Manakrao

Manakrao or Manakrai or Manika Rae or Manika Ray was lord of Ajmer and Sambhar in the year S. 741, or AD. 685.

Foundation of Ajmer

James Tod (Annals of Haravati) writes that a Chohan scion from Macaouti, named Ajipal, established himself at Ajmer and erected its castle of Taragarh. Pirthi Pahar was brought from Macaouti to Ajmer. He had twenty-four sons, whose progeny peopled these regions, one of whose descendants, Manika Rae, was lord of Ajmer and Sambhar, in the year S. 741, or AD. 685.

With the name of Manik Rae, the history of the Chohan emerges obscurity.

It was at this era (A.D. 685) that Rajasthan was first visited by the arms of Islam, being the sixty-third year of the Hejira. Manika Rae, then prince of Ajmer, was slain by the Asuras and his only child, named Lot, then an infant of seven years of age, was killed by an arrow while playing on the battlements (kangras).

The invasion is said to have been from Sind, in revenge for the ill-treatment of an Islamite missionary, named Roshan Ali, though the complexion of the event is more like an enterprize prompted by religious enthusiasm. The missionary being condemned to lose his thumb, " the disjointed member, flew to Mecca," and gave evidence against the Rajpoots idolater; when a force was prepared, disguised as a caravan of horse-merchants, which surprised and slew Doola Rae and his son and obtained possession of Gurh-beetli, the citadel.

Puerile as is the transaction, its truth is substantiated by the fact that the Caliph Omar at this very time sent an army to Sind, whose commander, Abul Ais, was slain in an attempt on the ancient capital Alore. Still nothing but the enthusiasm of religious frenzy could have induced a band to cross the desert in order to punish this insult to the new faith.

Whatever were the means, however, by which Ajmer was captured and Doola Rae slain, the importance of the event has been deeply imprinted on the Chohans ; who, in remembrance of it, deified the youthful heir of Ajmer : "Lot putra" is still the most conspicuous of the Chohan penates. The day on which he was killed is sanctified and his effigy then receives divine honours from all who have the name of Chohan. Even the anklet of bells which he wore has become an object of veneration, and is forbidden to be used by the children of this race.

" Of the house of Doola Rae of Chohan race, Lot-Deo, the heir apparent, by the decree of Siva, on Monday the 12th of the month of Jeyt, went to heaven."

Manika Rae, the uncle of the youth (putra), (who is still the object of general homage, especially of the Chohan fairs, upon the occupation of Ajmer, retired upon Sambhur, which event another couplet fixes, as we have said, in S. 741.^* Here the bard has recourse to celestial interposition in order to support Manika Rae in big adversity. The goddess Sacambhari appears to him, while seeking shelter from the pursuit of this merciless foe, and bids him establish himself in the spot where she manifested herself, guaranteeing to him the possession of all the ground he could encompass with, his horse on that day ; but commanded him not to look back until he

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* Samvat, stsoh ektalees

Malut bali bes

Sambhur aya tuti surr-us

Manik Rae, Nur-es

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[p.411]: had returned to the spot where he left her. He commenced the circuit, with what he deemed his steed could accomplish, but forgetting the injunction, he was surprised to see the whole space covered as with a sheet. This was the desiccated sirr, or salt-lake, which he named after his patroness Sacambhari, whose statue still exists on a small island in the lake, now corrupted to Sambhur.^*

However jejune these legends of the first days of Chohan power, they suffice to mark with exactness their locality ; and the importance attached to this settlement is manifested in the title of " Sambhri Rao," maintained by Pirthi Raj, the descendant of Manika Rae, even when emperor of all northern India.