Peth Vadgaon

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Peth Vadgaon is a famous town in Maharashtra state of India, around 20 km from Kolhapur. Peth Vadgaon is a very ancient town, famous for Dhanaji Jadhav Monument , Mahalaxmi Talab, Mahalaxmi Mandir, Ganesh Mandir.
Dhanaji Jadahv-Though Rajaram was not able to move out of Jinji, his generals Santaji Ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav continued to harass the Mughal army through guerrilla tactics. Kafi khan wrote about them that whenever mughal horses used to refuse to go to the water to drink water, it was feared they had seen Santaji and Dhanaji.

Santaji Ghorpade whose father Senapati Mhaloji Ghorpade died in the battle of Sangmeshwar along with Sambhaji, was directed by Sambhaji to Raigad to rescue the queen and Rajaram. The gallant man, true to the words given to his master secured the release of Rajaram from the siege of Raigad.

With the plight of Rajaram, the rout of the Marathas was almost complete. Aurangzeb was at his zenith of power. But then the brave Santaji on his own forded the River Bhima even though it was flooded, attacked the very centre of the Mughal camp. Aurangzeb who at that time was reading the Holy Koran was saved due to magnanimity of the marathas.

Santaji is credited with the defeat of at least three major Mughal chiefs. One Mughal general Kasim Khan was so badly defeated that he committed suicide. By brilliant tactics of cavalry, Santaji wreaked havoc right from the Pune to the Tanjore region. Unfortunately he fell out with Rajaram and Dhanaji Jadhav. He was killed when he was alone taking bath by one Nagoji Mane. The severed head of Santaji was presented to Aurangzeb for reward. Such was the tragic end of one of the most distinguished general of cavalry in the contemporary India.