I was riding my bicycle to Purandar Fort from Pune and stopped along the way in Saswad for refueling, buying a bottle of water and some fruit. I made it to the top of a long climb, took some pictures and returned stopping again at the same shop. The shop owner asked if I made it up to Purandar. I let the pictures do the talking and showed him the pictures of the fort I took. When he saw the picture of the statue he said, Oh Murarbaji. The fact that the statue is in such a historic place as Purandar and that he was known immediately by the shop owner put me on a search to find out what I could about Murarbaji Deshpande. I have put some of what I have found interesting about this Maratha Kingdom hero here along with the pictures I took that foggy morning and another time I visited the fort.
To appreciate the significance of Murarbaji Deshpande you have to put into perspective the importance of the Purandar Fort. Maloji Bhosale captured the fort in 1596. He was the grandfather of the founder of the Maratha empire Shivaji Bhosale. Shivaji re-captured the fort in one of his first military campaigns. Shivaji spent much time at Purandar and Shivaji’s son Shambaji was born here who became the second Monarch of the Maratha Kingdom.
Murarbaji Deshpande is called the killedar which means keeper of the fort. He lost his life in the struggle to retain the fort. He joined the army of Shivaji Bhossale Maharaj in 1656 after originally fighting against the Bhosales after Shivaji took note of his bravery in battles.
A critical battle between the Marathas and Mughals took place at Purandar where Murarbaji lost his life in an act of bravery in battle defending Purandar from Diler Khan. After an offer of surrender Murarbaji attacked the mogal troops killing hundreds before his death at the battle of Purandhar .
Murarbaji Deshpande
Brad Beaman 
It is also said that Purandar is the broken part of the Dronagiri Parvat which Hanuman was carrying in Ramayana. When in the battle between God Rama and Ravana, Laxman fell unconscious while fighting, Rama told Hanuman to get the Sanjivani ( one of the medicinal plant ) from Dronagiri Parvat from Himalaya. But Hanuman was unable to find this perticular plant.
By: forts near pune on May 4, 2012
at 9:24 am
Hi, Brad, It is really nice to notice pictures of Great Murarbaji Deshpande!!! I would like to add that, in the Battle of Purandar, Diler Khan was impressed with bravery of Murarbaji & offered him employment with Mughals. But very loyal to King Shivaji, Murarbaji fought the war bravely & lost his life….
By: mandar on November 19, 2013
at 6:28 am
Awesome ! Thanks for sharing !
By: Rahul Bhagat on August 10, 2014
at 7:58 am
I am keen to know more about Murarbaji and his contribution in fighting for Swarajya. Looking forward to write on the courageous feats of Murarbaji soon on my blog. Anyways, a good blogpost on the forgotten maratha warrior.
By: prashant on June 8, 2020
at 3:27 pm
Please read Prabhakar Bhave’s Murarbaji Deshpande ; and one by BS Kulkarni
By: Sachin on March 13, 2022
at 8:09 pm
Murarbaji was fantastic warrior. One can’t describe the emotion with which he with a few hundred of our bravehearts – Mahadev Kolis, Ramoshis, Marathas, etc jumped in the wave of madly despotic Pathan’s and Mughal army and sniped the enemy with what the mughals wud call – Satanic force. How I love it to hear when these Mughals called us Satan / shaitan. Imagine , our 300 of Baji Prabhu put to rest 4000 in battle of Pawankhind….the list of warriors and battles of Shivaji is just amazing. Be it Murarbaji or Baji Prabhu, Tanaji, Netaji, Suryaji, Yesaji, Hiroji, Nimbalkar, and above all Sambhaji Maharaj. You can imagine them to be real life Legolas jumping alone in the sea of Orcs.
By: Sachin on March 13, 2022
at 8:07 pm