Alhaji Barhath

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Alhaji Barhath
Born
Haduwa
Occupations
Years active14-15th century
Notable workVeermayan
Children2 (Dulhaji, Jethaji)
Parent
  • Bhanoji Barhath (father)

Alhaji Barhath (14-15th century), or Alhaji Rohadia, was a Rajasthani poet, warrior & horse trader known for providing shelter to Rao Chunda of Mandore during his childhood, who is credited with laying the foundation of the Rathore rule in Marwar.

Early life[edit]

Alhaji Barhath was born in a prosperous family in Haduwa village of Jaisalmer to Bhanoji Barhath. He was a skilled poet but also traded in horse and cattle. He is said to have owned more than 500 cows. There were ten households of his servants, who lived alongside and looked after Alhaji's cattle. In his youth, he left his native place of Haduwa and settled in a village called 'Kalau', about twenty miles south of Pokaran.[1]

Sheltering Chunda[edit]

Alhaji lived in his village called Kalau located in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Viramdev Rathore, the ruler of Mahewa and father of Chunda, was killed in battle against Johiyas around 1383 AD. At this time, Chunda was a mere child. Chunda's mother, referred to as Mangaliyaniji, was apprehensive about Chunda's safety & preferred to seek safety for him. She approached Alhaji Barhath of Kalau and handed Chunda over to him.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

After ensuring the safety of Chunda under Alhaji, Mangaliyaniji is said to have committed Sati.[8][9][10]

Alhaji raised Chunda in anonymity for 14 years, hiding his real identity. Growing up, Chunda used to herd the cattle of Alhaji.[11][8]

Presenting Chunda to Rawal Mallinath[edit]

One day, Chunda grew tired while herding the cattle and slept under a tree. When Alhaji arrived to check on Chunda, he saw a serpent shading over Chunda's head, while he lay sleeping. Alhaji took this as a sign of Chunda's destiny as a ruler & began training him.[11][5][7][8]

Later, at the opportune time, Alhaji equipped Chunda with a horse and weapons and travelled to Mahewa & presented him before Rawal Mallinath, revealing Chunda's identity as his nephew. Mallinath granted Chunda a distant thana of Salodi.[11][3][4][5][7]

Chunda showed his skill as a warrior and began expanding his territory. In 1395, Mandore was given as dowry to Rao Chunda by the Inda Rajputs and eventually became the capital of the Rathores. Alhaji was instrumental in this alliance as he convinced Raidhaval Inda to marry his daughter to Chunda.[1] Rao Chunda inherited the Rathore mantle and was instrumental in the move of the Rathores from the marginal Mahewa belt to Mandore.[8][11][7][5][12]

Reunion[edit]

Years after Chunda was installed on the throne of Mandor, Alhaji remembered Chunda and wished to see him. He travelled to Mandore to meet Chunda where he stayed in the court but didn't feel the need to introduce himself. As Chunda didn't recognize him initially among the host of courtiers, one day, Alhaji is said to have spoken this couplet:[13]

Dingal[14]

_____________________________

English translation
चूंडा ना आवै चीत, काचर कालाऊ तणा।

भूप भयौ भैभींत, मंडोवर रै मालियै ॥

O Chunda, don't you remember the Kachars of Kalau village?

That is, how could you forget your days of adversity? Living in the palaces of Mandovar and after becoming such a famous prince, you should not have forgotten your condition during the days of adversity.[15]

Hearing this, Chunda became aware of Alhaji and rose up to greet him. As a sign of gratitude, Chunda offered half of his kingdom to Alhaji, which he refused. After a lot of insistence, Alhaji accepted only twelve kos long and twelve kos wide land enough for the pasture of his cows and horses.[1]

Legacy[edit]

Today, three villages named Bhondu, Sihanda and Chak-Dair are inhabited in the same land by the descendants of Alhaji. Chunda also granted other villages in his jagir. Alhaji had two sons - the elder son's name was Dulhaji and the younger one's name was Jethaji. Dulhaji, in turn, had a daughter called Malhan Devi, who is worshipped as an incarnation of Shakti.[1]

Authorship[edit]

Alhaji had composed the work 'Veermayan', a fragmentary copy of which was discovered at Shubhkaran Kaviya of Jodhpur.[16] This work has verses ranging from 90 to 160. It recounts the story of Viramdev, father of Chunda, who ultimately dies in a battle with Johiyas.[17] It is distinct from 'Veervan' (1960 AD) published by Rajasthan Prachya Vidya Pratishthan, Jodhpur and edited by Lakshmi Kumari Chundawat. According to Udairaj Ujjwal, three original copies of this work remained with the descendants of Alhaji.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Jijñāsu, Mohanalāla (1968). Cāraṇa sāhitya kā itihāsa: Rājasthāna ke prācīna evaṃ Madhyakālīna 275 cāraṇa kaviyoṃ, unake kāvya ke vibhinna rūpoṃ tathā pravr̥ttiyoṃ kā Jīvanacaritra sahita aitihāsika evaṃ ālocanātmaka anuśīlana (in Hindi). Ujvala Cāraṇa-Sabhā. चूंडा को अपने बाल्यावस्था के सारे दिन ध्यान में आ गये, जो उन्होंने आल्हा के घर पर बिताये थे। शीघ्र ही उनका यथोचित सम्मान किया गया। चूंडा ने आल्हा को अपना आधा राज्य देना चाहा, किन्तु इन्होंने इस प्रस्ताव को अस्वीकार कर दिया। बहुत आग्रह करने पर इन्होंने केवल बारह कोस लम्बी व बारह कोस चौड़ी जमीन अपनी गायों एवं घोड़ों के चारागाह के लिए लेना स्वीकार किया।
  2. ^ Singh, Dhananajaya (1994). The House of Marwar. Lotus Collection, Roli Books. ISBN 978-81-7436-002-1.
  3. ^ a b Sinh, Raghubir (1984). Rao Udaibhan Champawat ri khyat: Up to Rao Rinmal and genealogies of the Rinmalots (in Hindi). Indian Council of Historical Research. After the death of Viram, the mother of his minor son, Chunda, had to seek refuge with Alha Charan.
  4. ^ a b Rāva Udaibhāṇa Cāmpāvata rī khyāta (in Hindi). Śrī Naṭanāgara Śodha Saṃsthāna, Sītāmau. 2006.
  5. ^ a b c d Ujwal, Kailash Dan S. (1985). Bhagwati Shri Karniji Maharaj: A Biography. [s.n.]]. While keeping the secret to himself for fear of Jagmal, Alha brought up Chunda as a Rajput warrior destined to raise the family's name. Chunda fulfilled the hopes and expectations of his mother and his benefactor.
  6. ^ Gurbaxani, Gitanjali (2018-09-15). Jodhpur: An Insight to a Gourmet Destination. Notion Press. ISBN 978-1-64324-930-8.
  7. ^ a b c d Chandra, Yashaswini (2021-01-22). The Tale of the Horse: A History of India on Horseback. Pan Macmillan. ISBN 978-93-89109-92-4. Chunda had in fact had a humble start in life, spending his early boyhood in exile in the home of a Charan in a village, where he made himself useful looking after buffalo calves.
  8. ^ a b c d Singh, Sabita (2019-05-27). The Politics of Marriage in India: Gender and Alliance in Rajasthan. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-909828-6. In another case, when Viram, the ruler of Khed died, his wife Mangliyani did not commit sati immediately, but started living in her natal village, hiding her identity. Later, her son Chuda was given to Alha Charan while she decided to committed sati. There are references of the sons being handed to Brahmins and Charans before the queen decided to commit sati...In the episode of Rathor Chunda described by Nainsi, it is a Charan who recognizes him as a Rajput, but also equips him with a horse and weapons.
  9. ^ Social Scientist. Indian School of Social Sciences. 2005.
  10. ^ Sethia, Madhu (2005). "British Paramountcy: Reaction and Response by the Nineteenth Century Poets of Rajasthan". Social Scientist. 33 (11/12): 14–28. ISSN 0970-0293. JSTOR 3518063. It is well-known that Charan Alha of Kalau village brought up Rao Chunda of Marwar (c.1383-1423) after his father died fighting against the Joiyas and mother committed sati. So, it is obvious that the Charans had been also active participants in the establishment and functioning of the Rajput polity.
  11. ^ a b c d Kothiyal, Tanuja (2016-03-14). Nomadic Narratives: A History of Mobility and Identity in the Great Indian Desert. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-316-67389-8. Chunda herded the cattle of the Charan. One day when he got tired while herding, he fell off to sleep. Alha happened to come that way, and saw the boy sleeping with a serpent shading his head....The Charan equipped him with a horse and weapons and presented him to his uncle Malo, who granted him a distant thana of Salodi.
  12. ^ Hooja, Rima (2006). A History of Rajasthan. Rupa & Company. ISBN 978-81-291-0890-6.
  13. ^ Paniker, K. Ayyappa (1997). Medieval Indian Literature: Surveys and selections. Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-81-260-0365-5.
  14. ^ Shal, kanheya Lal (1947). Rajasthan Ke Etihasik Pravad.
  15. ^ Paniker, K. Ayyappa (1997). Medieval Indian Literature: Surveys and selections. Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-81-260-0365-5.
  16. ^ Maru-Bhāratī (in Hindi). Biṛlā Ejyūkeśana Ṭrasṭa. 1983. वीरमायण : चारण आल्हा का यह काव्य उत्कृष्ट कोटि का वीर रस प्रधान खण्ड काव्य है। राव चूडा वीरमदेवोत को आल्हा ने गांव कालाऊ में शरण दी थी। वीरम को मार कर जोइए वंश को ही नष्ट करना चाहते थे तब माता मांगलियाणी चूंडा को लेकर चली गई थी।
  17. ^ Sharma, Brij Sunder (1969). Mahākavi Suryamalla Miśraṇa smr̥ti grantha (in Hindi). Sūryamalla Smāraka Samiti. आल्हा कृत 'वीरमायण' वीर रस का प्रथम खण्ड काव्य है। इसके नायक राव वीरम (मारवाड़) परम वीर हैं जो जोइयों के साथ युद्ध में मारे जाते हैं। रानी माँगलियारणी अपने नवजात शिशु चूडा को लेकर बीस वर्षों तक आल्हा के घर काठाऊ में गुप्त रीति से रहती है, जहां चूंडा को अस्त्र-शस्त्र की शिक्षा दी जाती है। अन्त में चूडा आल्हा को सहायता से मंडोवर का राज्य प्राप्त कर लेता है । इस कथा को लेकर ग्रन्थ की सृष्टि हुई है ।
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