Draft:Marwar - Mewar War

Marwar - Mewar War refers to the conflict between the Rathore and Sisodia Rajputs.

Background
There was resentment among the Sisodia nobles at the growing Rathore influence at court, in particular regarding the level of nepotism with which Ranmal awarded high positions. Rao Ranmal was assassinated by the orders of Rana kumbha which led a bitter rivalry between Rathores and sisodias Which lasted for centuries.

Murder of Rana Mokal
Rana Mokal was murdered by Chacha and Mera when this Tragic news reached Rao Ranmal, the Brother of Mokal's mother hansa bai, this valiant Rathore king, remembering the debt of gratitude he owed to Mokal, with whose help he had recovered the throne of Marwar-his rightful inheritance usurped by his younger brother satta in AD 1409-threw of his turban he was wearing. Put on a phenta ( a piece of cloth generally worn when in mourning ) and swore that he would put the turban on his head only when he had revenged Mokal by slaying his murderers. Leaving Nagaur he came to Chittor and defeated the traitors, who with their families fled to the hills of pai kotra, and throwing themselves into stronghold of Ratakot. And fortified it.

Rao Ranmal After placing Rana Kumbha on throne of Mewar started pursuit of the traitors.

Rathore presence in Mewar
Kumbha was still young, and the success which Rao Ranmal had achieved killing the assassins of Rana Mokal, and crushing the power, and capturing the person of the king of Malwa had raised the influence and power of Rao to a pinnacle whence he exercised his undisputed sway over Mewar. Rathores where to be seen everywhere and all the position and confidence and trust as well as political and military importance were bestowed upon them, This naturally excited the apprehensions of the noble and sardars of mewar.

The feeling of ill-usage among Sisodias and the Arrogant Pride flaunted by the Rathores, finally led to a situation where peaceful coexistence between two equally war-hardy and proud clans became impossible within the confine of a single fortress

Murder of Raghavdev
After assassination of Rana mokal Rao Ranmal returned to Mewar and began to hunt down the conspirators, with some being killed and others being forced into hiding. One of them, Mokal's paternal uncle Chacha, had his daughter Bharmali taken captive and married by Ranmal. 500 other girls belonging to the families of the fugitives were captured and given out by Ranmal to his favourites.

One of Mokal's brothers, Raghavdev, objected to this action and took the women into his protection. He began to grow apprehensive of the growing Rathore influence in the court and started preparing a resistance to Ranmal. Conversely, Ranmal also viewed the Mewari prince as a threat and too launched a conspiracy. Events came to a head when Ranmal invited Raghadev to present him with a traditional robe of honour. However, unknown to the latter, the sleeves of the robe had been sown in such a way so as to restrict his movement. Raghadev was then ambushed by Ranmal's men, who immediately cut down the incapacitated prince.

Rao Ranmal's warning to Rathores
The old rao of Marwar started to scent danger. Fearing surprise he sent Rao Jodha and kandhal and others to live in the taleti. At the foot of the hill on which the fortress is situated, and told them to be always on their guards and never to come up to the fort even if they should receive a message in his name. Prompted by chunda, the Maharana asked Ran Mal to call Jodha kandhal to reside in the fortress but the rao made excuses or other. Chunda and the Maharana now decided to rid the fortress of the Rathores.

Assassination of Rao Ranmal
Bharmali, the Queen's handmaid, one evening in Asdrh, S. 1500 (1443 A.D.) plied the Rao with liquor. When the old chief was drunk, Bharmali, who had been compelled to his embrace, tied him well to the bed with the big turban he wore. The Rao was only roused to a sense of his danger when Mahpa Panwar, Ekka, son of Chacha, and others arrived. In his rage, by a sudden desperate movement he got on his legs with the pallet behind him, and roared like a caged lion unable to free himself from the meshes of the turban that tied him to the pallet. Finding all arms removed, he got hold of a brass lota, and with this he killed 3 of his 17 assailants ere he was killed. Mahpa fled as soon as Ran Mai got on his feet. The other Rathors in the fortress, including Randhir, brother of Ran Mai, Satta Bhati, son of Lunkaran, and Randhir Surawat, were surprised and slain. Ran Mai was of herculean build. His gigantic stature and the force of his blow were well known in Raj pu tana. Seeing the state of affairs a Dom in the service of Ran Mai, got on to the wall of the fortress and in a loud voice, cried out : " Your Ran Mai has been killed : Jodha run for your life if you can."

It was a ignoble end for a warrior ( who was the ruler of Marwar in his own right ) who had spent several years at Mewar and helped in its administration at more than one crucial point of kingdom's history. While the old adage "he who lives by sword, dies by it" could be applied equally to practically all of Ranmal's warrior contemporaries who were brought up to believe in the code of the warrior and to aim for a warrior's death

The Marwar traditions portray Ranmal as a good and loyal man, who stood by Mewar during its lean times, and was unjustly rewarded by being murdered. Mewar traditions, on the other hand, hold that Ranmal’s influence was harmful for Mewar, and that the Rathore was a wicked and personally ambitious prince. The truth lies somewhere between these two extremely one-sided views.

Service of Rao Ranmal to Mewar
Rana kumbha succeeded to the throne in a uncertain atmosphere of conspiracies, distrust and confusion following the murder of Rana mokal. There existed a very real external danger posed by the neighbouring kingdoms of Malwa and Gujarat. The dowager Queen-mother of Mewar, kumbha's grandmother hansa bai once again called upon his brother Rao Ranmal to help Mewar out of this predicament.

Rao Ranmal helped the young Rana in restoring law and order in the area known as "magra" with the assistance of local bhils. The offenders against the state were tracked down in the more remote regions to which they had fled, and either killed or forced to seek refuge elsewhere. Led by mahapa Panwar and chacha's son Ekka fled to mandu, and thers were imprisoned.

Rao Ranmal launched several successful campaigns against the enemies of Mewar, Firoz Khan Nagaur who had taken to plundering mewar's territories, Sultan shuhabuddin of Gujarat, Gorwar, Hada chauhans of Bundi and Malwa.

These Services of Rao Ranmal Rathore to Mewar were appreciated by Rana kumbha and he rose daily in his favour.

Rathores escape from Mewar
Rao Jodha and his 700 Rathores seddled their horses, and leaving Bheem, who was too drunk to move, sprang into their saddles and made for Marwar. Chonda, with the memory of the murder of his brother Raghavadeva fresh in his mind started in pursuit with ten thousand Gehlots. A running fight ensued between the Rathors and the Sesodias. There were several encounters. 1 Jodha had not gone far when Chonda came up and a fight took place at Kapasan.

Jodha, after losing 200 men and killing 400 of the enemy, slipped away. Bar- jang Bhimawat, Charda and Chand Rao, sons of Aradakamal (Ran Mai's son), Rana Pitha Rajawat, Shivaraj, Poorna Bhati, Barisal and others gave up their lives defend- ing Jodha. Jodha reached Mandal, where Kandhal joined him, and the two brothers continued their flight towards Marwar. They reached the Someshwar Pass in the hills which divide Marwar from Mewar with only a hundred horsemen. Chonda soon came up, and to prevent the Rathors escaping into Marwar made a furious attack on them. The Rathors collected round Jodha and Kandhal to save them. Both the Sisodias and the Rathores dismounted and engaged in a hand- to hand fight. Out of the 100 horsemen that reached the Pass, Jodha crossed it with but seven. With this remnant of the 700 horsemen with whom he had left Chitor, Jodha set foot on the soil of Marwar. He owed his safety to the fleetness of his steed.

Capture of Mandore by Sisodias
Chunda, however, did not give up the pursuit, and arrived at Mandawar (Mandor) close on Jodha's heels. Jodha unable to make a stand there passed by it. Relying on the aid of the Rhatis of Poogal and Bikampur he took up his abode at the village Kahuni, ten miles from Bikaner.

Coronation of Rao Jodha (1439 AD)
Due to weakening of Rathore power after the Sisodia assault on Mandore, Rathore chiefs set aside their internal feuds and rallied under the banner of Jodha. At Kavani, Rathore clansmen collectively decided to declare Jodha as Rao, and successor to Rao Ranmal, and the succeeding day was fixed for the Raj-Tilak. Rao Jodha sent emissaries to Deshnoke to request Karni Mata to grace the occasion and herself apply the Tilak. She was unable to come and instead sent Pugree Dastoor to Kavani with her sons and Jaggu Doshi.

Therefore, on Kartik Vadi 5th of Samvat 1496 (1439 AD), Jodha was put on the Rathore throne and declared the Rao. On the request of the assemblage, Karniji's son Punya Raj, on her behalf, performed the ceremony and applied the Raj-Tilak. Punya Raj gave five leaves of Jhadberi as Karniji's gift which Jodha respectfully put in the Pugree that he had received from Karniji.

Rao Jodha's raids on Mandore
After a year's stay at Kahuni, Jodha began to raid Mandor. His raids always cost him men and horses without bringing him any profit. One day, returning from his raid, Jodha came to a village and put up at the house of one Rakan Jat, The mistress of the house placed before Jodha a tlidli (plate) full of hot ghat (porridge). Jodha at once thrust his hand into the centre of the porridge to take a morsel, and as the porridge was burning hot, Jodha burnt his fingers. Seeing this and not knowing who the stranger 'was, the Jatni said: "Brother, thou art as devoid of sense as Jodha is." Jodha was astonished to hear this remark and asked the lady why she thought Jodha was without sense. The- Jatni replied that want of sense in Joaha was clear from the fact that instead of raiding the out-lying country, he always went straight to attack Mandor, Jodha took this advice to heart and gave up going towards Mandor and began to raid the country around. This brought him plunder, and he got around him a body of horsemen. His brothers also grew up and began to assist him. With the help of the Bhatis of Kelhan, where he had married, he began to raise disturbances in the country. He was, however, seriously handicapped by want of horses and lack of money. There was famine, too, in the land and grain was scarce.

Rani Hansa bai's request to Rana Kumbha
While Jodha was thus roaming homeless in Marwar, his country being in the Maharana's possession, an incident occurred which roused him and put fresh energy into his activities. The Dowager Queen of Mewar, Rao Ran Mai's sister, sympathising with Jodha in his forlorn state, one day begged the Maharana to restore Mandor to the young Rao, telling him how Ran Mai had come to Chitor to help the Maharana at a critical time, slain Chacha and Maira, defeated the Mussalmans, raised the credit of Mewar, and was killed there, and that his son Jodha was now wandering in the jungles, homeless and hopeless. Such, said the lady, was the reward for services rendered to Mewar. The Maharana replied that Ran Mai had murdered Raghavadeva, Chonda's brother, which Chonda could never forget, and that he, for fear of wounding Chonda's feelings, could not do anything to help Jodha, but promised that if Jodha should take Mandor he would not molest him. Thus assured, the old lady sent a confidential messenger, a Chdran named Dula, to Jodha to communicate to him the views of the Maharana and to encourage him to make an effort and take Mandor. Charan Asia Dula went in search of Jodha, and eventually reaching the village Bhadang, in the jungles of Padava, in the sandy desert of Marwar, he found him ttith his fifty horsemen and some foot followers in the act of satisfying their hunger with the bdjri growing in the fields. The message from the Dowager Queen of Mewar acted like a powerful tonic on him, and he set about collecting means to effect his purpose.

There is no evidence to support this story that Rani hansa bai was alive up to 1455 AD

Support from Rajput Clans
Jodha picked up the gauntlet thrown by Mewar, and set about trying to retrieve the prestige and lost Territories of his family. Besides his own Marwar Rathores, he mustered together a following from amongst the warrior clans like the Deora Chauhan, Eenda Parihars, his Rathore kinsmen from mallani and Siwana, Khinchi Chauhans of Gagron, and the sankhlas and the Bhattis of pugal jangal and Jaisalmer.

It is said that Jodha took the battle deep into Mewar State’s territory to satisfy honour and avenge the death of his father, Ranmal.

Attacks on sisodia outposts
He first attacked the Maharana's thana of Chaukri. Raghavadeva Rathor with his small following tied, leaving everything behind, and Bhati Ranbir, Rana Visaldeva, Rawal Indo of the Rana's officers were killed Jodha next attacked and took Kosana, and by rapid marches arrived at Mandor. Two sons of Chanda, Kandhal and Manja, were in charge of the place. Despising the numbers of the enemy, and ignorant of the fact that the assailants included Harba Sankhla, they descended sword in hand to meet them. But they were overpowered; Kandhal was slain and Manja took to his horse jrnd tied but was pursued, overtaken and slain on the way. Ahado Hingolo, Sisodia Eko and others were also slain. A chhUri still marks the place on the Balsamad Lako, near Jodhpur, where Hingolo fell after performing deeds of valour. Chohan Jassa, Harbham Sindhal, Visaldeva Par mar and the son of Firoz Khan of Nagor fled.

Recapture of Mandore
Mandore was occupied by Sisodia forces and on behalf of Maharana of Mewar, Narbad (son of Rao Satta) was stationed there with a strong garrison at Mandore with orders to pursue and destroy Jodha. For the next 12 years, Narbad would relentlessly devise ways to draw out and capture Jodha. He would often deliberately leave his flanks exposed and even leave the route to Mandore ill-defended in the hope enticing Jodha to attack in the open. But Karniji had forewarned Rao Jodha. She had told him not to risk a major battle until she gave an all clear. Thus forewarned, Rao Jodha bided his time at Kavani for 12 years.

One day in Samvat 1510 (1453 AD), Karniji sent a message to Rao Jodha asking him to promptly reach Deshnoke with as many Rathores as he could muster. Accordingly, he reached Deshnoke and appearing before Karniji sought advice and directions. Karniji told him that the opprtune time for invading Mandore had arrived and he must march with his men towards Mandore.

During the way to Mandore, Jodha camped at the hamlet of Modhi Moolani in village Sirdan. Here, Jodha was served affectionately by Modhi with halwa dish. The Modhi told him, "Don’t worry. I put some majith to make up for the shortage of maida. This auspicious hue on your mustache is a sure sign of Karniji’s blessings. Your victory is certain. Proceed at once to Mandore."

Jodha next camped at Bengati where Harbuji Sankhla, one of the five well-known holy men of Rajasthan, played host. Jodha and his men were offered bajra khichri by the saint. While depating, Harbuji told Jodha he will suffer no defeat so long as he has Sri Karniji's blessings and that he shall reconquer his heritage. Thus Jodha proceeded accepting assistance from chiefs of estates and villages falling on the route.

Jodha arrived near Mandore with a contingent of 700 horses and 10,000 foot soldiers where with the assistance of Kalu Mangalia, who was Jodha's confidant and worked as an insider for the enemy, was able to enter with 1000 of men in the citadel. These men let inside the rest of the army in the night and stormed the fort from within. This took the Sisodias and their Rathore supporters by surprise and by sunrise Jodha tookover Mandore.

Nearest remaining outpost of Sisodias, Chokri was attacked by Rao Kandhal (brother of Rao Jodha) the following day. Rao Kandhal then marched an army on Merta and Ajmer which he conquered in the course of year, Samvat 1510 (1453 AD). Thus, Rao Jodha was able to reconquer his inhertitance & restrengthened the Rathores in Marwar.

Treaty of Awal-Bawal
When in course of time he felt himself strong enough to avenge his father's tragic death, he attacked chittor set fire to the gate of this World famous fort and plundered Mewar. This invasion of Rao Jodha compelled the Maharana to launch a counter invasion of Marwar. But when both armies came face to face at Nadol ( in Godwad district ) Rao Jodha and Rana kumbha negotiated a treaty and fixed boundaries of Marwar and Mewar to fight common enemies, the Mohamadans.

Coronation of Rao Jodha (1558)
Rao Jodha performed his coronation ceremony in 1458 A.D at Mandore. In the following year, on May 12th 1459 he laid the foundation of a new fort and also laid a new city in some six miles to the south of Mandore and named it Jodhpur after his own name.