The Ahmednagar railway station in Maharashtra has been renamed as Ahilyanagar, as a tribute to Lokmata Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar. The state government had earlier renamed the Ahmednagar district as Ahilyanagar district. Also Read: NCERT Notes for UPSC, CDS, NDA, CAPF AC & AFCAT Written Exam
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Lokmata Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar was married to Khanderao Holkar in 1733, the son of Malhar Rao Holkar, the ruler of Malwa and the founder of the Holkar dynasty.
Malhar Rao Holkar prevented Ahilyabai from committing sati and trained her in military and administrative matters.
Ahilyabai Holkar took charge of Malwa and became the ruler of Indore in 1767.
She appointed Tukoji Rao Holkar as army commander and made Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh the Holkar dynasty’s capital.
Ahilyabai Holkar rebuilt the Somnath and Kashi Vishwanath temples, restoring key Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.
Somnath temple was raided by Mahmud Ghazni (1024), and attacked by Delhi Sultant (1297 and 1394) and Aurangzeb (in 1706).
She patronised scholars like Khushali Ram, Marathi poet Moropant, and Shahir Anantaphandi.
She promoted women’s education, widow remarriage, and opposed practices like sati.
She promoted the Maheshwari weaving industry, making Maheshwari Sarees renowned across India, now registered with a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
The ‘Philosopher Queen’ (title given by a British historian, John Keay) as she is famously known, passed away on August 13, 1795 at the age of seventy.
She was described as “A Very Able Ruler And Organiser” by Jawaharlal Nehru in ‘A Discovery of India’.
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