The Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe was a Koli warrior and Koli Vatandar, Koli Nayak and Koli ruler of Purandar fort and Rudramal fort who defeated the Marathas several times.
In 1763 and 1764, Kondaji Chivhe defeated the Maratha army several times because in 1763, Peshwa Raghunathrao appointed a Brahmin, Abha Purandare, as the Sarnaik (chief) over the Koli Nayaks, which was against the Koli Nayaks. Abha Purandare removed all the Koli Nayaks from their positions as Koli Kiledar (chiefs) of the forts, which led to an argument between Koli Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe and Peshwa Raghunathrao, but the Peshwa and Abha Purandare did not relent.
In 1764, Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe assembled the Koli Nayaks and Koli Watandars of the Chivhe clan (Gotra) and formed a Koli army. Since Sarnaik Abha Purandare was the Sarnaik of Purandar Fort, Kondaji Chivhe attacked Purandar Fort. Defeating the Maratha army of Peshwa Raghunathrao and Sarnaik Abha Purandare, Kondaji Chivhe, along with his Koli army, captured Purandar Fort. Koli Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe hanged Sarnaik Abha Purandare in the fort and sent a message to Peshwa Raghunathrao that appointing Abha Purandare as Sarnaik was a wrong decision. Following this, on May 7, 1764, he started collecting taxes from the villages around Purandar Fort and informed all the Kolis to keep their weapons ready because the Kolis had captured Purandar Fort and the Peshwa might send a larger Maratha army to retaliate. Kondaji Chivhe was honored with the title of Sarnaik by the Koli Nayaks.
Five days later, on May 12, 1764, Peshwa Raghunathrao sent a larger Maratha army and attacked Purandar Fort, but Koli Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe was already prepared. This time too, Kondaji Chivhe defeats the Maratha army. After defeating the Maratha army again, Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe, along with the Koli army, attacks the Maratha-held Rudramal fort and, after defeating the Marathas, takes control of the fort. Rudramal fort is quite close to Purandar fort, and Rudramal is a smaller fort, while Purandar is a larger one.
Interestingly, Koli Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe declares his friend Vishaji Keshav, a Brahmin by caste, as the Dewan (administrator) of both Purandar and Rudramal forts. Koli Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe also starts collecting taxes in Rudramal fort. This greatly frustrated the Maratha Peshwa, who began planning to kill Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe. It was a great humiliation for the Peshwa that a mere local Koli chieftain and Nayak had defeated the Maratha army twice. However, Peshwa Raghunathrao did not attack Purandar and Rudramal forts because he had to perform puja (worship) of his clan deity, whose temple was in Purandar fort. The Peshwa goes to Purandar fort to perform the puja with full security arrangements, and Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe allows him to complete the worship. But as soon as the Peshwa tries to leave after completing the puja, Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe kills all of the Peshwa's officers, military commanders, and soldiers, and takes Peshwa Raghunathrao captive. However, a week later, Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe releases the Maratha Peshwa. Upon reaching his palace, the Peshwa sent a message to Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe, saying, "Stop collecting taxes from Purandar Fort and Rudramal Fort, or the consequences will be dire, Sarnaik!" In response, Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe sent a message back, saying, "It seems the master is having trouble sleeping. Master, you tell me, how can we manage Purandar and Rudramal on empty stomachs?".
Enraged, Peshwa Raghunathrao immediately dispatched the Maratha troops to Purandar and Rudramal forts with orders to behead Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe. However, the Maratha army couldn't even enter Purandar and Rudramal forts before Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe's Koli army dealt with them. Unable to defeat Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe, the humiliated, ashamed, and angry Maratha Peshwa Raghunathrao began imprisoning the families, relatives, and kinsmen of the Chivhe clan, who had occupied Purandar and Rudramal forts. He also started burning down the villages with the highest concentration of Koli people.
Subsequently, Madhavrao Peshwa, Raghunathrao's nephew and a friend of Kondaji Chivhe, arrived from Mysore. Madhavrao persuaded Sarnaik Kondaji Chivhe, promising that he and his Koli community would be given back all their titles, honors, and status if he would return Purandar Fort and Rudramal Fort. Madhavrao said, "My uncle Raghunathrao didn't realize he was trying to hunt the very lions upon whose strength this empire stands." Kondaji Chivhe was then made the Sarnaik of Purandar and Rudramal, and the Koli chieftains were given back their fortresses and hereditary lands.
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