Ahilyabai Holkar


Ahilyabai Holkar, also spelled Ahalya Bai, was the Rajamata and later the ruling queen of Indore within the Maratha Empire. She established Maheshwar as the seat of the Holkar Dynasty. She is renowned for good governance, social welfare, and humanitarian work along with religious, educational, and cultural advancements. She contributed to the growth of Indian architecture through the commission of various temples, Ghats, and Dharmshalas. Ahilyabai's Matha, or charitable endowments, spread across India. She is remembered as a Sadhvi, or holy woman.
After the deaths of her husband Khanderao Holkar, father-in-law Malhar Rao Holkar, and son Male Rao Holkar, Ahilyabai undertook the affairs of the Holkar dynasty. She defended Indore against invasions and personally led armies into battle, with her brother-in-law Tukoji Rao Holkar serving as her military commander.

Early life and marriage

Ahilyabai was born into a Marathi Dhangar family to Mankoji Shinde and Sushila Shinde in Maharashtra in the village of Chandi, now Ahmednagar district. Her father was a descendant of a respected Gadaria caste family. Mankoji Shinde served as the Patil of the village. Ahilyabai had five brothers and was first educated at home.
Ahilyabai rose to prominence when Malhar Rao Holkar, a commander in the army of Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao I and ruler of Malwa, stopped in Chandi on his way to Pune and saw her at a temple service. Impressed by the child's piety and character, Malhar advised his son, Khandojee, to marry her. They were wed in 1733 when he was nine or ten and she was seven or eight. They had a son, Maloji Holkar, in 1745 and a daughter, Muktabai Holkar, in 1748.

Family's rise to prominence

By the time of Ahilyabai's marriage, her father-in-law Malhar Rao Holkar had already risen from a childhood of shepherding to ruling as Subahdar over a territory comprising thirty parganas yielding high revenues. From 1748, Malhar Rao's power in Malwa allowed him to play kingmaker in northern and central India and by 1750, he was the de facto ruler of the Maratha Confederacy. He regularly received grants, including monetary tributes, land, and noble titles, from the Peshwa government in recognition of his service to the empire. His land lay north of the Narmadha on both sides of Sahyadri. In 1751, he successfully mediated a major land agreement between the Peshwa and Mughal emperor Ahmad Shah Bahadur and by 1753, he was considered indispensable.

Education and military expertise

Starting in 1754, Malhar Rao kept Ahilyabai actively involved in diplomacy debates, matters of the kingdom's finances, and other problems of both the Mughal Empire and the Peshwa. Throughout her married life, she was brought up by her mother-in-law, Gautama Bai Holkar, who is credited for teaching Ahilyabai to have proper values. She trained her in administration, accounts, and politics and, in 1759, gave Ahilyabai her khasgi, or land grant.
Ahilyabai's trust from her father-in-law and her military expertise are both demonstrated by a 1765 letter he wrote her during an invasion of Punjab by a Durrani Empire-Rohilla dynasty coalition led by Emperor Ahmad Shah Durrani. Malhar Rao, who was fighting in Delhi, commanded her to take heavy artillery on a military expedition to Gwalior and attack the fort at Gohad:
"...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... The big artillery should be kept at Gwalior and you should proceed further after making proper arrangements for expenses for a month. On the march you should arrange for military posts to be located for protection of the road."
Ahilbayai's attack was successful.

Khanderao's death and aftermath

In 1754, Khanderao and Malhar Rao, acting on orders from Mughal Grand Vizier Ghazi ud-Din Khan Feroze Jung III, laid siege to the fort at Kumher, then held by Jat Raja Suraj Mal. Suraj Mal had sided with Safdar Jang, another Mughal vazier who had rebelled against the emperor. Khanderao was inspecting his troops in an open palanquin when he was killed by cannon fire.
Devastated by Khanderao's death, Alhiyabai announced she would commit sati, ritualistic suicide on his funeral pyre. Her dismayed subjects begged her to reconsider but she explained that she felt sati was the only way she could fulfill her husband's promise to accompany her all her life. Her father-in-law Malhar Rao begged:
"Daughter, my son left me whom I raised with a hope that he would support me in my old age. Now, will you also leave me, an old man, alone to be drowned in the fathomless ocean?... Will you also leave me without any support? Still, if you don't want to change your mind, let me die first."

This convinced her to choose to live and Malhar Rao thereupon began to train her in military affairs. He died on 20 May 1766 in Alampur.

Reign

On 23 August 1766, Ahilyabai's only son, Male Rao Holkar, became ruler of Indore at the age of 21 when he received investiture from the Peshwa. Male Rao had reigned for just over six months when he died on 5 April 1767. Malhar Rao's adopted son Tukoji Rao Holkar was then made Subahdar on the payment of a large tribute of Indian rupees and Ahilyabai became the de facto ruler.
Historical records show that groups from neighboring states, particularly the Chundawat clan of Jaipur, rebelled during this transfer of power, taking advantage of both Tukoji Rao's absence from the region and the widespread devastation wrought by the Third Battle of Panipat and its aftermath. Ahilyabai led Maratha armies against these rebellions and, despite a lack of resources and aid, won every battle.
In 1791, Ahilyabai's son-in-law, Yeshwantrao Fanse, died and her daughter Muktabai committed sati on his funeral pyre.

Administration

In those times, the state's administration was two-sided, military and civil. The military side was again bifurcated, Tukoji Rao Holkar was the Subedar, and he had to serve Maratha. Devi Ahilyabai was outspoken, proclaiming her power by declaring, "I am the daughter-in-law of Malhar Rao". The Saranjamdar system established by Malhar Rao was efficient and was recognized by the Puna authorities. Saranjamdar was a "camp within a camp" complete by itself. The state records involuntarily reveal the diplomatic and administrative skills exhibited by Devi. Justice administration was soft but speedy, practical yet spiritual, restraining yet re-forming.
She transformed Indore into a progressive city, and built industries and universities. The government of India issued a stamp on 25 August 1996 in celebration of the 200th death anniversary. The Indore airport is named after Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport. The city of Indore named the university Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya. Not merely in her State but indeed in other parts of India she is credited with promoting activities including repair and additions to several famous temples such as Kashi Viswanath Mandir at Varanasi, Gouri Somnath Mandir at Chola and the construction of the famous Dashashwamedh Ghat at Banaras.

Charities and endowments

The Holkar family was known for avoiding using public cash to meet their personal and family expenses. They possessed their personal funds, which they had accumulated through their private property. Ahilyabai inherited personal funds estimated at sixteen crores rupees at that time. Ahilyabai donated money from her personal resources to charity. The charities of the Devi Ahilyabai in her territory as well as throughout the Bharata Kanda are too well known. A well-documented account of the expenditure can be found in the "Devasthan classification list 1923 by the Holkar government".  The Holkar government appointed a "Devastahan officer" who travelled far and wide and collected information on the spot.
The arrangements made by Devi Ahilya at all the sacred were shown in the below table
'''Charities connected with the Jyotir-Lingas'''

Sapta Puri and Char Dham

Sapta Puri and Char Dham were looked up eventually by Hindus of all castes and creeds in worship and pilgrimage.
Dwarka: she built a Almshouse
Ujjain: she built four Mandir and a charitable building
Kanchipuram: Ganga water annually sent
Mathura: she built a Mandir 2 Ghat and one charitable building
Ayodhya: She built 4 Ram Mandir and 3 charitable buildings
Haridwar: a Ghat and a charitable house
Varanasi: Refer the above table

[Char Dham]a – four quadrants of Aryavarta

Jagnath : A temple, Almhouse and garden land

Conclusion

Here we see the various charities of Devi Ahilyabai extending throughout the length and breadth of Bharatakhanda. In the book HOLKAR STATE HISTORY VOL. II Life and Life's-Work of Devi Shree Ahilyabai page 42 there are worship expenses
Various temples Ghats and rest houses built during her time exhibit Indian architecture and the various features of different schools. They became so many training grounds for young Indian architecture. Not only in her territory but throughout the whole of India. The aspects of Devi Ahilyabai charity reveal and resuscitation of Thirthas and Kshetras.

Death

Ahilyabai died on 13 August 1795 at age 70. She was succeeded by her commander-in-chief and brother-in-law, Tukoji Rao Holkar, who abdicated the throne in 1797 in favour of his son Kashi Rao Holkar.

Legacy

Collecting oral memories of hers in the 1820s, Sir John Malcolm, the British official most directly concerned with the 'settlement' of central India, seems to have become deeply enamored of her.
John Keay called her 'The Philosopher Queen', a reference perhaps to the 'Philosopher king' Bhoj.
A commemorative stamp was issued in her honour on 25 August 1996 by the Republic of India.
As a tribute to the great ruler, Indore international airport has been named Devi Ahilyabai Airport. Similarly, Indore university has been renamed as Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya.
On 13 March 2024, the Maharashtra state government approved the renaming of Ahmadnagar to Ahilyanagar.