ne of the principal cities of the Thar desert and Kutch region, the city of Bhodesar was once an important stopover on the road to Ahmedabad, Mustafabad and Junagadh. The pond in this once bustling city is still filled with water, but the mosque, the Jain temples and other notable places are deteriorating fast.

From Bhodesar Nagri to Bhodesar, the city witnessed a gradual transformation from once being the centre of trade to being completely deserted before finally evolving into a place of recreation, welcoming historians and history lovers. The ruins and what remains of the architecture provide clues to the lives of the city’s inhabitants, their living standards and their religious pluralism. Bhodesar is seen as a place of rich Jain heritage. The Muslim history of the place, associated with Sultanate of Gujarat, is less pronounced. During the British colonial period there were two houses of Sodha Rajputs who were allies of the British and enjoyed many privileges. It is sometimes claimed that the Jains left Bhodesar after the Partition. Oral histories of the region indicate however that the migration occurred before Partition.

According to Naukoti Mawar’s Doha, Haansi made Pari Nagar his government’s capital. His second brother was named Bhodo. The latter later founded Bhodesar. There were around three thousand homes of Jain baniyas (moneylenders and merchants) and other Rajputs in Bhodesar. Rana Bhodo or Bhodi constructed a huge pond in the city, the floor of which was lined with copper. A watering hole on the edge of the pond catered to more than one thousand bulls and buffalos. But during Saavan water levels used to go down. Rana Bhodo tried every way to keep the water level intact. He also consulted some astrologers/soothsayers who suggested that if Bhodo sacrificed one of his beloved belongings his wish about the water pond may be granted.

The folk tale of Hothal Pari is also associated with Bhodesar. It says that when the sea dried up in Parker there was massive destruction and the place was deserted only to be later occupied by Hothal Pari and its companions. These fairies dug up the Bhodesar Talaoo (pond) which was wide and large. There was a peepal tree beside the pond.

Mangha Ram Ojha‘s Purano Parakar, translated into Urdu by Sindhi Adabi Board with the title Purana Parkar (Old Parkar) has some stories about the city. Though Ojha’s work lacks scholarship and cannot be called a great work of history writing, it has valuable information on the Nangarparker till the 1950s. The prose is poetic. About Bhodesar city Ojha writes, “When Mahmud of Ghazni was returning from Somnath after his conquest in 1026 CE. he was informed about a battle between Raja Bheem Dev of Patna and Raja Vasar Dev of Ajmer. He then decided to cross the Thar desert to see the battleground. While crossing Kutch he lost his way and faced immense thirst reslting in a near death experience. It was Bhodesar’s Talaoo (pond) that finally provided the water that quenched his thirst. For a short time Mahmud of Ghazni was camped near the Talaoo (pond). He later erected a monumental tower near Bhodesar pond next to which the Mahmud Baig Mosque was later built. When Mahmud Shah Begada of the Gujarat Sultanate invaded Parkar in 1504 CE, the local Baloch tribesmen resisted with a force of 24,000 men. However, they were brought to their knees by Sultan Begada’s artillery. Sultan Begada arrested many Baloch tribesmen and returned to Ahmedabad. However, Sultan Begada’s action failed to stop the plunder by dacoits in Thar.”

From Bhodesar Nagri to Bhodesar, the city witnessed a gradual transformation from once being a centre of trade to being completely deserted before finally evolving into a place of recreation, welcoming historians and history lovers.

Syed Ali Raees who crossed Parker in 1556 CE writes in his book, Mirat ul Mamalik, that upon reaching Nagarparkar after a ten day journey their group was asked for a toll collected by the Rajputs. After that they demanded more cash before allowing them to pass their area. This shows that during those times both Sodha Rajputs and Khosa Baloch were collecting toll in the area.

During later times Bhodesar was an important stopover on the main road to Mustafa Abad and Ahmedabad in Gujarat. One day the mother of Sultan Mahmud Begada stayed near Bhodesar. Sodha Rajputs first collected their toll and later robbed her of all her money. It is believed that she had a Paras jewel in her possession and that the Sodhas snatched it from her. When Sultan Begada’s mother reached Ahmedabad, the capital of the Sultanate of Gujarat, she told her son about it. The Sultan then marched to Bhodesar. A heavy battle was fought between the Sultan’s army and the Sodha Rajputs of Nangarparker. Many men of Sultan Begada’s army were killed. The Sultan later constructed a mosque near the graveyard of his soldiers which is a finest example of Gujarati architecture. There is a Persian epitaph inside the mosque which reads: “Mahmud Shah Bin Muzaffar Shah Bin Ghias ud Din in 1505 CE constructed this mosque in 1562 Samvat year. If the condition of the mosque deteriorates, it is the duty of the ruler of the time to renovate and repair it.”

The tomb of Sultan Begada in Ahmedabad and the Bhodesar mosque have a striking resemblance. It seems that both were constructed by the same artisans and using similar materials. A vast area of Bhodesar city is dotted with Jain temples; the main Jain teerath of Pooni Dahora’s temple makes its magical appearance in the foothills of Karoonjhar. Karoonjhar is the lifeline of Thar, home for its wildlife and natives who for centuries have depended on it for their living.

Pooni Dahora’s Bhodesar Jain temple was built in the classical style of Jain architecture by joining large stone slabs without any mortar. It has beautifully carved huge stone columns and other structural elements. The architectural remains are in a poor shape and near collapse. These are the oldest and the most attractive heritage site in Bhodesar. The teerath was built in the 9th Century by a Jain woman, Pooni Dahora.

Pooni Dahora’s temple is tied up with iron wire for the safety of visitors and to protect this jewel of Bhodesar against deterioration. Centuries-old hand carved stones are scattered all over the ground and can be easily lost as there is no security post in the area.

The fine buildings are what remains of the Jains of Nangarparker – a community that once thrived in Bhodesar.

The writer tweets @Ammad_Alee