Mochi Wara, a locality in Udaipur where cobblers live, between Bara Bazaar and Bharnhuja Ghati.

Mod Singh. There were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Bambora (Choondawat); Jarkhana (Sisodia), and Nimbahera (Mertia Rathore).

Modern Village, Chittorgarh; a small settlement of about five hundred houses (population of about sixteen hundred inhabitants) in the northwestern area of the fort; it has a boy's middle school, a primary school for girls, and an Ayurvedic dispensary.

Mohammad Ghori (Ghuri): see MOHAMMED OF GHUR.

Mohammed ibn Kasim, an Islamic conqueror of the Sind (AD 712).

Mohammed of Ghur (Muiz-ud-Din Mohammed Ibn Sam), also known as Mohammed Ghori (Ghuri) and Shihab-ud-Din Mohammed Ghuri; a Turk (Muslim) from the city of Ghur (modern Afghanistan). In 1162, he conquered Ghazni, which his tribe had substantially disabled ten years earlier. Far more sophisticated in the tactics of government and modern warfare, these new Afghans now focussed their attention on the Islamic conquest of India. After the second battle of Tarain (see TARAIN, BATTLES OF), Mohammed Ghuri went off to conquer other Indian centres, leaving his commander, a former slave named Qutub-ud-Din AIBAK, as his viceroy in Delhi. Mohammad was assassinated in 1206 and Aibak established the first Delhi Sultanate, the Slave Dynasty, ushering four centuries of Muslim rule in India.

Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur: see SUKHADIA, MOHAN LAL.

Mohan Mandir, Udaipur; a simple structure with the appearance of a temple (but without any image of a god or goddess); on a small island in northern reach of Pichola Lake, opposite the Gangaur Ghat. It was built by Maharana JAGAT SINGH I (1628-1652) in memory of one of his unofficial sons, Moohandas. Today it is owned by the Government of Rajasthan, and is used for fireworks displays during the Gangaur (Mewar) Festival.

Mohan Singh. There were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Kareda (Choondawat); Lasani (Choondawat); Muroli (Bhati), and Peeladhar (Sisodia).

Mohi, a village near Haldighati; part of the Mughals' strategic front line of checkpoints, stretching across Rajputana. After the famous Battle of Haldighati, Maharana PRATAP SINGH I recaptured it temporarily. Later, Prince Salim (later known as Jahangir) recaptured it, along with many other places such as Chittor, Untala, Madaria, Mandal, Mandagarh, Jazpur, and Mandsor in Malwa (now Madhya Pradesh). Much later, Mohi became a thikana of the Bhati clan from Jaisalmer, granted by Maharana RAJ SINGH I (1653-1680).

Mohkam Singh of Gurlan, son of Nath Singh of Mangrop (and great-grandson of Maharana Pratap Singh I). Mohkam's father gave him the village of Gurlan as a jagir.

Mohur Magri (Chittori Hill), Chittor. The famous Mohur Magri is a partially-man-made hill just below the southern wall of the fort, about 5 m. from the Chittori Burj bastion. It is said that Emperor Akbar raised with soil and rocks to the fort's height to give his cannons enough height to fire directly into the otherwise impregnable fortress. He paid every labourer in his army one mohur (a gold coin, gold souvenir) for every basket of soil-hence Mohur Magri. (There is no historical evidence of this story, but there is reference to Akbar having made lavish payments to the labour engaged in the digging of tunnels to the fort.)

Moie (Bhati), a town 75 km. from Udaipur. Maharana Jai Singh (1680-1698) married the Princess of Jaisalmer, daughter of Manohardas. Through this relationship, Manohardas's great-grandson, Sabal Singh's son, Maha Singh came to Mewar and was granted the jagir of Moie.

Genealogy: Maha Singh; Junjhar Singh; Surtan Singh; Prithvi Singh; Ajit Singh; Inder Singh; Pratap Singh; Bhupal Singh; Kishore Singh; Deep Singh; Amar Singh.

Moji Ram Mehta, Rajput court official to Maledo: see HAMIR I, MAHARANA.

Moji Ram, Prime Minister of Mewar during Maharana Bhim Singh's reign.

Mokal, Maharana (b. ca 1409─d. 1433), forty-sixth ruler of the Mewar Dynasty (r. 1421-1433); younger son of Maharana LAKHA whom he succeeded at the young age of about 12, and ruled from Chittor. (Some accounts state he was aged 5; we consider the age of 12 more likely, given the vague date of his birth, and taking into account all that Mokal managed to achieve in the 12 years of his reign, many of them far too sophisticated for an infant, including siring quite a few children.) Mokal was a younger step-brother of Lakha's eldest son CHOONDA, formally heir apparent, who renounced his claim to the throne, but acted as Regent to the young Maharana before he retired to Mandu in Malwa. Mokal's mother (Rajmata HANSABAI) had to recall Choonda her brother, the Rathore Rao Ranmal of Jodhpur and other relatives made a takeover bid for Mewar, which subsequently failed. Although Maharana Mokal's reign was relatively brief, a mere twelve years, he became one of the most celebrated warriors of his race. He repelled an invasion by the Delhi Sultan in a pitched battle at Raipur, defeated Nagour's Firoz Khan and Gujarat's Ahmad Shah, and re-annexed Jahazpur and Sambhar. Yet he still found time for more aesthetic pursuits, completing palaces commenced by his father, Lakha. Most importantly, he provided the inspiration for his son, Crown Prince KUMBHA, who is recognised as one of Mewar's greatest builders, by erecting the exquisite temple at Chaturbhuja in the western hills and repairing Samiddheshwar Temple at Chittor. Mokal's sons were Crown Prince Kumbha, Khinva (Kshem Singh), Shiva (Suva), Satta, Nath Singh, Veeramdeo, and Ragdher. His daughter, Lalbai (the 'Ruby of Mewar') was celebrated for her beauty. In 1433 at around the age of 24, Mokal died in circumstances that became a notorious scandal: his uncles (see CHACHA AND MERA) assassinated him. Mokal's son, Kumbha, aged 6, succeeded him.

Mokal Temple (Chittor): see SAMIDDHESHWAR MAHADEV TEMPLE.

Mokham Singh. There were several leading members of clans who had this name. They came from Begun (Choondawat); Bhagwanpura (Choondawat); Bhindar (Saktawat); Jharol (Jhala); Kelwa (Jaitmal Rathore); Kherabad (Baba); Kotharia (Chauhan); Prasad (Sisodia); Tal (Choondawat), and Vijaipur (Saktawat).