Jat taluka in Sangli district, an area with ancient history, has witnessed the glory of several dynasties including the Satavahana, Vakatakas, Rashtrakut, Yadavas, Bahmani, and Marathas. In the ancient temple at Umrani, inscriptions dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries AD have been found. These mention that King Bijjaladeva from the Kalchuri family donated to these temples. Around 1680, Patil Satvoji Chavan of Daphalapur obtained the jagirs (land grants) of Jat, Karjagi, Bardol, and Kand by paying a levy of 3,000 soldiers’ worth of ransom to the Adilshahi. This marked the rise of the Daphale royal family and the Jat principality. They expanded the Jat principality further by buying more lands from Siddi Khwaskhan. The principality included two major towns — Jat and Daflapur — along with 117 villages. ... After the death of Sambhaji Maharaj, Satvoji Chavan, along with his generals Dhanaji Jadhav and Santaji Ghorpade, attacked the Mughal army with a force of 16,000 soldiers. During the Peshwa period, Aausaheb Daphale (1701–1754) accepted the Peshwa’s supremacy but maintained the principality’s autonomy. For a period, Bajirao II confiscated some jagirs and handed over the administration to Trimbakji Dengle. In 1820, the British recognized the authority of the Satara Chhatrapati over the principality. After 1846, during a three-year minority of the king, the administration was under the Chhatrapati. After Satara was annexed in 1848, the principality became a British jagir. Due to mismanagement by the Daphale family, an agent oversaw most administration from 1874 to 1885. By the late 19th century, about 25 sq km of Daphalapur was considered the queen’s private jagir. The principality received adoption sanad (permission to adopt heirs) in 1892, and in 1907, Ramrao Appasaheb, the adopted heir, was given full authority. The rise of Patil Satvoji Chavan from Daphalapur gave the family its surname “Daphale.” Some believe the town of Daphalapur is named after this surname. The samadhi (memorial) of Satvoji Chavan is still visible in Daphalapur. Daphalapur is located 70 km from Sangli city and 17 km from the town of Jat. Being an important town in the Jat principality, Daphalapur was surrounded by a fortification (kot). This fortification was probably built during Satvoji Chavan’s era. Although much of the fortification is destroyed, remains of the walls, bastions, main entrance gate, adjoining collapsed bastions, and the wooden door are still visible in some places. Opposite the main gate stands a Maruti temple, known locally as the Maruti temple of the fort’s bastion. Some weathered sculptures can be seen here. The main gate’s arch is built with cut stones, but the arch above is made of bricks. A little away from here lies the square-shaped fort (gadhi) of Sardar Daphale, spreading over about two acres. Today, the fort is used for the Raj Vijay Singh Daphale School and college, leading to many alterations in the structure. Much of the fort’s walls are destroyed, but the four bastions at the fort’s corners and the main gate remain intact. Inside the fort premises is a Ram temple and a square stone stepwell with stairs leading down. The courtyard of the Daphale royal residence now hosts the school’s building. The fort’s brick walls indicate that it was once a quadrangular structure. There is a basement under the courtyard, currently locked. Newly built college buildings occupy other parts of the fort, while the bastions at the four corners are in ruins. Outside Daphalapur village is the samadhi of Satvoji Chavan, which includes a basement. Near this samadhi is another square structure with a Tulsi Vrindavan (holy basil altar) beside a lime grinder wheel. The samadhi area also has a barwada (large chamber), old stone constructions, arched halls, and a temple known as the “Parmanand Mandir” There is a basement in front of this temple. Visiting the Daphalapur fort, Kot, and surrounding area requires about two hours.
© Suresh Nimbalkar