Prataprao Gujar

Prataprao Gujar (c. 1615 – 24 February 1674) also known as Kudtoji Gujar was a Maratha general and held the position of the 3rd Senapati of the Maratha Empire during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji.[1] After Prataprao's death, his daughter Jankibai was married to Rajaram I, the younger son of Chhatrapati Shivaji.

Quotes

• 1672. Battle of Salher, Nashik. It took place between the Marathas and Mughals. This was significant as it was the first open battle where the Mughals faced defeat. This was the battle that reinforced the supremacy of the Maratha Empire. Two brave sons of the soil made this victory possible. They were Prataprao Gurjar, the Maratha Senapati and Morapant Pingle, the first Peshwa, also called Sardar. The Maratha army numbered 20,000 and the Mughals 40,000.
  • Rawal M. S. & Rawal Y. S. (2019). Saffron swords. Garuda Prakashan.

• According to Sabhasad Bakhar , a historical narrative in Marathi that chronicles the heroic exploits of Shivaji and his successful wars and raids, the battle of Salher is described such: “As the fighting began, such a (cloud of) dust arose that for a space of a three-kilometer square, friend and foe could not be distinguished. Elephants were killed. Ten thousand men on the two sides became corpses. The horses, camels, elephants (killed) were beyond counting. A flood of blood streamed (in the battlefield). The blood formed a muddy pool and in it (people) began to sink, so (deep) was the mud.”
  • Sabhasad Bakh in Rawal M. S. & Rawal Y. S. (2019). Saffron swords. Garuda Prakashan.