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| Bahirji Naik |
Bahirji Naik belonged to the Ramoshi community, whose members were known for their resilience and strong fighters.
Bahirji Naik was undeniably successful in his methods as Shivaji Maharaj's chief of intelligence. In 1692, Bahirji's son Tukoji Naik built the outer boundary of Ram Mandir and Shingave village. A stone with an inscription of his name is kept in the Ram Mandir.
Little is known about Bahirji's early life and was not then. But his expeditions and adventures as a spy in the Maharaja's army contributed greatly to the success of the Maratha Empire.
Bahirji Naik was adept at disguising himself as a fakir, Vasudeva, Koli, beggar, saint, etc. But not only disguise, but they had the skill to steal words from the other person's mouth without his knowledge. He disguised himself in the palaces of Adilshah of Bijapur and the Emperor of Delhi and brought sure information from Adilshah and Emperor himself. Even when suspected of being a spy, both the killers failed to catch Bahirji even once, which shows the intelligence and ingenuity of Bahirji Naik Jadhav.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's spy department had about three to four thousand spies. All these were led by the heroes. All these detective heroes were very cleverly spread in cities like Bijapur, Delhi, Karnataka, Pune etc. Bahirjini kept the option of sidestepping the person giving wrong information. He had created a language of intelligence. Only the spies of the heroes, Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj knew that language. It had the sounds of parties and winds. If any message is to be given, it should be given in that language. Bahirjina used to know first on which mission Maharaj is going on today. The detailed information of that place should be extracted from the outside and reach Shivaji Maharaj as soon as possible. It is said that if the Bahirji came to the court of the Maharaja in disguise, only the Maharaj would recognize him. In short, everyone used to understand that Bahirji Naik Jadhav does not exist in the court.
Bahirji Naik Jadhav was not only a spy but also a fighter. He was expert in sword fighting and sword fighting. Because they knew that secret spies would have to face any situation at any time. He thought about any event very carefully. Who is the spy of the enemy? what do they do They keep information about these too. Also, if they had a rumor to spread or misinformation to the enemy, they did it cleverly. He kept complete information not only about the territory of the enemy but also about the Swaraj of the Maharaja.
When Shivaji Raje and Sambhaji Raje went to meet the King of Delhi on his birthday, Bahirji's spies had already entered Delhi because he was very careful not to betray the Maharaja. For that he had hidden his four and a half hundred spies in different guises in the nooks and crannies of Delhi and that too a month before the Maharaja's arrival.
How Bahirji Naik's spies collected information, analyzed it so accurately, acquired geographical knowledge and conveyed that information to the right person at the right time is a mystery in such an old age and in the absence of technology. History leaves this question unanswered just as history leaves many questions unanswered. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Bahirji Naik created an up-to-date system of 'Information Technology'. It proves beyond doubt that Bahirji Naik and his system were the best espionage of those times. Who was Adil Shah's spy today? If we ask who was Aurangzeb's spy, we don't know. Historians may be able to tell their names, but when we ask who is Shivaji Maharaj's spy, the name that comes to us quickly is 'Bahirji Naik Jadhav'.
Spies, whatever their era, lack glamour. Because they do not challenge the enemy with bare sword in hand or win exciting battles. Their prowess does not come before the people, because they do not witness the prowess. Fighters fight in battle but spies also have to fight in peacetime. This battle is often one of patience and wit. It is easy to get a costume and dress up, but it is a difficult task to wear that costume, for that the costume that we are going to wear needs to be studied closely. Intelligence work is expected to involve relentless intellectual pursuit of the adversary. Considering all the above aspects, one has to admit that Bahirji was an unusual personality.
Bahirji and his spy system cannot be compared with today's spy systems. Comparing it to 'Raw' would be ridiculous. Comparing it with 'ISI', 'CIA' would be irresponsible. It can be compared to Mossad but it has to be done in reverse ie - it would be more accurate to say that Mossad is an outsider of Israel.
Whether it's James Bond or Sherlock Holmes, both characters are fictional, but the power of literature and visual media can make both of them come true.
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