Ahilya Bai Holkar- Fearless Warrior
Table of Contents
Who was Ahilya Bai Holkar?
Ahilya bai Holkar was the noble queen of Holkar family of Maratha Empire in Central India. She took over the reigns of the kingdom after the death of her husband Khande Rao Holkar and her father in law Malhar Rao Holkar.
Where Ahilya Bai was born?
Ahilya bai Holkar was born on 31 May 1725 in a Marathi Hindu family in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
How Ahilya Bai got married to Khande Rao Holkar?
Malhar Rao Holkar (Father in law) was on his way to Pune to meet the Peshwa. He stopped at Ahmednagar where he saw the 8 year old Ahilya at a temple service in the village. He was impressed by Ahilya so much that he married her to his son Khande Rao Hokar in 1733 at the age of 8 years.
Who was Khande Rao Holkar and how did he died?
Khande Rao Holkar was the son of Malhar Rao Holkar and the husband of Ahilya Bai. He was a courages and brave warrior but he was very short tempered. Ahilyabai gradually turned him into a good statesman by telling her stories from epics, motivating him to do justice, etc.
His father assigned him duties to settle disputes with chieftains. Khande Rao Holkar died in 1754 in the Battle of Kumher.
After the death of his husband, Ahilya wanted to be his sati. But she was stopped by Malhar Rao and he told her that his son had already died and now Ahilya is his son only.
What happened after Khande Rao's death?
After the death of his son, Malhar Rao Holkar again assumed the position of King of Malwa. But in 1766 he died too.
After that Male Rao Holkar (son of Ahilya Bai and Khande Rao) was made the ruler and Ahilya Bai was the regent. Unfortunately, after a few months, Male Rao Holkar also died due to bad health.
Now Ahilya Bai was all alone to manage the Holkar kingdom
Was Ahilya Bai capable of managing the Holkar Empire?
Ahliya Bai was well versed with military abilities. Apart from this, she also had good administrative and diplomatic skills.
Ahilya Bai Vs Diwan Gangadhar Rao fight?
After the death of his husband, father in law and his son, the diwan Gangadhar Rao asked Ahilya to adopt him as his son and transfer all the administrative powers to him. But she refused to do so. Gangadhar then organized a rebellion against her and stood his army at the banks of river Shipra.
When Ahilya Bai got to know this through her spies, she along with her female soldiers moved to encounter him. Seeing her bravery, Gangadhar Rao was frightened. He said that he had just come to give condolescences to her on the death of Male Rao Holkar.
Why is Ahilya Bai famous?
- Under her rule, there was peace, justice, stability, economic growth and prosperity everywhere. She was a great administrator and often remembered for her benevolent and effective government.
- She built roads, wells, tanks, rest houses, invested in infrastructure and repaired Ghats.
- Ahilya Bai Holkar contributed in almost every Hindu pilgrimage site like Dwarka, Badrinath, Rameshwaram and so on.
- She rebuilt the Kashi Vishwanath Temple which was destroyed by Aurangzeb
How did Ahilya Bai died?
She died in 1795 at the age of 75. After her death, she was succeded by her nephew Tukoji Rao Holkar.
Recent News
Recently on her 297th birth anniversary, in view of her contributions, Ahmednagar was renamed as Ahilyanagar.
FAQs
Ahilya Bai Holkar was that Maratha queen of India. She was married to Khande Rao Holkar. After the death of her husband, her father in law and her only son, she handled the Holkar kingdom. There was prosperity, justice and economic growth all around during her rule. She built many roads, tanks, temples, etc. She helped rebuilt the Kashi Vishwanath Temple which was destroyed by Aurangzeb.
She is known for her impartial attitude towards all. When his son was found guilty, he ordered him to be crushed his head under the foot of an elephant. She was couragesous as well. She single handedly managed to scare the huge army of Peshwa.
She died in 1795 at the age of 75 due to bad health. After her death, she was succeded by her nephew Tukoji Rao Holkar.
Khande Rao Holkar, husband of Ahilya Bai Holkar, died in 1754 in the Battle of Kumher.
Though Male Rao Holkar, Ahilya Bai’s son, was sentenced to death by Ahilya Bai because he was found guilty of an offence and ordered to crush him beneath the foot of an elephant. But before that could happen, He died by himself because of her bad health.
She built many temples and dharamshalas across India. This made her very famous in the Indian subcontinent. It is because of her contributions to the Indian culture that Ahmednagar is now renamed as Ahilyanagar.