Mehrun

Origin and Foundation

The Mehrun estate, located in the historic Ajmer-Merwara region of Rajasthan, was held by the Jodha branch of the Rathore dynasty. The rulers of this estate trace their ancestry back to Rao Jodha, the legendary 15^th-century founder of Jodhpur and the state of Marwar. The establishment of Mehrun as a distinct seat of local power was part of the wider expansion of Rathore clansmen who carved out smaller principalities, estates (thikanas), and fiefdoms across the strategic plains of central Rajasthan.

Mughal and Maratha Eras

During the Mughal period, the Ajmer region served as an important imperial subah (province). The Rathore chieftains of Mehrun, like many of their kinsmen in the neighboring estates of Bhinai, Masuda, and Kharwa, maintained a highly autonomous status. They paid tribute to the Mughal governors while retaining local administrative and judicial rights over their peasantry. In the 18^th century, as Mughal authority waned, the region witnessed heavy Maratha intervention, primarily under the Scindias of Gwalior. The Jodha Rathores of Mehrun successfully navigated this turbulent era of Maratha dominance, preserving their clan identity and ancestral land rights despite the heavy financial demands imposed by Maratha commanders.

British Period and Istimrari Status

With the transfer of Ajmer-Merwara to the British East India Company in 1818 under the Treaty of Gwalior, the political status of Mehrun underwent a formal restructuring. The British administration, led by early superintendents like Wilder and later codified under the land settlements of J.D. La Touche, recognized the noble landholders of Ajmer as Istimrardars. Mehrun was classified as an Istimrari estate, meaning the chief held the land in perpetuity subject to the payment of a fixed annual tribute (known as mamlat or gaddi-nashini relief) to the British Crown. Unlike the temporary jagirs in other parts of Rajputana, the Istimrari tenure granted the Jodha Rathores of Mehrun permanent proprietary rights, safeguarding the estate from arbitrary resumption or land tax escalation. Detailed accounts of these tenures can be explored in the Ajmer-Merwara District Gazetteer (1904).

Post-Independence and Modern Era

Following India's independence in 1947, the province of Ajmer-Merwara remained a Centrally Administered Area (Part C State) before its eventual merger into the unified state of Rajasthan on November 1, 1956, under the States Reorganisation Act. The feudal privileges, land revenues, and judicial powers of the Mehrun estate were systematically phased out with the passage of the Rajasthan Land Reforms and Resumption of Jagirs Act, 1952. Despite the abolition of the Istimrari system, the descendants of the Jodha Rathores of Mehrun have preserved their rich cultural heritage, ancestral properties, and local influence, successfully transitioning into various sectors of modern Indian society, including agriculture, business, and public service.