Sodh

Dr. B. L. Choudhary (Sodh)

Sod (सोड) Sodh (सोढ) Sod (सोड) Sor (सोड) Sodha (सोढा) Sodhi (सोढी) Sodha (सोध) Gotra Jats live in Punjab, Rajasthan and Pakistan. Sodha tribe was a integral part of the Pramar Federation. Sodha (सोढा) clan is also found in Rajputs in the Tharparkar district of Sindh in Pakistan and Kutch, Gujarat.

Origin

They originated from The Mahabharata Tribes - Saudha (सौधा).

Sodha is one of Thirty-Five branches of the Pramaras.

History

Bhisma Parva, Mahabharata/Book VI Chapter 10 mentions about Sodha clan in shlokas 40 along with Madras and many other ancient Jat clans.

H. W. Bellew writes that The Waziri who displaced the Khattak, or Shattak, as it is pronounced in the western dialect of Pushtu, from his ancient seat on the Suleman range, from the Sattagydia of Herodotus, for he is the only one of the ancient authors who has mentioned this people, appear to be identical with the Wairsi or Vairsi of the early Muhammadan historians. The Wairsi were a division of the Sodha tribe, which itself was a branch of the Pramaras.

James Tod writes that The Sodha, who has retained the name of Hindu, has yet so far discarded ancient prejudice, that he will drink from the same vessel and smoke out of the same hukka with a Musalman, laying aside only the tube that touches the mouth. With his poverty, the Sodha has lost his reputation for courage, retaining only the merit of being a dexterous thief, and joining the hordes of Sahariyas and Khosas who prowl from Daudputra to Gujarat. The arms of the Sodhas are chiefly the sword and shield, with a long knife in the girdle, which serves either as a stiletto or a carver for his meat : few have matchlocks, but the primitive sling is a general weapon of offence, and they are very expert in its use. Their dress partakes of the Bhatti and Muhammadan costume, but the turban is peculiar to them- selves, and by it a Sodha may always be recognized. The Sodha is to be found scattered over the desert, but there are offsets of his tribe, now more numerous than the parent stock, of which the Samecha is the most conspicuous, whether of those who are still Hindu, or who have become converts to Islam.

James Tod writes that Bhatti Chief Mangal Rao, who found shelter in the wilds of the Garah, crossed that stream and subjugated a new territory. At this period, the tribe of Baraha inhabited the banks of the river; beyond them were the Boota Rajpoots of Bootaban. In Poogul dwelt the Pramara. Poogul from the most remote times has been inhabited by the Pramar race. It is one of the No-Koti Maroo-ca, the nine castles of the desert. In Dhat in habit the Soda race. The Sodas of Amarkot have inhabited the desert from time immemorial, and are in all probability the Sogdi of Alexander. See Vol. I, p. 85.

The Wairsi and Sodha Tribes

Sir H. M. Elliot writes:

[p.531]: Wairsí, we are told in the Beg-Lar-náma (MS. p. 55), was a chief among the Sodhas. It would have been more correct to say that Wairsí was the chief clan among the Sodhas; for Wairsí was not a personal designation, as is evident from many passages of that work. It is written indiscriminately Wairsí and Wairsa, and a cognate, but then hostile, clan bore the closely similar name of Waisa (MS. pp. 190, 191). The Sameja tribe, often mentioned in the same work, is also a branch of the Sodhas. An exact translation of the text to which this note refers would represent Rájia as the daughter of the Ráná (which, by the way, is spelt throughout in the original as Ra'ná); but at p. 61 we learn that she was his sister's son, and so she is also styled in the Tuhfatu-l Kirám (MS. p. 73). Indeed, had she been his own daughter, we should not have found Abú-l Kásim Khán-i Zamán, who was the issue of the marriage with Mír Kásim Beg-Lár, passing his childhood among the Bhattís of Jesalmír after his father's death, but rather among the Sodhas of 'Umarkot.

The Soda or Sodha tribe (spelt Soda by Col. Tod, and Sodá by the Rev. Mr. Renouard) is an offshoot of the Pramara, and has been for many centuries an occupant of the desert tracts of Western India, into which they have receded, like their predecessors, when driven forward by more powerful neighbours from the banks of the Indus. Col. Tod contends that they are the descendants of the Sogdi of Alexander's time, in which there is greater probability than in most of his speculations. Sogdi may be a corruption, derived from the greater familiarity of historians with the northern nation of that name. The Sodræ of Diodorus offers an equal resemblance of name and position. It is not plain which bank of the river the Sodræ or Sogdi then occupied. They are not mentioned by Q. Curtius, and Arrian's use of "right" and "left," as applied to the banks of the Indus, is so opposed to the modern practice of tracing a river from its source downwards, that it adds to the confusion.

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[p.532]: The transaction mentioned in the text shows the early period at which the Hindús began to disgrace themselves by their intermarriages with Muhammadans; and the high repute of the beauty of the Sodha women has served to maintain that practice in full vigour to the present time.

At the period treated of, we find the Sodhas in possession of 'Umarkot, of which the name and consequence have been subsequently much increased, independant of its importance as a border fortress, by being the birth place of the renowned Akbar.

The Ráná of the Sodhas was expelled from 'Umarkot by the Tálpúrs of Sind; and the present representative of the family, who still retains his title of Ráná, resides at Chor, a few miles north-east of his former capital, shorn of all power, and hard pressed for the means of subsistence.*

James Tod on Sodha tribe

James Tod writes that Bhatti Chief Chachick Deo succeeded Kuilan, in S. 1275 (A.D. 1219). Soon after his succession, he carried on war against the Channa Rajputs (now extinct), of whom he slew two thousand, capturing fourteen thousand cows, and compelling the tribe to take refuge with the Johyas. Soon after, the Rawal invaded the lands of Rana Urmsi, prince of the Sodas, who, though taken by surprise, assembled four thousand horse: but was defeated, and forced to fly for shelter to the walls of his capital, Amarkot. The Puar was glad to obtain the absence of his foe by the offer of his daughter in marriage.

In this single passage we have revealed the tribe (got) race (kula) capital, and proper name, of the prince of Dhat, The Sodha tribe, as before stated, is an important branch of the Pramara (Puar) race, and with the Umras and Sumras are dynasties to the valley of Sind from the most remote period. The Sodhas, I have already observed, were probably the Sogdi of Alexander, occupying Upper Sind when the Macedonian descended that stream. The Sumra dynasty is mentioned by Ferishta from ancient authorities, but the Mahomedan historians knew nothing, and cared nothing, about Rajput tribes. It is from such documents as these, scattered throughout the annals of these principalities, and from the ancient Hindu epic poems, that I have concentrated the "Sketches of the Rajput Tribes," introductory to the first volume, which, however slight they appear, cost more research than the rest of the book. I write this note chiefly for the information of the patriarch of oriental lore on the Continent, the learned and ingenuous De Sacy. If this Mentor ask, "Where are now the Sodas"" I reply, the ex-prince of Amarkot, with whose ancestors Humayun took refuge, — in whose capital in the desert the great Akbar was born,— and who could on the spur of the moment oppose four thousand horse to invasion has only one single town, that of Chor, left to him. The Rahtores, who in the time of Urmsi Rana and Rawal Chachick, were hardly known in Marudesh, have their flag waving on the battlements of the "immortal castle" (amarakuta) and the Amirs of Sind have incorporated the greater part of Dhat with their state of Hydrabad.

तेजाजी के नाना

तेजाजी का जन्म राजस्थान के नागौर जिले में खरनाल गाँव में माघ शुक्ला, चौदस वार गुरुार संवत ग्यारह सौ तीस, तदनुसार 29 जनवरी, 1074, को धुलिया गोत्र के जाट परिवार में हुआ था। उनके पिता चौधरी ताहरजी (थिरराज) राजस्थान के नागौर जिले के खरनाल गाँव के मुखिया थे। तेजाजी के नाना का नाम दुलन सोढी था. उनकी माता का नाम सुगना था. मनसुख रणवा ने उनकी माता का नाम रामकुंवरी लिखा है. तेजाजी का ननिहाल त्यौद गाँव (किशनगढ़) में था.

पाबूजी का जन्म संवत 1313 में जोधपुर जिले की फलौदी तहसील के कोलू ठिकाने में हुआ. इनके पिता का नाम घांघल जी राठोड़ था. वे कालू दुर्ग के दुर्गपति थे. पाबूजी का विवाह अमरकोट के सोढा राणा सूरज मल की पुत्री के साथ हुआ. विवाह के तुंरत बाद दूदा सूमरा ने अमरकोट पर हमला कर दिया. उसके सिपाही गायों को ले भागे. पाबूजी ने तुंरत सूमरा को जा घेरा और युद्ध के लिए ललकरा. घमासान युद्ध में गायें तो छुड़ाली पर पाबूजी वीर गति को प्राप्त हुए.

तेजाजी का इतिहास

संत श्री कान्हाराम ने लिखा है कि.... [पृष्ठ-84]: तेजाजी के जन्म के समय (1074 ई.) यहाँ मरुधरा में छोटे-छोटे गणराज्य आबाद थे। तेजाजी के पिता ताहड़ देव (थिरराज) खरनाल गणराज्य के गणपति थे। इसमें 24 गांवों का समूह था। तेजाजी का ससुराल पनेर भी एक गणराज्य था जिस पर झाँझर गोत्र के जाट राव रायमल मुहता का शासन था। मेहता या मुहता उनकी पदवी थी। उस समय पनेर काफी बड़ा नगर था, जो शहर पनेर नाम से विख्यात था। छोटे छोटे गणराज्यों के संघ ही प्रतिहार व चौहान के दल थे जो उस समय के पराक्रमी राजा के नेतृत्व में ये दल बने थे।

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[पृष्ठ-85]: पनैर, जाजोता व रूपनगर गांवों के बीच की भूमि में दबे शहर पनेर के अवशेष आज भी खुदाई में मिलते हैं। आस पास ही कहीं महाभारत कालीन बहबलपुर भी था। पनेर से डेढ़ किमी दूर दक्षिण पूर्व दिशा में रंगबाड़ी में लाछा गुजरी अपने पति परिवार के साथ रहती थी। लाछा के पास बड़ी संख्या में गौ धन था। समाज में लाछा की बड़ी मान्यता थी। लाछा का पति नंदू गुजर एक सीधा साधा इंसान था।

तेजाजी की सास बोदल दे पेमल का अन्यत्र पुनःविवाह करना चाहती थी, उसमें लाछा बड़ी रोड़ा थी। सतवंती पेमल अपनी माता को इस कुकर्त्य के लिए साफ मना कर चुकी थी।

खरनाल व शहर पनेर गणराजयों की तरह अन्य वंशों के अलग-अलग गणराज्य थे। तेजाजी का ननिहाल त्योद भी एक गणराज्य था। जिसके गणपति तेजाजी के नानाजी दूल्हण सोढ़ी (ज्याणी) प्रतिष्ठित थे। ये सोढ़ी पहले पांचाल प्रदेश अंतर्गत अधिपति थे। ऐतिहासिक कारणों से ये जांगल प्रदेश के त्योद में आ बसे। सोढ़ी से ही ज्याणी गोत्र निकला है।

Distribution in Rajasthan

Locations in Jaipur city

Ambabari,

Villages in Ajmer district

Tyod,

Villages in Jaipur district

Badanpura (1), Ramchandrapura (1), Ramchandrapura Phagi Tankarda,

Villages in Tonk district

Shreepura, Jaula,

Villages in Barmer district

Sodhon Ki Dhani (सोढों की ढाणी),

Distribution in Pakisthan

James Tod writes that Sodha clan is found in Sindh. The population in Pakistan comprises between 25,000 and 30,000 families. From these, around 700-800 people travel to the Indian state of Rajasthan every year in search of a spouse.

Notable persons

• Dr. B. L. Choudhary (Sodh) - Senior Resident Doctor, Date of Birth : 10-July-1973, Permanent Address : Post. Tankarda, teh. Chomu, dist. Jaipur, Present Address : 50- Anamika Aparments I.P. Extension Patparganj New Delhi, Phone:011-22441727, Mob:9350135581, Email Address : blc_speech@yahoo.com
• Dulan Sodhi - He was nana of Veer Tejaji from village Tyod.
• Sodhi Sher Singh of Haranpur , Sodhi- Jat, From Jhelum district was in the List of Punjab Chiefs of Pakistan.

References

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