Birth Anniversary of Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar

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The Prime Minister recently paid tribute to Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar on her birth anniversary.
He remembered her outstanding wisdom, deep compassion, and strong commitment to helping the public.

She was born on 31st May 1725 in Chondi village which is in present-day Maharashtra.
She married Khanderao Holkar in 1733, who was the son of Malhar Rao Holkar.
Malhar Rao Holkar was the ruler of Malwa and founded the famous Holkar dynasty.
Ahilyabai became a widow in 1745 when Khanderao died during the siege of Kumher Fort.
Her father-in-law Malhar Rao Holkar stopped her from committing sati and trained her in military and administrative skills.

After her father-in-law died in 1766 and her son Male Rao Holkar died in 1767, she took charge of Malwa.
She became the ruler of Indore in 1767.
She chose Tukoji Rao Holkar as her army commander to manage military affairs.
She shifted the capital of the Holkar dynasty to Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh.

She rebuilt the Kashi Vishwanath and Somnath temples in the 18th century to restore key Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.
She supported famous scholars like Khushali Ram, the Marathi poet Moropant, and Shahir Anantaphandi.
She holds great cultural value in Varanasi and the Pal (Gadariya) community respects her as an ancestor.
She encouraged women's education and widow remarriage while fighting against social evils like sati.
She worked hard to improve the lives of the Bhil and Gond tribes along with other lower castes.
She turned Maheshwar and Indore into major trading centers and promoted the local Maheshwari weaving industry.
Her efforts made Maheshwari sarees famous across India, and they now have a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.