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On the 300th birth anniversary of Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar, the Prime Minister will participate in the Mahila Sashaktikaran Maha Sammelan in Bhopal to honour her enduring legacy.

Historical Background

• Born: 31 May 1725
• Ruled: Malwa region (1767–1795) as part of the Maratha Confederacy
• Dynasty: Holkar
• Capital: Maheshwar (now in Madhya Pradesh)

Initially serving as a regent, Ahilyabai Holkar became the sovereign ruler after her husband and father-in-law’s deaths. Her rule is widely regarded as the golden age of the Holkar dynasty.

Governance and Administrative Reforms

• Ahilyabai was known for her equitable justice system, exemplified by the sentencing of her own son for a capital crime.
• She abolished discriminatory practices, such as the law confiscating property from childless widows.
• Courts for dispute resolution were established, and she remained accessible to the public, holding daily audiences.
• She broke gender norms by not observing purdah, a rare move for female rulers of the time.

Military Leadership

• Trained under Malhar Rao Holkar, she led her forces in battle.
• Appointed Tukoji Rao Holkar (Malhar Rao’s adopted son) as army commander.
• In 1792, she engaged a French officer, Chevalier Dudrenec, to modernize her army by establishing four battalions.

Cultural and Architectural Contributions

• A patron of literature and arts, she invited scholars like Moropant, Ananta Gandhi, and Khushali Ram to her court.
• Promoted craft and industry, notably founding the Maheshwar textile industry—famous today for Maheshwari sarees.
• Commissioned the construction and restoration of hundreds of Hindu temples and dharamshalas across India.
• Her most iconic act was the renovation of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi in 1780.
• Also contributed to infrastructure development, including roads, wells, forts, and rest houses.

Titles and Recognition

• Referred to as ‘Punyashlok’, meaning one as pure as sacred chants.
• British historian John Keay called her the ‘Philosopher Queen’.

Demise and Succession

Ahilyabai passed away on 13 August 1795 at the age of 70. She was succeeded by Tukoji Rao Holkar, who later abdicated in favour of Jaswant Rao Holkar. Jaswant Rao remained the last Holkar to rule independently until 1804.