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Queen Ahilya Bai Holkar: 31 May 2024

Commemorating Maratha queen Ahilya Bai Holkar – a great administrator and visionary with a spiritual inclination, on her 300th Birth anniversary.

Ahilyabai Holkar - Wikipedia

About Maratha queen Ahilya Bai Holkar: 

  • 1725: born on May 31, in the village of Chondi in Maharashtra. 
  • Daughter of Mankoji Shinde, a village chief.
  • Married to Khanderao Holkar, the son of Malhar Rao Holkar, the founder of the Holkar dynasty of the Maratha Empire.
  • 1754: Khanderao Holkar was killed in the battle of Kumbher.
  • Her father-in-law, Malhar Rao Holkar, supported her and did not insist on the traditional practice of sati.
  • 1766: After Malhar Rao’s death, Ahilya Bai took over the reins of the Holkar dynasty.
  • Ahilya Bai Holkar ruled from 1767 until her death in 1795.
  • Capital: Maheshwar on the banks of the Narmada River.

 

Administration Reforms:

  • Encouraged trade and agricultural activities.
  • Established a strong revenue system.
  • Built infrastructure such as roads, wells, and ghats (riverfront steps).

Patronage of Religion and Culture:

  • Built numerous temples, dharmashalas (rest houses), and water tanks across India.
  • Promoted arts, literature, and supported many poets and scholars.
  • Restored and rebuilt many significant temples and pilgrimage sites, including the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, the Gaya Vishnupad Temple, and the Somnath Temple.

Social Reforms:

  • Supported widows and poor. 
  • took efforts in mainstreaming the Gond and Bhil castes.

Why in News? 

Commemorating Maratha queen Ahilya Bai Holkar – a great administrator and visionary with a spiritual inclination, on her 300th Birth anniversary.