Jodha's Birth
Rao Ranmal had 26 sons. Among them Jodha was second. Jodha was born out of the womb of Queen Kodmade, the sister-in-law of Rao Ranmal. Kodmade was the daughter of Kelhan Bhati, the lord of Vikumpur and Pungal. Todd has written that Jodha was born in Dhanla village. Gauri Shankar Hirachand Ojha has described Jodha as the eldest son of Ranmal but Vishweshwar Nath Reu has described Jodha as the second son of Ranmal. Ojha has accepted Jodha's date of birth as 1 April 1416 while according to Reu Jodha was born on 29 March 1415. Todd has written the birth of Jodha in Samvat 1484 i.e. 1427 AD, but this date cannot be considered correct. Only the date given by Reu should be considered correct.
with father
In 1427 AD, when Ranmal snatched Mandore from power, although Jodha was only 12 years old at that time, he went to the battlefield with his father. In 1433 AD, when Rao Ranmal went to Mewar to avenge the murder of Maharana Mokal, Jodha also accompanied his father. In 1438 AD, when a deadly clock was created against Ranmal in the Mewar royal family, Jodha was still with his father in the fort of Chittor. When Ranmal came to know about the conspiracy going on against him in Mewar, Ranmal alerted Jodha and asked him to leave the fort. Jodha, on the pretext of grazing his horses, went to the foothills of Chittorgarh fort with his companions.
Jodha's escape from Chittor
When Rao Ranmal was killed, a Dom climbed the wall of the fort and sang this couplet with a loud voice-
Chunda Ajmal Aavia, Mandu Hoon Dhak Aag.
Jodha Ranmal Maria, run away if you can.
According to some legends, this couplet was played in the tone of the shehnai. On hearing Dom's words, Jodha and his companions present in the foothills knew that Rao Ranmal had been killed and now they too are going to face a crisis of life. So Jodha along with his 700 companions started towards Marwar. Jodha's uncle Bhim Chundawat was unconscious at that time under the influence of alcohol, so he was left there.
Chunda's vengeance
Kumbha's Tau Chunda Sisodia was the eldest son of Maharana Lakha and was the official of the state after Maharana Lakha. It is also known as Chunda Lakhani. For the relation of Hansabai, the princess of Marwar, the coconut had come only for chunda, but Maharana Lakha ridiculed that now who will send coconut for the old people! Chunda heard these words and told his father that I would not marry Hansabai. On this, the Marwar people related Hansabai with the elderly Maharana Lakha on the condition that if a son would be born from Hansabai's womb, then he would be the successor of Mewar. Chunda accepted this condition and thus he was deprived of the right of state. When Lakha died and Mokal, born from Hansabai's womb, became Maharana, Hansabai forced Chunda to leave Mewar and called her brother Ranmal to her aid. For Chunda it was undoubtedly very insulting. Nevertheless, following the promise given to his father, Chunda along with his brothers and companions went to the Sultan of Mandu. After the departure of Chunda from Mewar, Ranmal not only expelled many Sisodis from the Mewar kingdom but also put to death many big chieftains. Not only this, Chunda's brother Raghavdev, whom Chunda had left in Chittor to protect the kingdom, was also summoned by Ranmal to the filled court and killed in front of Maharana Kumbha's eyes. Thus, Chunda had suffered and humiliated throughout his life because of the Rathores of Marwar. Therefore, the fire of vengeance was burning in Chunda's heart, which could not be extinguished even by the torrent of Ranmal's blood. How could Chunda sit in peace without completely destroying such strong enemies! So Chunda took his army and followed Jodha.
Conflict between Rathores and Sisodis
Jodha was running towards the desert with his seven hundred soldiers. Taking a formidable form, Chunda followed him. Jodha's power was nothing in front of the army of Mewar. Jodha had no other option but to keep running patiently towards Mandore. Reaching near the village of Chitrodi, the army of Chunda surrounded the team of Rathores. Due to the sudden attack of the enemy, a scuffle started on both the sides. The swords went on between the two parties till the light of the sun was gone. When the night got dark, the Rathores again took their way to Marwar. Chunda also followed him. Chunda once again surrounded Jodha near Kapasan. At this place there was a fight between both the sides in which many men from both the sides came in handy. In this battle, Jodha's brother Pata Rankhet remained and Jodha's cousin Varjang, who was the son of Bhima Chundawat, was injured in the hands of the people of Mewar. Jodha also managed to escape from here. After this there were fights at many other places but Jodha and Chunda did not get it. By the time the team of Rathores reached near Someshwar's Naal, 600 Rathod soldiers were already in use. The army of Mewar was still behind them. The Rathores put up a front in the narrow valley and sent Jodha along with seven soldiers towards Mandore. The warriors of Mewar were killed in large numbers in the battle in the canal of Someshwar and the entire group of Rathores was destroyed. When Jodha was in Mandal, 6 miles away from Desuri, then Jodha's brother Kandhal also joined him. It is known from the description given in various accounts that in the end Jodha was successful in reaching Marwar with only seven horsemen.
Kumbha's right over Mandore State
Chunda entered Marwar and occupied Mandore. The entire army of Rathores was destroyed and there was no one to stop Chunda. Seeing the Mandor got out of hand, Jodha entered the Jangal region and stayed at Kahuni (Kavani) village. Chunda did not go to this thick desert. He himself returned to Chittor by handing over the management of the temple to his sons Kuntal, Manja, Suva and Jhala, Vikramaditya and Hingulu Ahara etc. Chunda established Mewar police stations around Mandore so that Jodha could not enter Mandore.
Ranmal's Shradh Karma
When Chunda reached Janglu region, he performed Shradh of his father near Kodmedesar pond. This pond was established by Rani Kodmade, the mother of Jodha. Queen Kodmade lived near this pond. On this occasion, Queen Kodmade became sati.
Raghavdev's appointment in Sojat
When Mandore became the possession of Rawat Chunda Sisodia, he sent a message to Maharana Kumbha that he should send more troops from Mewar and merge Sojat into the Mewar kingdom forever. On this, Maharana sent Raghavdev, grandson of late Rao Chunda Rathod of Marwar, to Sojat Jagir, to take over Sojat. Raghavdev was the son of late Chunda Rathod's son Sahasmal. He was also lured that if he manages the Sojat well, then Mandor will also be given in his possession. Raghavdev not only captured Sojat but also took Bagdi, Kaprada, Chaukri and Kosana under his control and established his posts there.
Narbad's attack on Jodha
Ranmal had snatched Mandor from his brother Satta, then Narbad, Satta's son, came to fight Ranmal but was defeated and fled. Narbad was still alive and was in the service of Maharana Kumbha. After taking possession of Mandore, Maharana gave him the jagir of Kaylana. Narbad took the help of the Mewarwalas and campaigned against the Jodhas living in Kahuni. When Jodha came to know that Narbad was bringing the army of Mewar, Jodha entered into an even worse desert. Narbad returned disappointed. Jodha also came out of the deep desert and came to Kahuni.
start of the struggle for statehood
Maharana Kumbha became the most powerful and majestic ruler among the rulers of Mewar. He not only made the Mewar kingdom secure but also expanded its boundaries in the north and east directions of his kingdom. Kumbha defeated the mighty Malwa and Gujarat sultans of his time. He punished the Muslims of Nagaur. It was no joke to compete with him, but only a strong enemy like Kumbha was written in Jodha's fate. Jodha started gathering the army of Rathores in Kahuni village and again tried to get Mandore.
Varjang's Return
In the battle of Kapasan, Jodha's uncle Bhima's son Varjang was wounded and taken prisoner by the Mewari army. After some time he was successful in getting free from the clutches of Mewari army and went to Chauhan Chachigdev of Gagraun. Chachigdev married his daughter to Varjang and gave Varjang a lot of money. Varjang came to Jodha with this money. This money helped Jodha a lot in preparing the army.
Failure of Mandore missions
Jodha attacked Mandore many times but he did not get success. Year after year began to pass while fighting with Kumbha. Jodha lacked the resources. So his horses started dying and he was not in a position to buy new horses. Jodha's soldiers also started decreasing day by day. In such a situation, any prince would have been disappointed and left the hope of the kingdom, but Jodha was not one of those who gave up. He would repeatedly attack Mandor by gathering power and running away after being defeated. The news of Jodha's defeat spread far and wide in Marwar.
Tale of Hot Ghat
It has been described in the legends that one day Jodha, fleeing from the front of Mandore, stayed in the house of a Jat in a village. The Jat woman filled the plate with hot ghat (moth and millet khichdi) and gave it to Jodha to eat. Jodha was troubled by hunger at that time. He immediately put his hand in the middle of the plate, due to which the hand got burnt. Seeing this, the woman said- 'You look like Jodha' with no intellect.' On this she asked- 'Bai, how is Jodha innocent?' The woman replied- 'Jodha does not claim rights on the shores of the land. And immediately sits on the temple. Because of this he has to run away after getting his horse and Rajput killed. That's why I call him foolish. You are also like that, because you do not eat from the shore and immediately lays hands on the hot ghat in the middle.' Hearing this, Jodha decided to take possession of the land on the edge of the kingdom of Marwar, abandoning the idea of taking the temple. (This story seems to be more a product of the mind of the famous because how a state is controlled, a hardworking and enterprising person like Jodha would know very well.)