Rapid Fire
Rani Ahilyabai Holkar
- 17 Jan 2026
- 3 min read
An inquiry has been ordered into allegations that a structure containing a statue of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar was demolished during renovation work at Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
- The Manikarnika Ghat renovation project, undertaken under a private company’s CSR initiative, aims to modernise facilities and address environmental issues.
Rani Ahilyabai Holkar
- Birth & Background: Ahilyabai was born on 31st May 1725 in Chondi, Ahmednagar (Maharashtra), her father, Mankoji Rao Shinde, was the village head.
- Marriage & Early Life: She was married to Khanderao Holkar in 1733, the son of Malhar Rao Holkar, the ruler of Malwa and the founder of the Holkar dynasty.
- Ahilyabai was widowed in 1745 after Khanderao died in the siege of Kumher Fort.
- Malhar Rao Holkar prevented Ahilyabai from committing sati and trained her in military and administrative matters.
- Ascension to Power: After the death of Malhar Rao Holkar in 1766 and her son Male Rao Holkar in 1767, Ahilyabai Holkar took charge of Malwa and became the ruler of Indore in 1767.
- She appointed Tukoji Rao Holkar as army commander and made Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh the Holkar dynasty’s capital.
- Contributions: Ahilyabai Holkar rebuilt the Kashi Vishwanath and Somnath temples in the 18th century, restoring key Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, and patronised scholars such as Khushali Ram, Marathi poet Moropant, and Shahir Anantaphandi.
- She holds deep cultural importance in Varanasi and is revered by the Pal (Gadariya) community as an ancestral figure, with her birth anniversary actively celebrated.
- She also promoted women’s education, widow remarriage, and opposed practices like sati, while uplifting the Bhil and Gond tribes and lower castes.
- She made Maheshwar and Indore major trade hubs, promoting the Maheshwari weaving industry and making Maheshwari sarees renowned across India, now registered with a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
| Read more: 300th Birth Anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar |
