Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar: Queen of Malwa & Empress of Hearts. Tribute on her Birth Anniversary.
“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 mother’s 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,”
An English poem written by Joanna Baillie in 1849, describes what the world thought of a ferocious warrior and an erudite Queen, Maharani Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar, a Maratha Princess who made Malwa her home and lead it to impervious prosperity in her reign. Born on 31st May 1725 in a Village of Chondi in Maharashtra, Ahilya Bai married the Crown Prince of the Holkar Empire in 1733. Thereafter life, as she knows, did not remain the same. There are numerous factors that make Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar an unprecedented queen, a name spoken with deep respect and pride. After her husband died in a siege against the Jat Maharaja who had sided with the Mughal Empire’s notorious wazir, Safdar Jang, a new era of life began for her. The foundation of a revolution was laid when Ahilya Bai’s father-in-law refused her to perform Sati invoke of her husband’s death. When Maharaja Malhar Rao passed away, Devi Ahilya Bai was crowned the Queen of Malwa.
A brave warrior at heart, she led the armies for battles and loved and heard her subjects. Prosperity and peace in her reign was a common feat, with the entire arming bowing and respecting her every command. She not only won numerous battles for her land, but she also contributed to the economical prosperity of her people. The Maheshwari Silk was popularized and bought into the Market by the sheer tact and skill of the Rajmata. In the 28 years of her reign, she was able to revitalize a fledgling kingdom, creating a strong administrative system with a thriving economy and leaving behind an unrivaled legacy. The most significant contribution of Ahilyabai, however, comes in the preservation, reconstruction, and refurbishment of a host of Hindu sites which she carried out during her rule. From Gangotri to Rameshwaram, and from Dwarka to Gaya, she spent money on rebuilding temples destroyed under the Mughal rule, in restoring the past glory of holy sites, in building new temples and in building ghats for easy access to almost all major rivers in the Bharatvarsha. Her most significant temple remains the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi. The honored title of Devi, added to her name is one of the many symbols of love and respect that her subjects dedicated to her in the wake of her immense commandership and her leadership qualities. Devi Ahilya Bai always projected capabilities of immense prowess on the battlefield and her proficiency to fight and overcome conflicts for her kingdom is what made her a remarkable empress. She never bowed down to challenges, fighting them with patience and wit and overcoming them efficiently.
These qualities of our beloved queen are something that we need to abide and follow in our hearts to fight the deadly pandemic of the Corona Virus. Times are difficult and the problem seems massive, yet keeping in mind Devi Ahilya Bai’s ideology, such difficulties shall also seem a tad bit easier to move forward from. Just keep in mind to protect yourself, follow the guidelines of the government, and have faith and patience in better times that aren’t that far now. Practice social distancing, take proper protections, sanitize and wash your hands, and please be kind to all those who need and all those who have been battling the virus or helping others fight it.
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