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{{for|the Sodha clan of Rajputs|Sodha}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox country
| native_name =
| conventional_long_name = Sodhas of Amarkot
| common_name = Sodhas of Amarkot
| year_start = 12th Century C.E
| year_end = c.1947
| date_start =
| date_end =
| event_start =
| event_end =

| today = [[Pakistan]]
}}
The '''Sodhas of Amarkot''' were a [[Rajput]]<ref name=g>{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Rajvi Amar |title=Mediaeval History of Rajasthan: Western Rajasthan |date=1992 |publisher=Rajvi Amar Singh |pages=202 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AZIMAQAAMAAJ&q=suratgarh+sodha |access-date=30 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref> dynasty who ruled [[Umerkot|Amarkot]], which is now located in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The Sodha Rajput clan are a branch of the Parmar clan of Rajputs, as they are an off-shoot of [[Paramara dynasty|Parmara Rajputs]], who once controlled regions of [[Malwa]] and later North-West parts of [[Rajasthan]]. The kingdom was known for giving refuge to Mughal emperor [[Humayun]], after fleeing from the forces of [[Sher Shah Suri]], hence [[Akbar]] was born in the kingdom of Amarkot.

==History==
The area around [[Suratgarh]] was called 'Sodhawati' and south-east of [[Bhatner]] was once occupied by the Sodha Rajputs before being evicted from these regions by [[Bhati Rajputs]], after which they moved their base to [[Thar desert]].<ref name=g/><ref>{{cite book |title=Rajasthan [district Gazetteers].: Ganganagar |date=1972 |publisher=Printed at Government Central Press |pages=35 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H7YbAAAAIAAJ&q=suratgarh+sodha |access-date=30 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref> [[File:Umarkot Fort view3.JPG|Amarkot Fort of Sodha Rajputs|right|thumb]]A branch of [[Paramara dynasty|Parmaras]] left [[Mount Abu|Abu]] and settled in Radhanpur led by Bahar Parmar. His descendent Sodhoji became the founder of Sodha clan of Rajputs and captured Ratokot in 1125 AD. With base at Ratokot, they consolidated neighbouring villages under their influence.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Kalhoro |first=Zulfiqar Ali |title=VANISHING VISUAL HERITAGE: SATI AND HERO STONES IN NAGARPARKAR, SINDH ZULFIQAR ALI KALHORO Introduction |url=https://www.academia.edu/4803305}}</ref> Further, Sodhoji's ambitious descendent Rana Raj Dev began plotting for the [[Umarkot Fort|Amarkot fort]] held by the [[Soomra dynasty|Soomras]]. For this purpose, he sent his trusted [[Charan]] allies Junfahji and Budhimanji to Amarkot to prepare the ground for the invasion, where they lived for some time before returning to Ratokot.<ref name=":0" /> After deliberations with both the Charanas, Rana Raj Dev launched his [[invasion]] of Amarkot ([[Umerkot|Umarkot]]) in 1226 AD. In the ensueing battle between the armies of Khenhro Soomro and Rana Raj Dev, Sodhas were victorious while [[Soomra dynasty|Soomras]] had to retreat. Thus, Rana Raj Dev established Sodha rule over Amarkot and is considered the real founder of the Sodha dynasty.<ref name=":0" /> Thereafter, with Umarkot under control, the Sodhas began expansion of their kingdom and soon captured parts of [[Mithi]], [[Chelhar]], [[Chachro Tehsil|Chacharo]], and extended their sway up to [[Nagarparkar Tehsil|Nagarparkar]]. Four generations later, Rana Darabursh divided his state between his two sons and gave Amarkot and adjoining areas to his elder son Darjanshal and Nagarparkar to the younger son, Aasrai.<ref name=":0" />
[[File:Govardhan. Akbar With Lion and Calf ca. 1630, Metmuseum (cropped).jpg|thumb|170px| [[Akbar]], the third Mughal Emperor was born in Amarkot.]]

===Mughal Significance===
The city of Amarkot held prominence during the [[Mughal Empire]] Jalaluddin Mohammed Akbar and the [[British Raj]]. Mughal Emperor [[Akbar]] was born in Amarkot 14 October 1542 when his father [[Humayun]] fled from the military defeat at the hands of [[Sher Shah Suri]].<ref>[http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00litlinks/gulbadan/part10.html Part 10:..the birth of Akbar] ''[[Humayun]] nama'' by [[Gulbadan Begum]].</ref> [[Rana Parshad Sodha|Rana Parshad]], the Sodha Rajput ruler of Amarkot, gave him refuge.<ref>[http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00litlinks/gulbadan/part10.html Part 10:..the birth of Akbar] ''[[Humayun-nama]]'' by [[Gulbadan Begum]].</ref> Rana Prasad Rao of Amarkot duly welcomed Humayun into his home and sheltered the refugees for several months. Here, in the household of a Hindu [[Rajput]] nobleman, Humayun's wife Hamida Bano, daughter of a Sindhi family, gave birth to the future Emperor [[Akbar]] on 15 October 1542. The date of birth is well established because Humayun consulted his astronomer to utilise the [[astrolabe]] and check the location of the planets. The infant was the long-awaited heir-apparent to the 34-year-old Humayun and the answer of many prayers. Shortly after the birth, Humayun and his party left Amarkot for Sindh, leaving Akbar behind, who was not ready for the grueling journey ahead in his infancy.

===Annexation by Marwar and British rule===
The Anarkot Kingdom ruled by Sodha Rajputs was annexed by [[Jodhpur State]] in the 18th century, which caused the decay of power as the Sodha rulers became vassals. The Amarkot area and its fort was later handed to the British in 1847 by the Maharaja of Jodhpur in return for reducing the tribute imposed on [[Jodhpur State]] by Rs.10,000. and the territory came under direct rule of British India, and the Ranas were reduced to category of [[Jagirdar]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 14, page 186 – Imperial Gazetteer of India – Digital South Asia Library |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V14_192.gif}}</ref>

===End of Reign===
The Sodha rule came to an end in 1947 [[Partition of British India]], after the Amarkot king Rana Arjun Singh contested for the [[All-India Muslim League]] platform, and decided to join the new nation of Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=हिंदी खबर, Latest News in Hindi, हिंदी समाचार, ताजा खबर|url=https://www.patrika.com/miscellenous-india/life-of-rajpoot-family-in-pakistan-1407405/|access-date=2020-08-20|website=Patrika News|language=hindi}}</ref>

===Descendants===
[[File:Rana Hammir Singh.png|thumb|140px| [[Rana Hamir Singh]], the 26th Rana and a prominent Pakistani politician.]]
[[Rana Chandra Singh]], a federal minister and the chieftain of the [[Hindu]] Sodha Rajput clan and the [[Amarkot Jagir]], was one of the founder members of [[Pakistan Peoples Party]] (PPP) and was elected to the [[National Assembly of Pakistan]] from Umarkot, seven times with PPP between 1977 and 1999, when he founded the Pakistan Hindu Party (PHP).<ref>{{cite web|title=Hindu Leader, Ex-minister Chardar Singh is Dead|url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data/international/2009/August/international_August122.xml&section=international&col=|date=3 August 2009|work=[[Khaleej Times]]|access-date=3 August 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608211713/http://www.khaleejtimes.com/displayarticle.asp?xfile=data%2Finternational%2F2009%2FAugust%2Finternational_August122.xml&section=international&col=|archive-date=8 June 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Chandra Singh's son [[Rana Hamir Singh]] is the 26th [[Rana (title)|Rana]] of [[Tharparkar]], [[Amarkot]] and [[Mithi]].<ref name=hamir1>[https://www.dawn.com/news/1157340 Footprints: Once upon a time in Umerkot], [[Dawn (newspaper)]], 16 January 2015.</ref><ref name=hamir2>[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/Pakistans-Umerkot-gets-a-new-Hindu-ruler/article16042843.ece Pakistan's Umerkot gets a new Hindu ruler], [[The Hindu]], 30 May 2010.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Economics |first1=Pakistan Institute of Development |title=Land Reforms in Pakistan: A Historical Perspective |year=1987 |publisher=Pakistan Institute of Development Economics |pages=200 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VCksAAAAIAAJ&q=sodha+rajput |access-date=30 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Dynasties of the Rajputs]]
[[Category:History of Sindh]]
[[Category:Hinduism in Sindh]]

Sodhas of Amarkot - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Add new article