Holkar, Ahilyabai

From New World Encyclopedia
(40 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Image:IndoreAirport_FrontView.JPG|thumb|right|220px|Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport Airport]]
+
{{Copyedited}}{{approved}}{{submitted}}{{ready}}{{images OK}}
 +
{{epname|Holkar, Ahilyabai}}
 +
[[File:Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar statue, Maharashtra sadan, New Delhi.jpg|thumb|right|225px|Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar statue, New Delhi]]
 +
'''Punyaslok Rajmata Ahilyadevi Holkar'''  (May 31, 1725 – August 13, 1795) (ruled December 11, 1767 – August 13, 1795) of India ruled as a [[Holkar]] dynasty Queen of the [[Malwa]] kingdom, [[India]]. [[Khanderao Holkar]], Ahilyadevi's husband, died in the battle of [[Kumher]] in 1754. Twelve years later, her father-in-law, [[Malhar Rao Holkar]], died. She inherited the throne and became one of India's great women rulers.
  
'''Punyaslok Rajmata Ahilyadevi Holkar''' (1725-1795, r. 1767-1795) of India has been compared with [[Catherine II of Russia|Catherine the Great]], Queen Elizabeth, and Margaret I of Denmark. She ruled as a [[Holkar]] dynasty Queen of the [[Malwa]] kingdom, [[India]]. She was born in the village of Chaundi in Tal. Jamkhed Dist. Ahmednagar [[Maharashtra]], moving the capital to [[Maheshwar]] south of [[Indore]] on the [[Narmada River]].
+
Upon taking the throne as queen, she launched a campaign to rid her kingdom of [[Thuggee|Thugs]] who sought to plunder the kingdom, personally leading her army into battle. Her war time exploits became legendary. Ahilyadevi earned a reputation for administering justice fairly during her rule without partiality or partisanship. She sentenced her only son, found guilty of a [[capital punishment|capital offense]], to death by being [[Crushing by elephant|crushed by an elephant]].  
 
+
{{toc}}
[[Khanderao Holkar]], Ahilyadevi's husband, died in the battle of [[Kumher]] in 1754. Twelve years later, her father-in-law, [[Malhar Rao Holkar]], died. She tried to protect her kingdom from [[Thuggee|Thugs]], who sought to plunderer the kingdom, personally leading armies into battle. Ahilyadevi appointed [[Tukojirao Holkar]] as the Chief of Army and earned a reputation for administering justice fairly. Once she gave the order for killing her only son under the elephant feet for his punishable activities.  
+
Rani Ahilyadevi ordered the building of a multitude of [[Hindu]] temples in [[Maheshwar]] and [[Indore]]. She built temples and [[Dharamsala]] at sacred sites in many other places including [[Dwarka]] in [[Gujarat]] east to the [[Kashi Vishwanath Temple]] at [[Varanasi]] on the [[Ganges]], [[Ujjain]], [[Nasik]], and Parali baijnath. She ordered the rebuilding of a temple destroyed and desecrated in [[Somanath]], which is still used as a worship place by [[Hindus]] in 2008. Ahilyadevi has been compared with [[Catherine II of Russia|Catherine the Great]], [[Queen Elizabeth]], and [[Margaret I]] of [[Denmark]].
 
 
Rani Ahilyadevi proved a great builder and patron of many [[Hindu]] temples which embellished Maheshwar and Indore. She also built temples and [[Dharamsala]] at sacred sites including [[Dwarka]] in [[Gujarat]] east to the [[Kashi Vishwanath Temple]] at [[Varanasi]] on the [[Ganges]], [[Ujjain]], [[Nasik]], and [[Parali baijnath]]. Seeing a temple destroyed and desecrated in [[Somanath]], Rani Ahilyadevi built a temple in its place where Lord Shiva still used as a worship place by Hindus in 2008.
 
  
 
== Early life ==
 
== Early life ==
[[Image:Temples on Ahilya Ghat.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Temples on Ahilya Ghat]]
+
Ahilyabai was born on May 31, 1725, in the village of [[Chondi]], Taluka Jamkhed District, in [[Ahmednagar]], [[Maharashtra]]. Her father, [[Mankoji Shinde]], was the patil of the village, a member of the proud [[Dhangar]] community. Women then did not go to school, but Ahilyabai's father taught her to read and write.<ref>Kewal Krishan Mittal, Keshav Wagh, and Harishchandra Barthwal, ''The integral spirit of Bharat, an eulogy: Bhārata ekātmatā stotra, an explanation; with colored illustration'' (New Delhi: Suruchi Prakashan, 1997), 97.</ref>
Ahilyadevi was born on August 31 1725 in the village of Chondi, in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra. Her father, Mankoji Shinde, was the patil of the village, a member of the proud [[Dhangar]] community. Women then did not go to school, but Ahilyabai's father taught her to read and write.<ref>Kewal Krishan Mittal, Keshav Wagh, and Harishchandra Barthwal. ''The integral spirit of Bharat, an eulogy: Bhārata ekātmatā stotra, an explanation ; with coloured illustration'' (New Delhi: Suruchi Prakashan, 1997), p. 97.</ref>
 
  
Her entrance on to the stage of history was something of an accident: [[Malhar Rao Holkar]], a commander in the service of the [[Peshwa Bajirao]] and lord of the Malwa territory, stopped in Chondi on his way to Pune and, according to legend, saw the eight-year-old Ahilyadevi at the temple service in the village. Recognising her piety and her character, he brought the girl to the Holkar territory as a bride for his son, [[Khande Rao]].
+
Her entrance onto the stage of history had been accidental. [[Malhar Rao Holkar]], a commander in the service of the [[Peshwa Bajirao]] and lord of the [[Malwa]] territory, stopped in [[Chondi]] on his way to [[Pune]] and, according to legend, saw the eight-year-old Ahilyadevi at the temple service in the village. Recognizing her piety and her character, he brought the girl to the [[Holkar]] territory as a bride for his son, [[Khanderao Holkar]] (1723–1754). They were married in 1733.
  
 
==Ruler==
 
==Ruler==
[[Image:Ram Temple and Fort Ahilya.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Ram Temple and Fort Ahilya]]
+
===Early Reign===
Ahilya devi’s husband was killed in battle in 1754. Twelve years later, her father-in-law, Malhar Rao died. From 1766 until her death in 1795, she ruled Malwa, trained in both administrative and military matters by Malhar Rao. A letter to her from Malhar Rao in 1765 illustrates the trust he had in her ability during the tempestuous battle for power in the 18th century:
+
[[File:Fort ahilya coolspark.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Fort Ahilya on the Narmada]]
 
+
Ahilyadevi’s husband died in battle in 1754. Twelve years later, her father-in-law, [[Malhar Rao Holkar]] died. From 1766 until her death in 1795, she ruled [[Malwa]], trained in both administrative and military matters by Malhar Rao. A letter to her from Malhar Rao in 1765 illustrates the trust he had in her ability during the tempestuous battle for power in the eighteenth century: <blockquote>Proceed to Gwalior after crossing the Chambal. You may halt there for four or five days. You should keep your big artillery and arrange for its ammunition as much as possible…. On the march you should arrange for military posts being located for protection of the road."<ref>Stewart Gordon, ''The Marathas, 1600-1818. The new Cambridge history of India, II, 4'' (Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press, 1993), 160.</ref></blockquote>
<blockquote>Proceed to Gwalior after crossing the Chambal. You may halt there for four or five days. You should keep your big artillery and arrangeforits ammunition as much as possible….On the march you should arrange for military posts being located for protection of the road."'' <ref>Stewart Gordon, ''The Marathas, 1600-1818. The new Cambridge history of India, II, 4'' (Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press, 1993), p. 160</ref></blockquote>
 
 
 
Already trained to be a ruler, Ahilyadevi petitioned the Peshwa after Malhar’s death, and the death of her son, to take over the administration herself. Some in Malwa objected to her assumption of rule, but the army of Holkar was enthusiastic about her leadership. She had led them in person, with four bows and quivers of arrows fitted to the corners of the howdah of her favourite elephant. The Peshwa granted permission, and, with Tukoji Holkar (Malhar Rao's adopted son) as the head of military matters, she proceeded to rule Malwa in a most enlightened manner, even reinstating a Brahmin who had opposed her.<ref> Walter Yust, ''Encyclopædia Britannica; a new survey of universal knowledge'' (Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 1957), v. 11, p. 18 .</ref> Ahilyadevi never observed purdah but held daily public audience and was always accessible to anyone who needed her ear.
 
 
 
Among Ahilyadevi's accomplishments was the development of Indore from a small village to a prosperous and beautiful city; her own capital, however, was in nearby Maheshwar, a town on the banks of the Narmada river. She also built forts and roads in Malwa, sponsored festivals and gave donations for regular worship in many Hindu temples. Outside Malwa, she built dozens of temples, ghats, wells, tanks and rest-houses across an area stretching from the Himalayas to pilgrimage centres in South India. The Bharatiya Sanskritikosh lists as sites she embellished, Kashi, Gaya, Somnath, Ayodhya, Mathura, Hardwar, Kanchi, Avanti, Dwarka, Badrinarayan, Rameshwar and Jaganathpuri. Ahilyadevi also rejoiced when she saw bankers, merchants, farmers and cultivators rise to levels of affluence, but did not consider that she had any legitimate claim to any of that wealth, be it through taxes or feudal right. She must, in fact, have financed all her activities with the lawful gains obtained from a happy and prosperous land.
 
[[Image:Sun rise at Ahilya Ghat.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Sun rise at Ahilya Ghat]]
 
There are many stories of her care for her people. She helped widows retain their husbands’ wealth. She made sure that a widow was allowed to adopt a son; in fact, in one instance, when her minister refused to allow the adoption unless he was suitably bribed, she is said to have sponsored the child herself, and given him clothes and jewels as part of the ritual. To honour the memory of Ahilyadevi Holkar, in 1996 leading citizens of Indore instituted an award in her name to be bestowed annually on an outstanding public figure. The then prime minister of India gave away the first award to Nanaji Deshmukh. The only time Ahilyadevi seems not to have been able to settle a conflict peacefully and easily was in the case of the Bhils and Gonds, "plunderers" on her borders; but she granted them waste hilly lands and the right to a small duty on goods passing through their territories. Even in this case, according to Malcolm, she did give "considerate attention to their habits."
 
 
 
Ahilyadevi’s capital at Maheshwar was the scene of literary, musical, artistic and industrial enterprise. She entertained the famous Marathi poet, Moropant and the shahir, Anantaphandi from Maharashtra, and also patronised the Sanskrit scholar, Khushali Ram. Craftsmen, sculptors and artists received salaries and honours at her capital, and she even established a textile industry in the city of Maheshwar.
 
  
Historians of the 19th and 20th centuries—Indian, English and American—agree that the reputation of Ahilyadevi Holkar in Malwa and Maharashtra was then, and is, even now, that of a saint. Nothing has ever been discovered by any researcher to discredit that. She was truly a magnificent woman, an able ruler and a great queen.
+
Already trained as a ruler, Ahilyadevi petitioned the [[Peshwa]] after Malhar’s death, and the death of her son, to take over the administration herself. Some in [[Malwa]] objected to her assumption of rule, but the army of [[Holkar]] expressed enthusiasm about the prospect of her leadership. She had led them in person, with four bows and quivers of arrows fitted to the corners of the [[howdah]] of her favorite elephant. The Peshwa granted permission, and, with [[Tukoji Holkar]] (Malhar Rao's adopted son) as the head of military matters, she proceeded to rule Malwa in a most enlightened manner, even reinstating a [[Brahmin]] who had opposed her.<ref> Walter Yust, ''Encyclopædia Britannica; a new survey of universal knowledge'', v. 11 (Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 1957), 18.</ref> Ahilyadevi never observed [[purdah]] but held daily public audience and was always accessible to anyone who needed her ear.
  
==Views about her==
+
===Achievements===
 +
{{readout||left|250px|Ahilyabai Holkar was one of [[India]]'s great women rulers}}
 +
Among Ahilyadevi's achievements, she developed [[Indore]] from a small village to a prosperous and beautiful city. She made [[Maheshwar]], a town on the banks of the [[Narmada river]], her own capital. Ahilyadevi built [[fort]]s and roads in [[Malwa]], sponsored [[festival]]s and served as a patron for many [[Hindu temple]]s. Outside Malwa, she built dozens of [[temple]]s, [[ghat]]s, wells, tanks, and rest-houses across an area stretching from the [[Himalayas]] to [[pilgrimage]] centers in [[South India]]. The [[Bharatiya Sanskritikosh]] lists as sites she embellished, [[Kashi]], [[Gaya]], [[Somnath]], [[Ayodhya]], [[Mathura]], [[Hardwar]], [[Kanchi]], [[Avanti]], [[Dwarka]], [[Badrinarayan]], [[Rameshwar]], and [[Jaganathpuri]]. Ahilyadevi also rejoiced when she saw bankers, merchants, farmers, and cultivators rise to levels of affluence, but rejected claims to any of that wealth, be it through [[tax]]es or [[feudal]] right. She financed all her activities with the lawful gains obtained from a happy and prosperous land.
  
Jawaharlal Nehru: <blockquote>The reign of Ahilyabai, of Indore in central India, lasted for 30 Yrs. This has become almost legendary as a period during which perfect order and good Government prevailed and the people prospered. She was a very able ruler and organizer, highly respected during her lifetime, and considered as a saint by a grateful people after her death." <ref>Jawaharlal Nehru, ''The discovery of India'' (New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2004), p. 304</ref> </blockquote>
+
Since India's independence, the city of Indore, when compared to neighboring Bhopal, Jabalpur, or Gwalior, has progressed dramatically: economically, through business and financial development, and politically through the development of efficient administration. The local population proudly states that they live in 'mini-Mumbai', a reference to the great metropolis 600 kilometers away. Ahilyadevi’s legacy of good deeds, her dedication to religion, and her policies served to enrich the city into the twenty-first century.
  
Joanna Baillie:
+
==Legacy==
<blockquote>
+
[[Image:IndoreAirport_FrontView.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport Airport]]
:For thirty years her reign of peace,
+
Stories of her care for her people abound. She helped [[widow]]s retain their husbands’ wealth. She made sure that a widow was allowed to adopt a son. In one instance, when her minister refused to allow an [[adoption]] unless he was suitably [[bribe]]d, she sponsored the child herself, and gave him clothes and jewels as part of the ritual. The only time Ahilyadevi seems not to have been able to settle a conflict peacefully and easily was in the case of the [[Bhils]] and [[Gonds]], "plunderers" on her borders. She granted them waste hilly lands and the right to a small duty on goods passing through their territories. Even in that case, according to [[Malcolm]], she did give "considerate attention to their habits."<ref>John Malcolm, ''A memoir of Central India, including Malwa and adjoining provinces, with the history and copious illustrations of the past and present conditions of that country'' (Calcutta: Thacker, Spink and co., 1880), 152.</ref>
::The land in blessing did increase;
 
:And she was blessed by every tongue,
 
::By stern and gentle, old and young.
 
:Yea, even the children at their mothers feet
 
::Are taught such homely rhyming to repeat
 
  
:In latter days from Brahma came,
+
Ahilyadevi’s capital at [[Maheshwar]] was the scene of literary, musical, artistic, and industrial enterprise. She entertained the famous [[Marathi]] poet, [[Moropant]] and the [[shahir]], [[Anantaphandi]] from [[Maharashtra]], and also patronized the [[Sanskrit]] scholar, [[Khushali Ram]]. Craftsmen, sculptors and artists received salaries and honors at her capital, and she established a [[textile]] industry in the city of Maheshwar. The reputation of Ahilyadevi Holkar in [[Malwa]] and Maharashtra has been established as that of a saint. She proved a magnificent, able ruler, and a great queen.  
::To rule our land, a noble Dame,
 
:Kind was her heart, and tright her frame,
 
::And Ahlya was her honoured name." <ref>Joanna Baillie, ''The dramatic and poetical works of Joanna Baillie'' (London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1851). </ref></blockquote>
 
  
Vinayā Khaḍapekara: "The Great Maratha lady who affords the noblest example of wisdom, goodness and virtue. That which [[Akbar]] is among male sovereigns, is Ahlia Baie among female sovereigns." <ref>Vinayā Khaḍapekara, Jñāta-ajñāta Ahilyābāī Hoḷakara [Ahilya Bai Holkar] (Puṇe: Rājahãsa Prakāśana, 2007).</ref>
+
In 1996, to honor the memory of [[Ahilyadevi Holkar]], leading citizens of Indore instituted an annual award in her name to be bestowed on an outstanding public figure. The [[prime minister of India]] presented the first award to [[Nanaji Deshmukh]]. The government of the [[Republic of India]] issued a commemorative stamp<ref>[http://www.indianpost.com/viewstamp.php/Alpha/A/AHILYABAI%20HOLKAR Commemorative Stamp] Retrieved February 1, 2009.</ref> in her honor on August 25, 1996. As a tribute to the great ruler, Indore domestic airport has been named "Devi Ahilyabai Holkar airport." Similarly, Indore university has been christened Ahilya University, Indore<ref>[http://www.dauniv.ac.in/ Devi Ahilya University, Indore] Retrieved February 1, 2009.</ref> A film titled ''Devi Ahilya Bai''<ref>[http://www.nfdcindia.com/view_film.php?film_id=150&categories_id=5 ''Devi Ahilya Bai''] Retrieved February 1, 2009.</ref> was produced in 2002 featuring [[Shabana Azmi]] as Harkubai (Khaanda Rani, one of Malhar Rao Holkar's wives) and also including [[Sadashiv Amrapurkar]] as [[Malhar Rao Holkar]], Ahilyabai's father in law.
  
Over the years, in independent India, the city of Indore, when compared to neighboring Bhopal, Jabalpur or Gwalior, has progressed dramatically: economically, through business and financial prowess, politically and in all possible ways cities are supposed to progress. In fact, the local population proudly states that they live in 'mini-Mumbai', a reference to the great metropolis pulsing 600 km away. The good deeds of Devi Ahilyabai, her dedication to religion and her policies are enriching the city even today! The faith and belief in the good vibes of Indore go to such an extent that local inhabitants say that if you have lived in Indore for a thousand days, you are unlikely to leave it! Long live Devi Ahilya!
+
Jawaharlal Nehru: <blockquote>The reign of Ahilyabai, of Indore in central India, lasted for 30 Yrs. This has become almost legendary as a period during which perfect order and good Government prevailed and the people prospered. She was a very able ruler and organizer, highly respected during her lifetime, and considered as a saint by a grateful people after her death."<ref>Jawaharlal Nehru, ''The discovery of India'' (New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2004), 304.</ref> </blockquote>
 
 
A commemorative stamp [http://www.indianpost.com/viewstamp.php/Alpha/A/AHILYABAI%20HOLKAR]was issued in her honor on 25 August 1996 by the [[Republic of India]].
 
 
 
As a tribute to the great ruler, Indore domestic airport has been named "Devi Ahilyabai Holkar airport." Similarly, Indore university has been christened [http://www.dauniv.ac.in/ Devi Ahilya University, Indore].
 
 
 
<!--
 
==Her Work Throughout India==
 
*Alampur (MP) – Harihareshwar, Batuk, Malharimarthand, Surya, Renuka, Ram Hanuman Temples, Shriram Temple, Laxmi Narayan Temple, Maruti Temple, Narsinh Temple, Khanderao Martand Temple, Memorial of Malharrao (I).
 
*Amarkanthak(MP)- Shri Vishweshwar Temple, Kotithirth Temple, Gomukhi Temple, Dharamshala, Vansh Kund.
 
*Amba Gaon – Lamps.
 
*Anand Kanan – Vishweshwar Temple.
 
*'''Ayodhya''' (U.P)– Built Shri Ram Temple, Shri Treta Ram Temple, Shri Bhairav Temple, Nageshwar/Siddhnath Temple, Sharayu Ghat, well, Swargadwari Mohatajkhana, Dharamshalas.
 
*'''Badrinarayan''' (UP) – Shri Kedareshwar and Hari Temples, Dharamshalas (Rangdachati, Bidarchati, Vyasganga, Tanganath, Pawali), Manu kunds (Gaurkund, Kundachatri), Garden and Warm Water Kund at Dev Prayag, Pastoral land for cows.
 
*Beed – Jirnnodhar of a ghat.
 
*Berul (Karnataka) – Ganpati, Pandurang, Jaleshwar, Khandoba, Tirthraj and Fire temples, Kund.
 
*'''Bhanpura''' – Nine Temples and Dharmashala.
 
*'''Bharatpur''' – Temple, Dharmashala, Kund.
 
*'''Bhimashankar''' – Garibkhana
 
*Bhusawal  - Changadev Temple.
 
*Bitthur – Bhramaghat
 
*Burahanpur (MP) – Ghat and Kund.
 
*Chandwad waphegaon – Vishnu Temple and Renuka Temple.
 
*'''Chaundi''' – Chaudeshwaridevi Temple, Sineshwar Mahadev temple,
 
Ahilyeshwar Temple, Dharamshala, Ghat,
 
*Chitrakut(UP) - Pranpratishta of Shri Ramchandra.
 
*Cikhalda – Annakshetra
 
*'''Dwarka'''(Gujrath) – Mohatajkhana, Pooja House and gave some villages to priest.
 
*'''Ellora''' – Temple of Red Stone.
 
*'''Gangotri''' – Vishwanath, Kedarnath, Annapurna, Bhairav Temples, Many Dharmashalas.
 
*'''Gaya''' (Bihar) – Vishnupad, Ahilyadevi Temple.
 
*'''Gokarn''' – Rewaleshwar Mahadev temple, Holkar wada, Garden and Garibkhana.
 
*Gruneshwar (Verul) – Shivalaya Tirth.
 
*Handiya – Siddhanath Temple, ghat and dharmashala.
 
*'''Haridwar''' (UP) – Kushawarth Ghat and a Huge Dharmashala.
 
*'''Hrishikesh''' – Many temples, Shrinathji and Govardhan ram temples
 
*Indore – Many Temples and ghats
 
*'''Jaggannath Puri''' (Orrisa) – Shri Ramchandra Temple, Dharmashala and Garden.
 
*Jalgaon  - Ram Mandir
 
*Jamghat – Bhumi dwar
 
*Jamvgaon – Donated for Ramdas swami Math.
 
*'''Jejuri''' – Malhargautameshwar, Vitthal ,Martand Temple, Janai Mahadev and Malhar lakes.
 
*Karmanasini River – Bridge
 
*'''Kashi (Banaras)''' – Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Shri Tarakeshwar, Shri Gangaji, Ahilya Dwarkeshwar, Gautameshwar, Many Mahadev Temples, Temple Ghats, Manikarnika Ghat, Dashaaswamegh Ghat, Janana Ghat, Ahilya Ghat, UttarKashi Dharmashala, Rameshwar Panchkoshi Dharmashala, Kapila Dhara Dharmashala, Shitala Ghat.
 
*'''Kolhapur''' – Facilities for temple pooja
 
*'''Kumher''' – Well and Memorial of Prince Khanderao.
 
*'''Kurukshetra''' (Haryana) -  Shiv Shantanu Mahadev Temple, Panchkund Ghat, Laxmikund Ghat.
 
*'''Maheshwar''' - Hundreds of temples, ghats, dharmashalas and houses.
 
*Mamaleshwar Mahadev – Lamps.
 
*Manasa – Seven temples
 
*Mandaleshwar – Shiv Temple Ghat
 
*Miri (Ahmednagar) – Bhairav Temple in 1780.
 
*Naimabar(MP) – Temple.
 
*Nathdwar – Ahilya Kund, Temple, well.
 
*Neelkantha Mahadev – Shivalaya and Gomukh.
 
*Nemisharanya(UP) – Mahadev Madi, Nimsar Dharmashala, Go-ghat, Cakrithirth kund.
 
*Nimgaon (Nashik) – Well.
 
*Onkareshwar (MP) – Mamaleshwar Mahadev, Amaleshwar, Trambakeshwar Temples (Jirnnodhar), Gauri Somnath Temple, Dharmashalas, Wells.
 
*Ozar (Ahmednagar) – 2 wells and kund
 
*'''Panchawati''' – Shri Ram Temple, Gora Mahadev temple, Dharmashala, Vishweshwar Temple, Ramghat, Dharmashala.
 
*'''Pandharpur''' (Maharashtra) – Shri Ram Temple, Tulsibag, Holkar wada, Sabha Mandap, Dharmashala and gave silver utensil for the temple.
 
*Pimplas(Nashik) – well
 
*'''Prayag''' (Allahabad UP) - Vishnu Temple, Dharmashala, Garden, Ghat, Palace.
 
*'''Pune''' – Ghat.
 
*Puntambe(Maharashtra) – Ghat on Godavari river.
 
*'''Pushkar''' – Ganpati Temple, Dharmashala, Garden.
 
*'''Rameshwar''' (TN) – Hanuman Temple, Shri Radha Krishna Temple, Dharmashala, Well, Garden etc.
 
*Rampura – Four Temples, Dharmashala and houses
 
*Raver – Keshav Kund
 
*Sakargaon – well
 
*Sambhal – Laxmi Narayan Temple and two wells.
 
*Sangamner – Ram Temple.
 
*'''Saptashrungi''' – Dharmashala.
 
*Sardhana Meerut – Chandi Devi Temple.
 
*'''Saurashtra''' (Guj) – Somnath Temple in 1785. (Jirnnodhdhar and Pran Prathistha)
 
*Shri Nagnath (Darukhvan) – Started pooja in 1784
 
*'''Shri Shail Mallikarjun''' (Karnul, TN) – Temple of Lord Shiva.
 
*'''Shri Shambhu Mahadev Mountain Shignapur''' (Maharashtra) – Well
 
*Shri Vaijenath (Parali, Maha) – Jirnnodhar of Baijenath Temple in 1784.
 
*Shri Vhigneshwar – Lamps
 
*Sinhpur – Shiv Temple and ghat
 
*Sulpeshwar – Mahadev Temple, annakshetra
 
*Sultanpur (Khandesh) – Temple
 
*Tarana – Tilabhandeshwar Shiv temple, Khedapati, Shriram Temple, Mahakali Temple
 
*Tehari (Bundelkhand) – Dharmashala.
 
*'''Trimbakeshwar''' (Nashik) – Bridge on Kushawarth Ghat.
 
*'''Ujjain''' (MP) – Chintaman Ganapati, Janardhan, Shrilila Purushottam, Balaji Tilakeshwar, Ramjanaki Ras Mandal, Gopal, Chitnis, Balaji, Ankpal, Shiv and many other temples, 13 ghats, well and many Dharmashalas etc.
 
*'''Vrindawan (Mathura)''' – Chain Bihari Temple, Kaliyadeha Ghat, Chirghat and many other ghats, Dharmashala, Annakstra.
 
*Waphegaon (Nashik) – Holkar wada and one well.
 
>
 
==In popular culture==
 
* A film titled Devi Ahilya Bai was produced in 2002 featuring [[Shabana Azmi]] as Harkubai (Khaanda Rani, one of Malhar Rao Holkar's wives) and also including [[Sadashiv Amrapurkar]] as Malhar Rao Holkar, Ahilyabai's father in law.[http://www.nfdcindia.com/view_film.php?film_id=150&categories_id=5]
 
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
* [[Dhangar]]
+
* [[Malwa (Madhya Pradesh)]]
 +
* [[Maratha Empire]]
  
 
== Notes ==
 
== Notes ==
Line 149: Line 44:
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
* Baillie, Joanna. 1851. The dramatic and poetical works of Joanna Baillie. London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans. OCLC 382794.
+
* Baillie, Joanna. 1851. ''The Dramatic and Poetical works of Joanna Baillie''. London: British Library, Historical Print Editions, 2011 (original 1851). ISBN 978-1241345099
* Gordon, Stewart. 1993. The Marathas, 1600-1818. The new Cambridge history of India, II, 4. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521268837.
+
* Gordon, Stewart. ''The Marathas, 1600-1818''. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press, 1993. ISBN 9780521268837
* Mittal, Kewal Krishan, Keshav Wagh, and Harishchandra Barthwal. 1997. The integral spirit of Bharat, an eulogy: Bhārata ekātmatā stotra, an explanation ; with coloured illustration. New Delhi: Suruchi Prakashan. OCLC 70199995.
+
* Malcolm, John. ''A memoir of Central India, Including Malwa and Adjoining Provinces''. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2011 (original 1880). ISBN 978-1108172431
* Nehru, Jawaharlal. 2004. The discovery of India. New Delhi: Penguin Books. ISBN 9780670058013.
+
* Mittal, Kewal Krishan, Keshav Wagh, and Harishchandra Barthwal. ''The Integral Spirit of Bharat: An Eulogy''. New Delhi: Suruchi Prakashan, 1997. {{ASIN|B003DRLRI6}}
* Yust, Walter. 1957. Encyclopædia Britannica; a new survey of universal knowledge. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica. OCLC 1167668.
+
* Nehru, Jawaharlal. ''The Discovery of India''. New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2004. ISBN 978-0670058013
 +
* Yust, Walter. ''Encyclopædia Britannica: A new survey of universal knowledge''. Chicago, IL: Encyclopædia Britannica, 1957. OCLC 1167668
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
* [http://www.indiatogether.org/manushi/issue124/holkar.htm Ahilyadevi Holkar: A Magnificent Ruler, Saintly Administrator]. Retrieved November 17, 2008.
+
All links retrieved April 30, 2021.
* [http://www.mapsofindia.com/who-is-who/history/ahilyabai-holkar.html India Who is Who: Ahilyabai Holkar]. Retrieved November 17, 2008.
+
* [http://www.indiatogether.org/manushi/issue124/holkar.htm Ahilyadevi Holkar: A Magnificent Ruler, Saintly Administrator]  
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/elishams/2276443505/ Maheshwar -The forgotten capital]. Retrieved November 17, 2008.
+
* [http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/photo847217.htm Ahilyabai]  
* [http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/photo847217.htm Ahilyabai]. Retrieved November 17, 2008.
+
 
* [http://pal-baghel-samaj.com/community-pal.html The Holkar Dynasty of Indore]. Retrieved November 17, 2008.
 
* [http://www.nashik.com/pilgrimage/temple.html Temple Pilgrimage]. Retrieved November 17, 2008.
 
  
 
{{MarathaEmpire}}
 
{{MarathaEmpire}}

Revision as of 04:45, 30 April 2021

Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar statue, New Delhi

Punyaslok Rajmata Ahilyadevi Holkar (May 31, 1725 – August 13, 1795) (ruled December 11, 1767 – August 13, 1795) of India ruled as a Holkar dynasty Queen of the Malwa kingdom, India. Khanderao Holkar, Ahilyadevi's husband, died in the battle of Kumher in 1754. Twelve years later, her father-in-law, Malhar Rao Holkar, died. She inherited the throne and became one of India's great women rulers.

Upon taking the throne as queen, she launched a campaign to rid her kingdom of Thugs who sought to plunder the kingdom, personally leading her army into battle. Her war time exploits became legendary. Ahilyadevi earned a reputation for administering justice fairly during her rule without partiality or partisanship. She sentenced her only son, found guilty of a capital offense, to death by being crushed by an elephant.

Rani Ahilyadevi ordered the building of a multitude of Hindu temples in Maheshwar and Indore. She built temples and Dharamsala at sacred sites in many other places including Dwarka in Gujarat east to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple at Varanasi on the Ganges, Ujjain, Nasik, and Parali baijnath. She ordered the rebuilding of a temple destroyed and desecrated in Somanath, which is still used as a worship place by Hindus in 2008. Ahilyadevi has been compared with Catherine the Great, Queen Elizabeth, and Margaret I of Denmark.

Early life

Ahilyabai was born on May 31, 1725, in the village of Chondi, Taluka Jamkhed District, in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. Her father, Mankoji Shinde, was the patil of the village, a member of the proud Dhangar community. Women then did not go to school, but Ahilyabai's father taught her to read and write.[1]

Her entrance onto the stage of history had been accidental. Malhar Rao Holkar, a commander in the service of the Peshwa Bajirao and lord of the Malwa territory, stopped in Chondi on his way to Pune and, according to legend, saw the eight-year-old Ahilyadevi at the temple service in the village. Recognizing her piety and her character, he brought the girl to the Holkar territory as a bride for his son, Khanderao Holkar (1723–1754). They were married in 1733.

Ruler

Early Reign

Fort Ahilya on the Narmada

Ahilyadevi’s husband died in battle in 1754. Twelve years later, her father-in-law, Malhar Rao Holkar died. From 1766 until her death in 1795, she ruled Malwa, trained in both administrative and military matters by Malhar Rao. A letter to her from Malhar Rao in 1765 illustrates the trust he had in her ability during the tempestuous battle for power in the eighteenth century:

Proceed to Gwalior after crossing the Chambal. You may halt there for four or five days. You should keep your big artillery and arrange for its ammunition as much as possible…. On the march you should arrange for military posts being located for protection of the road."[2]

Already trained as a ruler, Ahilyadevi petitioned the Peshwa after Malhar’s death, and the death of her son, to take over the administration herself. Some in Malwa objected to her assumption of rule, but the army of Holkar expressed enthusiasm about the prospect of her leadership. She had led them in person, with four bows and quivers of arrows fitted to the corners of the howdah of her favorite elephant. The Peshwa granted permission, and, with Tukoji Holkar (Malhar Rao's adopted son) as the head of military matters, she proceeded to rule Malwa in a most enlightened manner, even reinstating a Brahmin who had opposed her.[3] Ahilyadevi never observed purdah but held daily public audience and was always accessible to anyone who needed her ear.

Achievements

Did you know?
Ahilyabai Holkar was one of India's great women rulers

Among Ahilyadevi's achievements, she developed Indore from a small village to a prosperous and beautiful city. She made Maheshwar, a town on the banks of the Narmada river, her own capital. Ahilyadevi built forts and roads in Malwa, sponsored festivals and served as a patron for many Hindu temples. Outside Malwa, she built dozens of temples, ghats, wells, tanks, and rest-houses across an area stretching from the Himalayas to pilgrimage centers in South India. The Bharatiya Sanskritikosh lists as sites she embellished, Kashi, Gaya, Somnath, Ayodhya, Mathura, Hardwar, Kanchi, Avanti, Dwarka, Badrinarayan, Rameshwar, and Jaganathpuri. Ahilyadevi also rejoiced when she saw bankers, merchants, farmers, and cultivators rise to levels of affluence, but rejected claims to any of that wealth, be it through taxes or feudal right. She financed all her activities with the lawful gains obtained from a happy and prosperous land.

Since India's independence, the city of Indore, when compared to neighboring Bhopal, Jabalpur, or Gwalior, has progressed dramatically: economically, through business and financial development, and politically through the development of efficient administration. The local population proudly states that they live in 'mini-Mumbai', a reference to the great metropolis 600 kilometers away. Ahilyadevi’s legacy of good deeds, her dedication to religion, and her policies served to enrich the city into the twenty-first century.

Legacy

Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport Airport

Stories of her care for her people abound. She helped widows retain their husbands’ wealth. She made sure that a widow was allowed to adopt a son. In one instance, when her minister refused to allow an adoption unless he was suitably bribed, she sponsored the child herself, and gave him clothes and jewels as part of the ritual. The only time Ahilyadevi seems not to have been able to settle a conflict peacefully and easily was in the case of the Bhils and Gonds, "plunderers" on her borders. She granted them waste hilly lands and the right to a small duty on goods passing through their territories. Even in that case, according to Malcolm, she did give "considerate attention to their habits."[4]

Ahilyadevi’s capital at Maheshwar was the scene of literary, musical, artistic, and industrial enterprise. She entertained the famous Marathi poet, Moropant and the shahir, Anantaphandi from Maharashtra, and also patronized the Sanskrit scholar, Khushali Ram. Craftsmen, sculptors and artists received salaries and honors at her capital, and she established a textile industry in the city of Maheshwar. The reputation of Ahilyadevi Holkar in Malwa and Maharashtra has been established as that of a saint. She proved a magnificent, able ruler, and a great queen.

In 1996, to honor the memory of Ahilyadevi Holkar, leading citizens of Indore instituted an annual award in her name to be bestowed on an outstanding public figure. The prime minister of India presented the first award to Nanaji Deshmukh. The government of the Republic of India issued a commemorative stamp[5] in her honor on August 25, 1996. As a tribute to the great ruler, Indore domestic airport has been named "Devi Ahilyabai Holkar airport." Similarly, Indore university has been christened Ahilya University, Indore[6] A film titled Devi Ahilya Bai[7] was produced in 2002 featuring Shabana Azmi as Harkubai (Khaanda Rani, one of Malhar Rao Holkar's wives) and also including Sadashiv Amrapurkar as Malhar Rao Holkar, Ahilyabai's father in law.

Jawaharlal Nehru:

The reign of Ahilyabai, of Indore in central India, lasted for 30 Yrs. This has become almost legendary as a period during which perfect order and good Government prevailed and the people prospered. She was a very able ruler and organizer, highly respected during her lifetime, and considered as a saint by a grateful people after her death."[8]

See also

Notes

  1. Kewal Krishan Mittal, Keshav Wagh, and Harishchandra Barthwal, The integral spirit of Bharat, an eulogy: Bhārata ekātmatā stotra, an explanation; with colored illustration (New Delhi: Suruchi Prakashan, 1997), 97.
  2. Stewart Gordon, The Marathas, 1600-1818. The new Cambridge history of India, II, 4 (Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press, 1993), 160.
  3. Walter Yust, Encyclopædia Britannica; a new survey of universal knowledge, v. 11 (Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 1957), 18.
  4. John Malcolm, A memoir of Central India, including Malwa and adjoining provinces, with the history and copious illustrations of the past and present conditions of that country (Calcutta: Thacker, Spink and co., 1880), 152.
  5. Commemorative Stamp Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  6. Devi Ahilya University, Indore Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  7. Devi Ahilya Bai Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  8. Jawaharlal Nehru, The discovery of India (New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2004), 304.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Baillie, Joanna. 1851. The Dramatic and Poetical works of Joanna Baillie. London: British Library, Historical Print Editions, 2011 (original 1851). ISBN 978-1241345099
  • Gordon, Stewart. The Marathas, 1600-1818. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press, 1993. ISBN 9780521268837
  • Malcolm, John. A memoir of Central India, Including Malwa and Adjoining Provinces. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2011 (original 1880). ISBN 978-1108172431
  • Mittal, Kewal Krishan, Keshav Wagh, and Harishchandra Barthwal. The Integral Spirit of Bharat: An Eulogy. New Delhi: Suruchi Prakashan, 1997. ASIN B003DRLRI6
  • Nehru, Jawaharlal. The Discovery of India. New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2004. ISBN 978-0670058013
  • Yust, Walter. Encyclopædia Britannica: A new survey of universal knowledge. Chicago, IL: Encyclopædia Britannica, 1957. OCLC 1167668

External links

All links retrieved April 30, 2021.


Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.