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Rao Jodha - History

Rao Jodha - History: Encyclopedia II - Rao Jodha - History

Rao Jodha - Early years. After the death of Rao Ranmal rathore at Chittor a bitter feud broke out between rathores and sisodiyas. Chunda (progenitor of Chundawat sisodiyas) and his men chased Rao Jodha and conquered Mandore. Jodha barely managed to reach safety. For 15 years he tried in vain to conquer Mandore. Once, late at night, he stopped at a Jat farmer's house.They did not recognize who he was. He was given a bowl of hot khichdi, an Indian porridge. He put his fingers in the centre of the bowl and bu ...

Rao Jodha: Encyclopedia II - Rao Jodha - History

Rao Jodha - History

Rao Jodha - Early years

After the death of Rao Ranmal rathore at Chittor a bitter feud broke out between rathores and sisodiyas. Chunda (progenitor of Chundawat sisodiyas) and his men chased Rao Jodha and conquered Mandore. Jodha barely managed to reach safety. For 15 years he tried in vain to conquer Mandore. Once, late at night, he stopped at a Jat farmer's house.They did not recognize who he was. He was given a bowl of hot khichdi, an Indian porridge. He put his fingers in the centre of the bowl and burnt his fingers. Wife of the farmer commented to him "stranger you are making the same mistake as our king (Jodha) is. Khichdi is hottest in the centre and coolest at the edge". This prompted Jodha to stop worrying about Mandore and just focus on outlying forts, which he managed to win with ease. In due time he captured Mandore in 1453.

Rao Jodha - Marwar fiefs

James Tod in his Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan writes on Page 24 and 25:

Rao Jodha gave a new form to the feudal institutions of Marwar. Necessity, combined with pride, led him to promulgate a statute of limitation of the sub-infeudations of Maru. The immense progeny of his father Ranmall, twenty-four sons, and his own, of fourteen, almost all of whom had numerous issue, rendered it requisite to fix the number and extent of the fiefs; and amongst them, henceforward constituting permanently the frerage of Maru, the lands were partitioned, Kandhal having emigrated and established his own numerous issue, the Kandhalots, in Bikaner, The two brothers next to Jodha, namely, Champa and Kumpa, with his two sons, Duda and Karam Singh, and his grandson, Uday, were declared the heads of the feudal association under their names, the Champawats, Kumpawats, Mertias (sons of Duda), Karamsots, and Udawats, and continue to be the pillars of Maru Eight great estates, called the ath thacurat, or eight lordships of Marwar, each of the nominal annual value of fifty thousand rupees (50000), were settled on these persons, and their immense influence has obtained many others for younger branches of their clans. The title of the first noble of Maru was given to Champa and his issue, who have often made its princes tremble on their thrones. Besides these, inferior appanages were settled on the junior branches, brothers, sons, and grandsons of Jodha, which were also deemed hereditary and irresumable; to use their own phrase, their bat, or allotment, to which they consider their title as sacred as that of their prince to his throne, of whom they say, “When our services are acceptable, then is he our lord; when not, we are again his brothers and kin, claimants, and laying claim to the land.”

Rao Jodha - Jodhagarh/Jodhpur

A holy man sensibly advised him to move his capital to hilltop safety. By 1459, it became evident that a more secure headquarters was required. The high rocky ridge nine km to the south of Mandore was an obvious choice for the new city of Jodhagarh, with the natural, enhanced by a fortress of staggering proportions, and to which Rao Jodha's successors added over the centuries. Jodhagarh was on the important Delhi to Gujarat trade route and it greatly benefited from the trade of silk, opium, sandalwood, copper and other items. The Mehrangarh Fort, situated on a 125 m high hill, is among the most impressive and formidable forts in Rajasthan. The construction of the fort was begun by Maharaja Rao Jodha in 1459 and was completed by Maharaja Jaswant Singh (1638-1680).

The fort originally had seven gates ("pols"). There is a first gate with spikes to prevent attack from elephants. The Fatehpol or victory gate was erected by Maharaja Ajit Singh in 1707 to commemorate his victory over the Mughals. The other gates include the Jayapol, built by Maharaja Man Singh in 1806, following his victory over the armies of Jaipur and Bikaner.