Inappropriateness of Mandore Fort
The fort of Mandore was situated on the banks of the Nagadri river flowing between the inaccessible hills of the Aravalli in the pre-Gupta period. It is estimated from the name of the river that the Nagas must have started the construction of this fort and they must have been the initial rulers here. Samudragupta and his son Chandragupta (II) had defeated and subjugated the Nagas of western India. Probably at the same time this fort went under the Guptas. When the Pratiharas of Mandore emerged in the eighth century AD, the Mandore fort became a symbol of the power of the Pratiharas in the desert. During the period when this fort was built, this fort must have been inaccessible enough and capable of withstanding the attacks of the enemies, being surrounded by the lofty Aravalli hills on all sides. An inscription of some period after the eighth century has been received near this fort, in which it is written - 'Mandvasyashrame Punya Nadi Nirjhar Shobhate.' It is clear that till that time this area was full of rivers and springs.
Over time, the average rainfall in this region decreased. The hills in this region may have been eroded and shortened by the impact of heavy rainfall in the earlier era and by the rubbing of sand storms in the later era. By the time of Rao Jodha, not only would the hills of Mandore have become very small, but this fort would have also attained a dilapidated condition and would have been completely incapable of facing the attacks of the enemies. This must have been the reason that this fort came out of the hands of the Pratiharas and easily passed into the hands of the Muslims. Rao Chunda also easily snatched it from the Muslims. After the murder of Rao Ranmal, the people of Mewar also won it easily. Even Jodha himself was successful in winning it with very little means.
In that era the security of the king, capital, treasury, army and royal family depended heavily on the invincibility of the fort. The invincibility of the fort was based on its inhospitable geographical location. After considering all these things, Jodha must have found the Mandore fort unsuitable for the capital and decided to establish a new capital which could be safe within an invincible fort.
Historians are also of the opinion behind the establishment of the new fort that Prince Akhairaj had renounced his authority in support of Jodha. Therefore Akhairaj or his descendants could claim authority over the Mandore kingdom after the death of Rao Jodha, just as Ranmal had taken over Mandore after the death of Kanha as Ranmal had renounced the kingdom in favor of Kanha. Not in favor of power or any other prince. Therefore, it was natural for Akhairaj or his descendants to weaken the authority of the state with Jodhpur as the capital in place of Mandore.
establishment of Mehrangarh
Rao Jodha started looking for a safe place to establish a new fort. His vision went to a hill called Masuria, which was far and wide surrounded by other hills. (It was called Thothaliya Bhakhar and it was believed that Mammadshah Hur, the king of the demons, resided on it.) Because of this, the enemy could be easily seen before reaching this hill. At that time a monk lived on this hill. He advised Jodha that this hill is not safe for your new fort, so you should build your fort on Pachetia hill. Water was also not available on the Masuria hill, while a spring flowed on the Pachetia hill, which could have provided enough water for the construction of the fort and later for the drinking of humans. Therefore Jodha chose Pachetia hill for the construction of his new fort. It is also said that Baba Ramdev's Guru Balinath lived on this hill in the form of a spirit. For this reason the fort could not be built on this hill.
Story of Chidiyanath
A yogi named Chidiyanath lived on the Pachetia hill. For this reason, this hill was also called Chidiyanath ki Tonk. (This mountain was in the shape of a bird, hence it was also called Vihang Koot. When the new fort started to be built, then Chidiyanath's ashram came inside the fort. Yogi asked the officials of Jodha to leave my hut and build a fort but to do so. But the fort would have turned slanting. Therefore, ignoring the words of the yogi, his hut was taken inside the fort. On this, the yogi got angry and put the smoldering fumes in his bag and went to Palasani village, located nine kos away from the fort in the direction of fire angle. The samadhi of that yogi remains in Palasani village. It is believed that this yogi cursed the king that my dhuni, which was a sun form, has been raised from here, so there will be famines and people will crave for food and water. It is said that after cursing the yogi drank four chuluk water from the spring due to which the water of the spring dried up and turned into dripping drops.When the king got the news of Yogi's anger, the king built a monastery under the fort for him and his Sending a man asked the yogi to come to the new Math. (This place is near Sardar Market.) Yogi told those men that I want something. I will come after six days. Finally that yogi came to this Math for a few days. That yogi built a pagoda near this monastery. At the behest of the yogi, Jodhaji started the practice of making a roti every day and giving it to a sage-sannyasi. With the passage of time this pagoda got dilapidated. In 1914 AD, this pagoda was renovated by the state of Jodhpur.
foundation of the fort
Rao Jodha started building a new fort on 12 May 1459 at Chidiyanath ki Tonk, 6 miles south of Mandore. A couplet is called in this regard-
Pandra hundred pandrotare, Jeth month jodhan.
Sud Igyaras Vaar Shani, Mandiau Garh Mehran.
According to the details that came in the fame, the rock, which was brought for the foundation stone laying of the gate of the fort, could not come on the fixed Muhurta. On this, a rock was brought from a nearby camel herder's enclosure and the foundation stone of the gate was laid from it. (On this stone there are holes for the sticks used to close the gate of the enclosure.) For the next 500 years this fort remained the main center of political and strategic activities of the desert. This fort remained in the possession of the Muslims thrice.
Foundation of fort by Karni Mata
Born in the Charan family, Karni Mata is the revered goddess of the Rathores of Bikaner. She was a contemporary of Jodha and her son Bika. It has been mentioned in some places that Karni Mata told Jodha the place for this fort and Karni herself laid the foundation stone of the fort with her own hands. Nancy has written - Shri Jodhpur Rau Kilau No. 1515 Ra Jeth Sud 11 Shanivar Rao Jodhaji Neem Divi Shri Karniji came to Nai So Past Paila to Chauburjo Jivarkhau Kot Karayou, the birds upright.
Story of Razia Bhambi
On the advice of a tantrik, it was decided to bury a living man in the foundation of the fort so that this fort would always be with the descendants of Jodha. The king made a declaration in the entire state that the family of the person who would build this foundation alive, would be given royal protection and wealth. Bhambi named Rajiya or Rajaram agreed for this task. He was buried alive in the foundation. His family was given land in Jodhpur city which later became famous as Rajbagh. The treasury and carving buildings were built over the place where Rajiya was condensed. To give gratitude to Rajia, she was mentioned with reverence in the books published from the state. At some places it is mentioned that two persons were chosen to be alive in the foundation. Reu wrote that Rajia and her son were buried in the foundation.
Invitation to Pushkarna Brahmins
On the occasion of the establishment of the fort, Rao Jodha invited a large number of Brahmins. Then 65 Pushkarna Brahmin families from Sindh came to Jodhpur to bless the king and settled here.
naming of the fort
According to legends, this fort was named Chintamani on the basis of the horoscope of the fort. It is also said that this fort was named Mordhwaj Garh after the name of Mordhwaj, the son of Pushkarna Brahmin Ganapatdatta, who came from Sindh. It is also believed that the fort of Mandore was built of serpents. The enemy of serpents are peacocks, so the new fort was named Peacock Dhwaj. This fort became famous as Mihir Garh. The word Mihir means sun. That is, because of being the stronghold of the Sun-dynasties, it was called Mihir Garh. Later it was called Mihirangarh and Mehrangarh.
Greatness of the Fort
Mehrangarh is one of the grandest forts in the world. It is 400 feet higher than the land near it and is visible from far away. Its coat is 20 to 120 feet high and 12 to 20 feet wide. The entire fort is built 500 yards in length and 250 yards in width.
Ranisagar and Chand Baori
At the time when Jodha got the Mehrangarh fort built, his Hadi queen Jasmade built a pond named Rani Sagar in the foothills of the fort in 1459 AD and Chand Kunwari, the Sonagri queen of Jodha, built a stepwell which became famous as Chand Bawdi. It was also called Chauhan Baori. Rani Jasmade also dug a well inside the fort during her lifetime.
Establishment of Chamunda Temple
In 1394 AD, when Chunda conquered the Mandore fort, an ancient statue of Chamunda, the Kuldevi of the Pratiharas, was installed in it. After the place of Jodhpur fort in 1459 AD, Jodha brought Chamunda from Mandore and established it in Mehrangarh fort in 1460 AD. This idol of the goddess is considered miraculous. Due to its grace, Jodhpur has not been in any major trouble for the last five hundred years. On 9 August 1857, during the time of Maharaja Takht Singh, huge stones fell on the city due to a fire in the gunpowder. Due to this, 200 people were buried in their homes and died. In the Indo-Pak war of 1965, when bombs were being dropped by the Pakistani army, people painted hands with henna outside their homes as a symbol of the goddess's hand. Due to this the city of Jodhpur remained completely safe and there was little damage in only two places. On 30 September 2008, 216 youths died in a stampede at the temple.
Jodhaji Ka Phalsa
Rao Jodha built coats and bastions from Loha Pol to Chamundaji's turret and got the fort built till Phalse. Jodha got the pavilion elected on the Chamund Burj. As far as the spread of this fort was during the period of Jodha, the area up to that place was called Jodhaji's Phalsa. All Umrao, Sardar, Rajpurush or other employees had to leave their ride at this place. Only the king could go ahead from here on a ride. This limit changed over time.
Jodha ka Tilak
After the construction of Mehrangarh, its mid point was found and Rao Jodha was seated on a post there and Tilak was done.
Jharneshwar Mahadev Temple
Rao Jodha built a pool and a small Shiva temple at the waterfall near the Pachetia hill where Yogi Chidiyanath lived. That place came to be known as Jhanneswar Mahadev. Later this waterfall almost dried up.
Reputation of Kodamdesar Talab
After laying the foundation of Mehrangarh fort in 1459 AD, in the same year the Balochs attacked Napa Sankhla, the king of Janglu. On this, Jodha went to Janglu to help Napa. On the way, Jodha got the Kodamdesar pond built by her mother established and established a Kirti Stambh there. An article is engraved on this Kirti Stambh in Sanskrit language, in which it is written that Rathod Ranmal's son Jodha Rai got this pond established and Mata Srikomade established Kirti Stambh for Nimitta. When Rao Ranmal was killed, Jodha's mother Kodmade was satiating on the banks of this pond. Returning from Kodamdesar, Jodha gave a new donation letter to his family priest.