Born: 31st May 1725
Died: 13th August 1795
Rani Ahilyabai was born on 31st May 1725, in Chaundi village, Maharashtra. Her father, Mankoji Shinde, was a successor to a respectable family. At that time women did not go to school, but Ahilyabai’s father taught her so that she could read and write. Once Shri Malhar Rao Holkar, a commander in the service of the Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao, on his way to Pune stopped in between at Chaundi and saw the eight-year-old Ahilyabai serving at the temple in the village. Recognizing her devotion and her character, he brought Ahilyabai to the Holkar territory as a bride for his son, Khanderao Holkar. They got married in 1735. They had two children, a son Malerao and a daughter Muktabai. In 1767, Malerao died of his illness as he was mentally unstable. Another tradition was broken by Ahilyabai when she married Muktabai (her daughter) to Yashwantrao, a poor but brave man after he defeated the dacoits. In 1754, Khanderao Holkar was killed during the blockade of Kumher. After his death, her father-in-law Malhar Rao prevented Ahilya Bai from committing Sati. In 1766, Malhar Rao Holkar died, 12 years after the death of his son Khanderao. In 1766, Male Rao Holkar who was Malhar Rao’s grandson and Khanderao’s only son became the ruler of Indore under the rule of Ahilyabai, but he too died within a few months on 5 April 1767.
Ahilyabai, already trained to be a ruler, petitioned the Peshwa to take over the administration herself. Some people in Malwa objected to accepting her as their ruler, but the army of Holkar supported her. She led them in person, with four bows and quivers of arrows fitted to the corners of the howdah of her favorite elephant. The Peshwa granted her permission on 11 December 1767, and, Subhedar Tukojirao Holkar (Malharrao’s adopted son) was appointed as the head of military matters, she begins to rule Malwa in a most cultured manner, even bringing back a Brahmin who had opposed her. She met the public daily and was always available to anyone in need. There are many stories of her responsibility for her people. In one example, when her minister refused to allow the adoption and asked to be suitably bribed, she herself sponsored the child, gave him clothes and jewels as part of the ritual. Rani Ahilyabai is also known to have renovated the revered Shri Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. In 1996, the leading citizens of Indore instituted an award in her name to honour the memory of Rani Ahilyadevi Holkar which is granted annually to an outstanding public figure. Nanaji Deshmukh was the first person to receive the award from the Prime Minister.
Ahilyabai’s capital at Maheshwar was the place of literary, musical, artistic, and industrial enterprise. She patronized the Sanskrit scholar Khushali Ram, and also entertained the famous Marathi poet, Moropant and the Shahir, Anantaphandi from Maharashtra. Craftsmen, sculptors, and artists received salaries and honours at her capital and she also established a textile industry at Maheshwar. Ahilyabai died at the age of 70, on 13th August 1795.
Swami Vivekanand Subharti University remembers Ahilyabai as a woman of modern times, and her rule is remembered as a golden age in the history of Indore.
