Mhalunge Inscription No. 1

This inscription is located on the right side while descending the steps of a square-shaped stepwell (Barav) adjacent to the main entrance gate (Vesh) of Mauje Mhalunge Ingle village, near Chakan in Khed Taluka, Pune District. The inscription is carved, consists of 7 lines, and is in pure Marathi language. Over the course of time, the letters have worn away and become faint.

Mhalunge Inscription No. 2

This inscription is situated on the wall of a dam/embankment near the Kalkubai Temple—the family deity of the Ingle family—located 1 km from the entrance gate of Mauje Mahalunge Ingle village near Chakan, Khed Taluka, Pune District. The inscription is entwined in bushes and vines and is not immediately visible. It is carved, contains 6 lines, and is written in pure Marathi. Over time, the letters have eroded and turned faint.

Mhalunge Inscription No. 3

This inscription is situated on the upper middle portion of the dam wall near the Panhali Aai Temple (the village deity of the Ingle family), located 1 km away from the village gate in Mauje Mhalunge village, Khed Taluka, Pune District. The dam wall is crafted with neatly carved stones and fortified with bastions; it remains strong to this day. Surrounded by thick vegetation and covered in vines, the inscription is not easily visible. It is carved, consists of 6 lines, and is in pure Marathi. The letters have eroded over time and become faint.

Significance of the Above Inscriptions

Mhalunge Ingle is an important village on the Chakan-Talegaon road. Sardar Ambuji Ingle of Chakan Pargana was a Mokadam Patil. He held the Patilki of several villages in the Chakan Pargana. Due to the proximity of Dehu village, it carried great spiritual and religious significance. He had purchased the Patilki of Dehu village; letters verifying this are available.

Earlier, the settlement of Mhalunge Ingle was located 1 km outside the present village area; signs of this still exist today in the form of temples and a few houses. For agricultural purposes and drinking water in the village boundaries, Rajeshri Trimbakji Ingle and his sons, the brothers Mavji and Satwaji Ingle, spent large sums of money—such as 21,001, 3,100, and 3,000 Rupees—in Saka 1699, 1701, and 1724 to build stepwells, two dams, lakes, wells, entrance gates, temples, and village walls. They performed a great social and spiritual service for public welfare. The fertility of Mhalunge Ingle village depended on this water.

In the late Maratha rule, a dam constructed at Narayangaon is recorded. Similarly, Sardar Ingle built dams in Mhalunge Ingle village, performing a noble deed of public interest. This highlights their social consciousness, love, affection toward society, and future vision, which they carved in the form of inscriptions for society—underscoring the immense importance of these inscriptions.

History of the Ingle Family: The Jang Bahadur Sardar Ingle Family

(According to the study by Prasad Shinde)

The Sardar Ingle family was famous as a powerful noble family since pre-Shivaji times. The Sardar Ingle family originally hails from Karwand village in Chikhli Taluka, Buldhana District. There is a grand fort/mansion (Gadhi) of the Ingle family at Karwand, which currently lies in ruins. The Ingle family had direct matrimonial ties with the Bhosale family. Gunwantabai from the Ingle family was a Queen of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and Vyankojiraje Bhosale of Thanjavur was married to Deepabai of the Ingle family. Sardar Ingle's fame as an influential house in the Adilshahi court was widespread. The Ingle family holds the title "Jangbahadur". Standing alongside Shahajiraje Bhosale, the visionary of Swarajya, this family displayed great sword-fighting valor.

Sardar Shivajirao Ingle and Sardar Bahirji Naik Ingle were prominent Sardars serving Swarajya. During the Battle of Pratapgad, when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj decided to meet Afzal Khan, he chose Sardar Katyajirao Ingle among a few selected, highly trusted figures to accompany him.

During the era of Chhatrapati Shri Shahu Maharaj, Swarajya expanded into the Maratha Empire. For the expansion of Swarajya, members of the Ingle family settled in various places not just across Maharashtra, but across India, earning fiefs (Saranjam) through their martial prowess. In the south at Thanjavur, a branch of Sardar Ingle was present alongside Shahajiraje Bhosale. Additionally, branches of the Sardar Ingle family currently reside in Mhalunge-Ingle in Pune District, the Nilunj-Walunj area near Belsar, Kolhapur, Gwalior, and Ujjain.

The Ingles earned immense renown serving under the Shinde dynasty, who created terror in North India for the Maratha Empire. Serving alongside Shrimant Subhedar Ranojirao Shinde, the founder of the Shindeshahi, Sardar Subhanjirao Ingle and Sardar Trimbakjirao Ingle took part in numerous campaigns. Sardar Trimbakrao Ingle received invaluable support from his valiant son, Sardar Ambujirao Ingle.

Remaining under the guidance of the highly valorous Shrimant Subhedar Jayapparao Shinde and his father Sardar Trimbakjirao Ingle, Rajashri Ambujibaba became highly skilled. After the Battle of Panipat, Shrimant Mahadjibaba organized a formidable army and entrusted the responsibility of Commander-in-Chief (Senapati) to Sardar Ambujirao Ingle. Behind Shrimant Patilbaba (Mahadji Shinde), Rajashri Ambujibaba arrayed a battalion of brave warriors from the Ingle family like a strong fortification. This included his full brothers Sardar Khandojirao Ingle, Balojirao Ingle, Malojirao Ingle, Pandojirao alias Vithojirao Ingle, along with Babajirao Ingle, Tilakrao Ingle, Shamrao Ingle, Shaktirao Ingle, Jeevajirao Ingle, and Laxmanrao Ingle.

Sardar Ambujirao Ingle led numerous military campaigns. After conquering Gohad, Ambujirao efficiently organized the administration of that state. When the princely states of Raghogarh and Karauli refused to pay the Chauth tax, he collected it by force of his intimidation/dominance. He kept a strict check on the King of Raghogarh whenever passing by. Terrified of Ambujirao, the rulers of Raghogarh agreed to pay Chauth on time in the future. When Shrimant Mahadjibaba assigned Ambujirao the responsibility of negotiating with the Emperor of Delhi, he demonstrated his acumen and successfully convinced the Emperor of the Marathas' plans.

The responsibility of implementing the treaty signed between the Marathas and the Sikhs was placed on the shoulders of Jangbahadur Ambujirao. Along with this, he was appointed as the Faujdar over 28 Mahals of Sonipat, adjoining the Sikh territories. During this campaign, Ambujirao's daring and aggressive nature is evident in a letter he wrote to Patilbaba, the summary of which reads: "The Sikh gathering is large, but there is no unity among them, and many are traitors. The Sikhs of Lahore and those of Panipat are against each other. The Sikhs of Panipat have sent a proposal to combine and defeat the Lahore Sikhs, and we shall handle them." To this, Patilbaba advised restraint, warning of the possibility of treachery.

Only a battlefield hero like Ambujirao could dare to march into massive Sikh gatherings and quell them. Later, through his diplomacy, Ambujirao established good relations with the Sikhs, which greatly benefited the Maratha Empire.

Before coming to Pune, Shrimant Mahadjibaba entrusted the responsibility of Rajputana to Ambujirao. He efficiently fulfilled the duty of protecting the Shinde capitals of Ujjain and Gwalior from time to time. Whether collecting Chauth from Rajputana or handling crucial Northern politics, Ambujirao was always at the forefront. Calling Ambujirao the right hand of Shrimant Mahadjibaba is no exaggeration. In the correspondence of the Shinde government, it is written about Ambujirao: "Ambuji is a man of great utility and worthy of service. His true stature can only be realized when he is near." These two lines highlight Ambujirao's importance in the Shindeshahi.

Despite being busy with Northern politics, Ambujirao's connection with his native village, Mhalunge near Chakan in Pune, remained unbroken. He consistently followed up to ensure that boundary and pasture land disputes of the village were resolved quickly. Ambujirao had also purchased the Patilki of Mauje Dehu village.

During the reign of Shrimant Daulatrao Shinde, even at the age of 80–85, Ambujirao continued to serve the Maratha Empire. In 1809, this loyal associate of Shrimant Mahadjibaba took his last breath. Subsequently, his son Trimbakrao and his brothers served the Shinde government with devotion.

Descendants of Ambujirao currently reside in Gwalior and Ujjain. In Gwalior, the lineage of Ambujirao's brother, Balojirao Ingle, expanded; since they held the Rai Mahal as an Inam (fief), they are known as the "Raiwale Ingles." When Shrimant Maharaja Daulatrao Shinde established a city in Gwalior called "Lashkar," he built a palace named Gorkhi Mahal for his residence, which later came to be known as Maharajawada. Around it, the Sardars of Gwalior built their own mansions. Sardar Ingle built his mansion at Dalbazar. Today, due to family expansion, many members of the Ingle family have built mansions and reside in various parts of Gwalior.

I bow perpetually at the feet of the loyal Sardar Ingle family of the Shindeshahi, who tirelessly served the Maratha Empire.

Thanks to journalists: Mayur Bhave, Nilesh Shende
Note: In this research work, valuable cooperation and assistance were provided by Shri Bhagwant Sahebrao Patil Ingle Inamdar of Mhalunge Ingle village and his son Shri Surendra Ingle, as well as Shri Pravin Bhosale and Prasad Shinde.