The Earth Trine of 1459: Jupiter, Saturn, and the Founding of Mehrangarh

My visit to Jodhpur for four days was pre-planned, and I had to make it happen despite several challenges. The trip is purely for astrological reasons, connected to an untranslated medieval Sanskrit astrological text I recently got special permission to access as a PhD scholar. Getting hold of it wasn’t easy as these manuscripts are rarely accessible in India and usually locked away behind layers of approval. Accessing such manuscripts in India isn’t straightforward. Institutions have grown protective,  a likely reaction to centuries of colonial misattribution of Indian texts. Ironically, that caution now makes it hard even for Indians to study their own tradition.

While it may be premature to speak about the text itself, I came across something fascinating that’s worth sharing now. I visited the iconic Mehrangarh (Jodhpur) Fort, and what follows is an exploration of the astrological symbolism surrounding its foundation, something I simply couldn’t resist writing about.

In 1459 CE, Rao Jodha, a chief of the Rajput clan, decided to move the capital of the kingdom of Marwar from Mandore to Jodhpur. The reason for this shift was primarily strategic. Mandore, lying on open plains with little natural fortification, had long proved vulnerable to attacks. Rao Jodha recognised this weakness and chose to relocate the capital to Mehrangarh (Jodhpur), a hilly terrain offering natural defence.

Despite these advantages, the Rajputs reinforced the landscape with formidable stone walls built even along the hills. Watchtowers on the heights and around the fort allowed them to anticipate invasions. This combination of terrain and architecture made Mehrangarh one of the most resilient strongholds in western India.

Putting this into perspective

There was a time when India contributed more than half of the world’s wealth. Then came the long procession of “visitors” - traders, conquerors, and eventually administrators,  each arriving with their own version of civilization (?) and leaving with India’s resources carefully packed. By the time India was free in 1947 when there was nothing left to plunder, her share of the global GDP had slipped from abundance to almost nothing, a statistic that might’ve made even Saturn wonder if someone had misplaced his sense of justice.

It’s no surprise, then, that the western frontier grew in importance through those centuries and therefore, forts like Mehrangarh were  not just symbols of pride, but sentinels guarding what served as watchtowers.

Images: Aswin Subramanyan

From an astrological standpoint, it is awe-inspiring that this decisive shift occurred under a Jupiter–Saturn trine, with Jupiter in Virgo and Saturn in Capricorn (tropically). Jupiter–Saturn cycles often correspond to socio-political, cultural, or economic realignments, and the movement of a royal capital is a profound recalibration of power and purpose. 

Saturn, the planet of structure, discipline, and endurance, was in Capricorn with domicile strength, indicating  or even demanding meticulous construction suited to the land’s mixed terrain of plains and hills. The problem of vulnerability was most likely recognised during the Jupiter–Saturn opposition but could only be addressed under the trine.

The trine, with Saturn retrograde, shows a pivot that becomes a point of stability between two Earth signs. Saturn in Capricorn reflects the impulse to secure longevity through structure.

The nature of this trine is inherently creative. It blends Jupiter’s expansion with Saturn’s realism, seeking growth within boundaries. Saturn’s limitations appear as the natural constraints of the hills, while Jupiter in Virgo, the sign of analytical intelligence and precision, offers refined expansion with an eye for detail. Jupiter in Virgo is not merely about expansion but perfection; it points to careful optimisation in architectural design.

Jupiter in Virgo aids mastery in architectural logic, and Saturn in Capricorn ensures the influx of capable builders with the patience and skill to see the project through. This combination also indicates the creation of institutions and long-lasting political frameworks that would serve generations. Saturn in Capricorn provides the material backbone for what Jupiter in Virgo conceives.

The trine suggests steady construction, enduring vision, and organic evolution rather than abrupt change. While a square may signify tension or impulsive reaction, the trine that followed the opposition denotes deliberate consolidation. It describes Rao Jodha’s relocation as measured, intelligent, and sustainable, certainly not reactionary but deeply intentional.

This planetary pattern also symbolises reconstruction after discord (opposition) and equilibrium attained through wisdom (Jupiter) and discipline (Saturn). Mandore’s flat terrain had scattered power; Jodhpur’s elevated landscape unified it within natural limits that strengthened cohesion and security. Saturn in Capricorn signifies structures that withstand time, and Mehrangarh (Jodhpur)— standing tall more than five centuries later is living proof. The fort endures through Saturn’s resilience and Jupiter’s vision, surviving empires and centuries alike.

As for the election (Muhurta) of the fort’s foundation, no exact record survives, though tradition holds that the foundation stone for the city/fort were laid on 12 May 1459. Even without the precise time, the symbolism of the skies suffices — a Jupiter–Saturn trine shaping an act that redefined a kingdom.

Mid day chart, Jodhpur, 12 May 1459

Politically, this shift marked the reassertion of the Rathores, an event characterised by precision, refinement, structure, discipline, wisdom, and the quest for enduring security. Jupiter’s wisdom, shaped by Saturn’s discipline, defined the age. Under the Jupiter–Saturn trine of 1459, vision and structure worked in harmony. Mehrangarh was not born of tension but of calculated foresight; a fort built on reason, order, and endurance, the perfect expression of Earth’s trine!

© Aswin Subramanyan