Bhima Koregaon Battle
- In the last battle of the Third Anglo- Maratha War in January 1818, the British East India Company took the support of the local Mahar community in a war with the Maratha ruler Bajirao Peshwa II.
- In fact, on January 1, 1818, Peshwa Bajirao II's army of 28,000 soldiers was defeated in the British army at Bhima-Koregaon, which ended the supremacy of Peshwa. The British army consisted mostly of soldiers from the Mahar community and hence the Dalit community considers this war as a war against the Brahmanical authority.
- Historically, Mahars were considered untouchables. Nevertheless, the Maratha ruler Shivaji had recruited a large number of Mahars in the army of the Marathas.
- However, relations between him and the Peshwas soured when Bajirao II rejected the Mahars' offer to serve in the Maratha army. This forced him to join the British against the Peshwa's army.After the victory, the British built a memorial (Koregaon Ransham) at Bhima-Koregaon.
- The people of the Dalit community used to gather in memory of this day on January 1 of the year.
- Organised at this place by Baba saheb Ambedkar on January 1, 1927. participated in the program, since then this day has been celebrated as a festival at this place.
