Sodha is a Rajput clan residing in India and Pakistan. [1]
| Sodha | |
|---|---|
| Jāti | Rajput |
| Religions |  Hinduism |
| Languages | Sindhi, Rajasthani languages, Kutchi |
| Country |  Pakistan,  India |
| Region | Sindh, Rajasthan, Kutch |
| Feudal title | Rana |
| Related groups | Parmara Rajputs |
They are off-shoot of Parmara Rajputs, who once controlled regions of Malwa and later North-West parts of Rajasthan. The area around Suratgarh was called 'Sodhawati' and south-east of Bhatner was once occupied by the Sodha Rajputs before being evicted from these regions by Bhati Rajputs, after which they moved their base to Thar desert. [2] [3] Sodha Rajputs, based in Umerkot district of Pakistan's Sindh, are one of the clans, which are off-shoots of the Parmar Rajput dynasty that reigned over Malwa in central India from the 9th century onwards till 13th century. [4] The Sodhas controlled Tharparak (Thar) in the southeast of the Sindh province in Pakistan.
Sodha Rajputs are one of few Hindu Rajput clans still living in Pakistan. The history of Sodha Rajputs is also recorded in book named "Sodhayan" authored by Chimanji Kavia in early 20th century and published in 1887 at Jodhpur. [5]
A branch of Parmaras left Abu and settled in Radhanpur led by Bahar Parmar. His descendant Sodhoji became the founder of Sodha clan of Rajputs and captured Ratokot in 1125 AD. With base at Ratokot, they consolidated neighbouring villages under their influence. [6]
Further, Sodhoji's ambitious descendant Rana Raj Dev began plotting for the Amarkot fort held by the Soomras. For this purpose, he sent his trusted Charan allies Junfahji and Budhimanji to Amarkot to prepare the ground for the invasion, where they lived for some time before returning to Ratokot. [6]
After deliberations with both the Charanas, Rana Raj Dev launched his invasion of Amarkot (Umarkot) in 1226 AD. In the ensuing battle between the armies of Khenhro Soomro and Rana Raj Dev, Sodhas were victorious while Soomras had to retreat. Thus, Rana Raj Dev established Sodha rule over Amarkot and is considered the real founder of the Sodha dynasty. [6]
Thereafter, with Umarkot under control, the Sodhas began expansion of their kingdom and soon captured parts of Mithi, Chelhar, Chacharo, and extended their sway up to Nagarparkar. Four generations later, Rana Darabursh divided his state between his two sons and gave Amarkot and adjoining areas to his elder son Darjanshal and Nagarparkar to the younger son, Aasrai. [6]
Amarkot province was ruled by Sodha Rajput clan from medieval times until 1947 Partition of British India. The city held prominence during the Mughal Empire Jalaluddin Mohammed Akbar and the British Raj. Mughal Emperor Akbar The Great was born in Amarkot 14 October 1542 when his father Humayun fled from the military defeat at the hands of Sher Shah Suri. [7] Rana Parshad, the Sodha Rajput ruler of Amarkot, gave him refuge. [8] Anarkot Kingdom ruled by Sodha Rajputs was annexed by Jodhpur State in the 18th century and its rulers were reduced to Vassals. Amarkot area and its fort was later handed to the British in 1847 by the Maharaja of Jodhpur in return for reducing the tribute imposed on Jodhpur State by Rs.10,000. and the territory came under direct rule of British India, and the Ranas were reduced to category of Jagirdars. [9]
Amarkot was the only area with a Hindu majority population of Sodha Rajputs and including the ruling family that acceded to Pakistan. Rana Chandra Singh, a federal minister and the chieftain of the Hindu Sodha Rajput clan and the Amarkot Jagir, was one of the founder members of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan from Umarkot, seven times with PPP between 1977 and 1999, when he founded the Pakistan Hindu Party (PHP). Many Muslim Sodhas are also found across Pakistan's Sindh province and Indian state of Rajasthan. [10] [11] Currently, his politician son Rana Hamir Singh is the 26th Rana of Tharparkar, Amarkot and Mithi. [12] [13] [14]
They still follow the age-old tradition of getting their daughters married to Rajput families in the border districts of India's Rajasthan. As they only inter-marry with other Hindu Rajput clans, every year they come to Rajasthan, to choose their bride and groom. Both Government of India and Pakistan have made special visa provisions and created a special diplomatic channel to facilitate the cross-country marriage of Sodha Rajputs, despite the strained relations between both countries. [4] [15] [16] [17] [18]
In India, Sodha Rajputs are found scattered around North West regions of Rajasthan. [2]
In Kachchh district of Gujarat, Sodha Rajputs are the most recent migrants from Sindh, Pakistan. After Chachro Raid during Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, the Sodhas had flee Sindh and were settled in Rapar and Bacchau tehsils of Kachchh where they continue to live.
Sodhas are one of several sub-groups of the larger Hindu Rajput community and retain strong links with Sindh through intermarriages. Fiercely patriarchal customs and traditions characterize this traditional protector-warrior community. Control over the movement of women in public has led to various ironic role reversals, such as men fetching water for the women from the village well. [19] [20] [21]
Rajasthan is a state in northwestern India. It covers 342,239 square kilometres (132,139 sq mi) or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern side, where it comprises most of the wide and inhospitable Thar Desert and shares a border with the Pakistani provinces of Punjab to the northwest and Sindh to the west, along the Sutlej-Indus River valley. It is bordered by five other Indian states: Punjab to the north; Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to the northeast; Madhya Pradesh to the southeast; and Gujarat to the southwest. Its geographical location is 23°.3' to 30°.12' North latitude and 69°.30' to 78°.17' East longitude, with the Tropic of Cancer passing through its southernmost tip.
The Rajputana Agency was a political office of the British Indian Empire dealing with a collection of native states in Rajputana, under the political charge of an Agent reporting directly to the Governor-General of India and residing at Mount Abu in the Aravalli Range. The total area of the states falling within the Rajputana Agency was 127,541 square miles (330,330 km2), with eighteen states and two estates or chiefships.
Jadeja is a Samma Rajput clan that inhabits the Indian state of Gujarat and the Tharparkar district of Sindh, Pakistan. They originated from Sammas of Sindh, a pastoral group, and laid a claim on the Rajput identity after marriages with Sodha Rajput women by adopting a process called Rajputisation.
Rao Maldeo Rathore was a king of the Rathore dynasty, who ruled the kingdom of Marwar in present day state of Rajasthan. Maldeo ascended the throne in 1531 CE, inheriting a small ancestral principality of Rathore's but after a long period of military actions against his neighbours, Maldeo swept significant territories which included parts of present day Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Sindh. He refused to ally with either the Sur Empire or the Mughal Empire.
Amarkot is a city in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The Mughal emperor Akbar was born in Umerkot in 1542. The Hindu folk deities Pabuji and Ramdev married in Umerkot.
Umerkot District, also known as Amarkot District, is a district in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The city of Umerkot is the capital of the district. Sindhi is the native language of approximately 95.1% of the residents according to the 2023 Pakistani census. Umerkot is the only non-Muslim majority district in Pakistan, with adherents of Hinduism representing 54.6% of the total population as per 2023 Pakistani census. According to latest census estimate, the population of district is 1,158,284.
Rana is an historical title denoting an absolute Hindu king in the Indian subcontinent. Today, it is used as a hereditary name in the Indian subcontinent. "Rana" was formerly used as a title of martial sovereignty by Rajput kings in India. Rani is the title for the wife of a rana or a female monarch. It also applies to the wife of a raja. Compound titles include rana sahib, ranaji, raj rana,rana bahadur, and maharana.
Kingdom of Marwar, also known as Jodhpur State during the modern era, was a kingdom in the Marwar region from 1243 to 1818 and a princely state under British rule from 1818 to 1947. It was established in Pali by Rao Siha, possibly a migrant Gahadavala noble, in 1243. His successors continued to struggle against regional powers for domination and 9 out of 15 rulers till 1438 died in combat. In 1395, its capital was changed to Mandore by Rao Chunda of Mandore and to Jodhpur in 1459 by Rao Jodha.
Rana Chandra Singh, also known as Rana Chandar Singh, was a Pakistani politician and a federal minister. He was one of the founding members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan from Umerkot seven times with PPP between 1977 and 1999. He founded the Pakistan Hindu Party (PHP) in 1990.
Umarkot Shiv Mandir, also known as Amarkot Shiv Mandir, is a Hindu temple situated in Umerkot District, near Rana Jaageer Goth, in Sindh Province of Pakistan. This temple is perhaps the oldest in Sindh. The temple is one of the most sacred Hindu places of worship in the Sindh
The Kathi people is a small group of clans found in the peninsular Kathiawar of Gujarat, western India. It was from the Kathis that the Maratha Empire and later the British Raj renamed the Saurashtra as Kathiawar as the Kathis were prominent there during the 17th-18th centuries. According to A. M. Shah, Kathis are a peasant caste.
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The Sodhas of Amarkot were a Rajput dynasty who ruled Amarkot, which is now located in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The Sodha Rajput clan are a branch of the Parmar clan of Rajputs, as they are an off-shoot of Parmara Rajputs, who once controlled regions of Malwa and later North-West parts of Rajasthan. The kingdom was known for giving refuge to Mughal emperor Humayun, after he was fleeing from the forces of Sher Shah Suri, hence Akbar was born in the kingdom of Amarkot.
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