________________
NRTYARATNAKOS'A
[19
sons for the kingdom of Marwar. Eventually Ran Mal who was provided with a large army by his nephew Maharana Mokal succeed. ed in recovering his rightful inheritance and reigned at Mandor (p. 25). But on hearing of the assassination of his nephew and benefactor he, as we have noted, went to Chitor to lead Kumbha's men to take vengence on the murderers of Rāṇā Mokal.
After his success, he preferred to stay in Chitor to living in the the arid desert of Marwar. Takinga dvantage of his position he surrounded himself and the young Maharānā Kumbha with Rathods. In course of time his influence at the court created jealousy amongst other nobles of Mewar, particularly Kumbha's uncle Raghavadeva, who was his hated rival. Ran Mal managed to get Raghvadeva murdered by a ruse. This created a great undercurrent of indignation against the Rathods (pp. 40-41). But Ran Mal's brilliant victory over the Sultan of Malwa increased his influence and power in Mewar. It, however, raised apprehensions in the minds of Sisodia nobles and Sardars of Kumbha. Kumbha was warned against Ran Mal's iufluence and power with his Rathods everywhere. This might result, he was told, in the usurpation of the throne of Mewar by Rathods. Kumbha, however, was too sure of the loyalty of Ran Mal to suspect him. But in course of time he also became suspicious and he welcomed the return of his old uncle Chonda- the elder brother of Raghavadevato Chitor from Malwa.
But on
This Chonda who was the eldest son of Mahārānā Lākhā and therefore the rightful heir to the throne of Mewar had given Ran Mal a promise to give up his right to the throne in favour of the son that may be born to his sister Hamsabai at the time of her marriage with Mahārāṇā - Lakha, a promise which he loyally fulfilled (p. 19). When Hamsabai's son Mokal ascended the throne Chonda was at the head of affairs in Mewar. account of zenana and court intrigues instigated by Ran Mal, he left Chitor with his brother Ajja and others for Mandu, making his other brother Raghavadeva responsible for the care of the young Rāņā Mokal (pp. 23-24). The Sultan of Malwa gave him the district of Hallar as a Jagir, but when he asked Chonda to lead his army against his nephew Kumbha, Chonda refused. (p. 5o)
This was the man who had returned to Chitor to guard his nephew against Ran Mal and his Rathods. The old Rao of Mandor saw danger, but was too brave a man to yield or escape. He, however, sent away his sons Jodha (who later founded Jodhpur), Kandhal and others from Chitor, asked them to live in the 'taleti', be on their guard and not to come in the fort of Chitor even when he himself called them (p. 63). But the Sisodia nobles of Mewar were determined to remove him and Ran Mal was killed by a ruse just as he
