Memorial Stones of Mithi - I

Like other talukas in the Tharparkar district, the landscape of Mithi is also dotted with memorial stones of various lineages of Rajputs. However, the majority of memorial stones belong to the Sodha Rajputs. These memorial stones are located in the villages Baparbo, Malhanhor Vena, Mehro-Ji-Dhani Veri Dhandhal, Hothiyar, Kerti, Pabuhar and many others.

Baparbo village is situated about 4 km east of Mithi town. It is inhabited by the Nangar Sodhas. Like other lineages of Sodhas, the Nangars also played a very important role in the socio-political history of Tharparkar during the reigns of the Sodhas, Kalhoras (1700-1783) and Talpurs (1783-1843). They also played a significant role during the British period (1843-1947), when some of the eminent Nangar chiefs were awarded jagirs. There is a hero-stone in the village which lies west of the village on a dune. The hero-stone belongs to Veersal Nangar Sodho, who died fighting the Jareja Rajputs when the latter invaded Nanger village during the British period (1843-1947). The brother of Veersal, Udhal also became jhujhar (headless hero) who died fighting cattle thieves at the Nina Nangar village in Diplo taluka. The hero-stone of Udhal Singh Nangar Sodho is located in Nina Nangar village.

The hero-stone of Veersal is locally called loharti, meaning engraved stone tablet. In fact, the literal meaning of the term is “stone slab engraved with a hammer.” The hero-stone of Veersal Nangar Sodho depicts a rider holding a sword in one hand and a spear in the other. There is also an inscription on the hero-stone. The sides of this hero-stone are decorated with floral designs. This is a peculiarity of this hero-stone which is not found on the other hero-stones in Mithi taluka. Similar floral designs can also be seen on some stone-carved graves of the Manikani Talpurs in Pir Aman Shah graveyard in Tando Muhammad Khan District. This shows that the hero-stone of Veersal Sodho was contemporary to Talpur graves of the Pir Aman Shah graveyard which are also believed to have been erected during the British period.

An annual fair (Mela) is held at the memorial stone of Veersal Sodho. The descendants of Veersal Sodho have recently erected a brick-built canopy (devri) near his hero-stone. One can have a panoramic view of Baparbo village from the devri of Veersal Sodho.

Like other Rajput castes, Bhatis also played a very important role in the socio-political history of Tharparkar. When their villages were attacked by rival groups, the heroes of Bhati defended them and killed the enemy. Sometimes, they were also killed in defending their cattle. When they died defending the villages and cattle, Bhati women, on hearing upon the death of their husbands, vowed to cremate themselves with their husbands. A few women also became sati with their sons and were called satimata. The practice of sati was deeply entrenched in the Rajput culture of the Thar desert – such that even when someone died a natural death, these Bhati folk heroines immolated themselves with their male members of the family. There are a few incidents in which Bhati women became sati with their sons when they died due to snakebites. One such sati was Saama – who immolated herself with her son when he was bitten by a snake and died on the spot. Saama Sati was married into a Varan family of Godiyar village in Mithi.

Today, there is a place 3 km southeast of Hothiyar village which is named after her. It is believed that she cremated herself at this place. This place, locally called “Satiyan” (place of satis) also contains memorial stones of Bhati and Varan Rajputs. It is believed that a few Bhati and Varan heroes died in defending their cattle. They were commemorated by memorial stones at “Satiyan.” There are six memorial stones there of which two are undecorated and uninscribed. The rest are inscribed hero-stones depicting riders on horses holding guns and shields in their hands.

It was a tradition amongst the Rajputs that they did not let the wedding procession of their opponents cross first. If they faced each other, their elders used to hold talks. If the talks failed, a fight always ensued – killing many people on the spot. The grooms always fought a duel

Apart from Hothiyar village, there are a few hero stones at Mehro Ji Dhani. About 1 km northeast of Mehro-Ji-Dhani is located Mahiyar village. There are three broken memorial stones of Sodha Rajputs at this village. These broken memorial stones are objects of veneration for members of the Hindu community. Both lower and upper parts of the memorial stones are lying on the ground. The upper parts of all three memorial stones bear reliefs of riders. On these stones, riders are shown holding the shield in one hand and swords in the other. One of the distinctive features of the relief is the cusped arch under which images of the deceased have been carved. As compared to other hero-stones in Mithi, this is a unique decoration found on the upper section of the relief. The topmost of all hero-stones are decorated with kalasa. The corners of all the hero-stones are also decorated.

The local Hindu community visit these memorial stones on some occasions. A daily dhup (lighting a lamp) is performed at the hero-stones of Sodhas. Apart from these hero-stones, there is another worship place of the Hindus. This is a Marhi of Ram Puri and Bhim Puri, who belonged to the Puri renunciatory order.

Besides Mehro Ji Dhani village, there are two memorial stones at Veri Dhandhal which are located I km south of the village. Veri Dhandhal is located about 16 km south of Mithi town. Two tribes Dhandhal and Bhil live in the village. Dhandhals are Rathore Rajputs. There are many villages of Dhandhal Rathores in Nagarparkar and Mithi Talukas.

These memorial stones belong to two individuals, the rival warriors Wagh Rathore and Surajmal Sodho. According to local traditions, both died fighting a duel. It occurred during the British period, when two wedding processions were passing by Veri Dhandhal. One belonged to Surjmal Sodho and the other to Wagh Rathore. It was a tradition amongst the Rajputs that they did not let the wedding procession of their opponents cross first. If they faced each other, their elders used to hold talks. If the talks failed, a fight always ensued – killing many people on the spot. The grooms always fought a duel. There are many villages in Tharparkar where one finds the memorial stones of those who were killed during a fight between two wedding parties.

The hero-stones were erected on the spot where both grooms died fighting each other. Both heroes are shown riding on caparisoned horses. The upper part of the hero-stones bear horsemen and the lower part has inscriptions. Both heroes are shown holding swords and shields. They are also shown wearing turbans. The corners of the hero stone of Surajmal Sodho are decorated whereas the sides of Wagh Rathore’s memorial stone are plain. The top of both the hero-stones is decorated with the shiva linga.

The author is an anthropologist. He tweets at: @Kalhorozulfiqar. All photos by the author