Ahilya Bai Holkar Jayanti 2022: Facts About 'The Philosopher Queen' Of Malwa

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Every year, 31 May marks the birth anniversary of Queen Ahilyabai Holkar and this year, it is her 297th birth anniversary. Her Jayanti is celebrated on a big scale in Madhya Pradesh and Maharastra. Ahalya Bai Holkar (1725-1795) was a legendary ruler of the Kingdom of Malwa and was respectfully called Rajmata Ahilyadevi. She was born in a remote village of Chondi in Maharastra. She belonged to the Dhangar community and her father Mankoji Shinde served as a Patil (the head) of the village.

Her administrative feats, humanitarian deeds, valiant disposition and bravery gave her a permanent place in the hearts of Indians. She was given the title of "The Philosopher Queen" by a British Historian John Keyas. Let us go through some unknown and interesting facts about her.

12 Interesting Facts About Ahilyabai Holkar

1. At an age when the children of her neighbourhood played with swings and toys, Ahilyabai Holkar was busy accumulating knowledge of the higher-order, learning the wisdom of life, and the nuances of great literary works. Her father was the key figure in her life, who laid a strong edifice for Ahilyas's transformation from an innocent girl into a celebrated personality.

2. Malhar Rao Holkar, the Malwa commander was the first one to spot a young Ahilya when she was barely 8 years of age, during an event where he found her donating alms in charity to the poor. Surprised pleasantly by the display of regal values by such a young girl, he decided that she would be an ideal wife for his son Khanderao Holkar in 1733.

3. In 1745, Ahilyabai's son Male Rao was born.

4. In 1748, she flouted the royal dictum by marrying a commoner to her daughter. Her son-in-law Yashwantrao, although poor, was a worthy and brave soul.

5. Due to a quirk of fate, she was widowed at the age of 29 In 1754. Her husband lost his life in the battle of Kumbher. Ahilya was supposed to immolate herself in the pyre of her dead husband but was stopped at the nick of time by her father-in-law.

6. Having lost her husband and son, she started her life as a regent of Indore on 11 December 1767, with a lot of emotional and administrative challenges upon her shoulders. This left her with no time for healing her emotional scars.

7. Ahilyabai was a legendary warrior and an archer of unimaginable prowess. Fighting on the back of an elephant was child's play for her. She had the unflinching support of the Bhils and Gonds, who were known for their bravery. Collaboration with these tribes helped her retain her territory for a long time.

8. She was a supremely efficient administrator who dispensed justice to her subjects in ways more than one. She interacted with her subjects personally by arranging gatherings to ensure that their needs are met. Several temples, ghats, wells, tanks, pilgrimage centres and rest-houses across the entire Indian nation today stand as silent witnesses of her philanthropy.

9. She helped widows in her kingdom live a life of dignity and honour by allowing them to retain their deceased husband's property.

10 The Holkar queen also renovated and rebuilt famous temples, including the temples of Kashi, Gaya, Somnath, Ayodhya, Mathura, Hardwar, Kanchi, Avanti, Dwarka, Badrinath, Rameshwar and Puri Jagannath, a record-breaking achievement, for any single woman that was forced to don multiple roles at a time, due to a quirk of fate.

11. Her capital at Maheshwar was a beehive of literary, music and industrial activities. Her court reverberated with literary discussions and musical performances. Marathi poets and literary stalwarts were patronised by her. During one of the poetic conferences, held in her court, she is believed to have thrown out a book of poems as it eulogised her achievements.

12. Her kingdom was home to several craftsmen, sculptors and artists who used to be paid handsomely for their hard work and enjoyed immense respect in the kingdom. The idea of establishing a textile industry was first contemplated by Ahilyabai who promoted novel ideas and concepts to uplift the economic and social status of her citizens.

A Poem on Rani Ahilyabai Holkar by Joanna Baillie in 1849

For thirty years her reign of peace,
The land in blessing did increase;
And she was blessed by every tongue,
By stern and gentle, old and young.
Yea, even the children at their mothers feet
Are taught such homely rhyming to repeat
"In latter days from Brahma came,
To rule our land, a noble Dame,
Kind was her heart and bright her fame,
And Ahilya was her honoured name."

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