House of Holkar


The Holkars were the ruling house of the Indore State of the Maratha Confederacy, and earlier held the rank of Subahdar under Peshwa Baji Rao I of the Maratha Empire. When the Maratha Confederacy began to weaken due to internal clashes, the Holkars declared themselves the rulers of Indore in Central India, existing as an autonomous member of the Maratha Confederacy until 1818. Later, their kingdom became a princely state under the British protection.
Usha Devi Holkar, 15th Maharani of Indore, is the current titular head.

Rise of Holkar as Subahdar

The Holkars were of Gadaria caste - Dhangar origin.
Malhar Rao Holkar, was born in Murum in Satara district in a Dhangar family and was a Maratha chief serving under Bajirao I, was given the area of Indore to look after by Bajirao 1,the Peshwa of Shahu I. In the 1720s, he led Maratha armies in the Malwa region under the Peshwa Bajirao, and in 1733 was granted 9 parganas in the vicinity of Indore by the Peshwas. The township of Indore already existed as an independent principality established by Nandlal Mandloi of Kampel. Nandlal Mandloi was won over by the Maratha forces and he allowed them to camp across the Khan River. In 1734, Malhar Rao established a camp later called Malharganj. In 1747, he began construction of his royal palace, the Rajwada. By the time of his death, he looked after much of Malwa for the Maratha Empire controlled by their lords Peshwas, and was acknowledged as one of the five houses of the Maratha Empire.
He was succeeded by Ahilyabai Holkar, his daughter-in-law. She was born in the Chaundi village in Maharashtra. She moved the capital to Maheshwar, south of Indore on the Narmada River. Rani Ahilyabai was a prolific builder and patron of Hindu temples in Maheshwar and Indore. She also built temples at sacred sites outside her kingdom, from Dwarka in Gujarat east to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple at Varanasi on the Ganges.
The adopted son of Malhar Rao Holkar, Tukoji Rao Holkar briefly succeeded Rani Ahilyabai upon her death. Tukoji Rao had been a commander under Ahilyabai for her entire rule.

The fall of the Maratha Empire

His son Yashwantrao Holkar succeeded Tukoji Rao Holkar upon his death. He tried to free the Delhi Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II from the British in the unsuccessful Second Anglo-Maratha War. The grateful Shah Alam gave him the title of Maharajadiraj Rajrajeshwar Alija Bahadur in honor of his bravery.
Attempts by Yashwantrao Holkar to unite the kings failed, and he was approached to sign a peace treaty with the British. The Treaty of Rajghat, signed late December 1805, recognised him as a sovereign king.

Battle of Mahidpur

In 1811, the four-year-old Malhar Rao Holkar III succeeded Yashwantrao Holkar. His mother, Tulsabai Holkar, looked after the administration. However, with the help of Pathans, Pindaris, and the British, Dharama Kunwar and Balaram Seth plotted to imprison Tulsabai and Malharrao. When Tulsabai learnt about this, she beheaded both of them in 1815 and appointed Tantia Jog. As a result, Gaffur Khan Pindari secretly signed a treaty with the British on 9 November 1817 and killed Tulsabai on 19 December 1817.
The treaty was signed on 6 January 1818 at Mandsaur. Bhimabai Holkar did not accept the treaty, and kept attacking the British by guerilla methods. Years later, in revolt of 1857, Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi took inspiration from Bhimabai Holkar and also fought against the British. At the conclusion of the Third Anglo-Maratha War, the Holkars lost much of their territory to the British and were incorporated into the British Raj as a princely state of the Central India Agency. The capital was shifted from Bhanpura to Indore.

Princely state

Malharrao Holkar III entered Indore on 2 November 1818. Tantia Jog was appointed his Diwan as he was a minor. As the old palace had been destroyed by the army of Daulat Rao Scindia, a new palace was constructed in its place. Malharrao III was succeeded by Marthand Rao Holkar, who formally ascended to the throne on 17 January 1834. He was replaced by Hari Rao Holkar, nephew of Yashwantrao, who ascended to the throne on 17 April 1834. He adopted Khande Rao Holkar II on 2 July 1841 and died on 24 October 1843. Khanderao was formally installed as the ruler on 13 November 1843, but he suddenly died on 17 February 1844. Tukojirao Holkar II was installed on the throne on 27 June 1844. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, he was loyal to the British East India Company. In October 1872, he appointed T. Madhava Rao as the Diwan of Indore. He died on 17 June 1886 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Shivajirao Holkar.
Yashwantrao Holkar II ruled Indore state until shortly after India's independence in 1947, when he acceded to the Union of India. Indore became a district of Madhya Bharat state, which was merged into Madhya Pradesh state in 1956.

Holkar Maharajah's of Indore

  1. Malhar Rao Holkar I. Born 16 March 1693, died 20 May 1766
  2. Male Rao Holkar. Born 1745, died 5 April 1767
  3. Ahilya Bai Holkar . Born 1725, died 13 August 1795
  4. Tukoji Rao Holkar I. Born 1723, died 15 August 1797
  5. Kashi Rao Holkar Born before 1776, died 1808
  6. Khande Rao Holkar Born in 1798, died 1807
  7. Yashwant Rao Holkar I . Born 1776, died 27 October 1811
  8. Malhar Rao Holkar III Born 1806, died 27 October 1833
  9. Marthand Rao Holkar. Born 1830, died 2 June 1849
  10. Hari Rao Holkar. Born 1795, died 24 October 1843
  11. Khande Rao Holkar II. Born 1828, died 17 March 1844
  12. Tukoji Rao Holkar II. Born 3 May 1835, died 17 June 1886
  13. Shivaji Rao Holkar. Born 11 November 1859, died 13 October 1908
  14. Tukoji Rao Holkar III. Born 26 November 1890, died 21 May 1978
  15. Yashwant Rao Holkar II. Born 6 September 1908, died 5 December 1961
On 22 April 1948 Yashwantrao Holkar II signed a covenant with the rulers of the adjoining princely states to form a new state known as Madhya Bharat. Madhya Bharat was created on 28 May 1948. On 16 June 1948, the princely state of Indore, which the House of Holkar ruled, merged with the newly independent Indian states.

Family tree