Recently, the Prime Minister of India paid tributes to Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar on her birth anniversary.
About Ahilyabai Holkar:
Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar (31 May 1725 – 13 August 1795) was a ruler of the Malwa territory, a part of the Maratha Confederacy, from 1767 to 1795.
She is known as Punyashlok(“One as Pure as the Sacred Chants”).
John Keay, the British historian, gave the queen the title of ‘The Philosopher Queen’.
Early Life and Marriage:
She was born on May 31, 1725, in the village of Chondi in Jamkhed, Ahmednagar(Maharashtra), and her father Mankoji Rao Shinde was the village head.
She got married to Khanderao Holkar (son of Malhar Rao Holkar) in 1733.
Rise to Power:
Ahilyabai's husband Khanderao Holkar was killed in the battle of Kumbher in 1754.
Her father-in-law, Malhar Rao passed away in 1766, and in the following year, she lost her son, Male Rao.
She ascended the throne and became the ruler of Indore on December 11, 1767.
She had appointed Tukoji Rao Holkar as the commander of her army.
She made Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh as the capital of the Holkar dynasty.
Key Contributions:
Temple Construction: She was instrumental in rebuilding major temples, notably the Kashi Vishwanath temple in 1780, and supported infrastructure such as rest houses and public ghats at various pilgrimage sites.
Cultural: She patronised stalwarts such as Marathi poet Moropant, Shahir Ananta Gandhi, and Sanskrit scholar Khushali Ram.
Promotion of craft: She established a textile industry in Maheshwar, which today is very famous for its Maheshwari sarees.
Understanding the importance of education, she established many gurukuls and schools.
In a revolutionary move for her time, she formed a women’s army and trained them in warfare, self-defense, and administrative security.
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