi bore the title, or nickname, of "Khan," a souvenir of his professional origin or title. Originally part of the Hyderabad Nizam's army, consisting of a number of Telegusor telangis. His troops' military prowess and artillery tactics were considered a great advantage in various campaigns. Captured in the Third Battle of Panipat, he is alleged to have been tortured horribly before his death by his Afghan captors. His extreme sense of loyalty to his master Sadashivrao Bhau even when most of Maratha generals deserted Sadashivraobhau's army during thick of battle and escaped unhurt to their Jahagirs in Deccan, Ibrahim Khan Gardi fought to his end and was captured only when all his famed Maratha Gardi musketeers laid down their lives, one by one, or simply vanished during the night of 14th January 1761 when darkness fell on the battlefield. Some of Ibrahim Khan Gardi's artillery detachment with infantry and musketeers kept on fighting while defending their positions until sunset to escape in the darkness of night. To this date, some of the Pardhi communities' folklore have various songs in praise of Ibrahim Khan Gardi as well as Suleiman Khan Gardhi.

ee also

* Battle of Panipat (1761)

References

* Pradeep Barua, "Military Developments in India, 1750-1850:", "The Journal of Military History," Vol. 58, No. 4 (Oct., 1994), pp. 599-616

* Shejwalkar, T.S., "Panipat 1761" (English and Marathi)