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If we look at the history of major ancient countries of the world, we will know that there are very few women at the world level who have had a great impact on the history and public mind of that country. But, the same viewpoint is not appropriate about India, because there have been many women in India who have left their indelible mark in different fields. One of such memorable women is the then Queen of Maheshwar, Punyashlok Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, who was almost disappeared from the history books in India.
The life of Queen Ahilyabai has been such a golden era of Indian history, who completed the journey of 75 years an girl from ordinary family with a rural
The life of Queen Ahilyabai has been such a golden era of Indian history. Who completed the journey of 75 years an girl from ordinary family with a rural background to an extraordinary ruler, who is a source of inspiration for Indian women today
background to an extraordinary ruler, who is a source of inspiration for Indian women today. Rani Ahilyabai was a unique ideal personality full of hard work, simplicity, devotion to religion, administrative skills, foresight and bright character. Her rule, running with the royal seal ‘Shri Shankar Aagyevarun’ (according to the orders of Shri Shankar ji), always acted as the representative of Lord Shankar.
Perhaps this is the reason why this Queen of Maheshwar reached out to all the forms of Lord Shankar and got the temples and shrines grandly renovated throughout the country
In post-medieval India, when the position of women was secondary and the poets of the Ritika period were describing the beauty of women. This was the period in India when external forces were attacking to plunder India’s upper caste, due to which women were kept veiled at that time so that even the rays of the sun could not touch them.
At such a time, it was a challenging task for Ahilyabai Holkar to become the ruler of Indore in Malwa and run the state power, which she did efficiently for twenty-eight years. That is why she is remembered in the history of India not only for her courage but also for women empowerment, social reformer and many revolutionary steps. Along with her courage, she is also known for her spirit of service and intelligence.
When there was chaos all around due to external attacks. The people, ordinary householders, farmers and laborers were in a very inferior state. When India was getting trapped, superstition, fear, terror and stereotypes, Queen Ahilyabai pulled her people out of this pit. Due to which people gave her the title of ‘Devi’ during her lifetime because the public had closely observed her justice, order, love and her personality. She was also very clear, strict and fair.
She had a strong hold on the administration. But she lived a very simple life. She had achieved all this under the protection and guidance of her skilled teacher and father-in-law Malhar Rao by becoming a disciple and having a daughter-in-law, Ahilyabai, who later came in handy in making the administration efficiently successful. Ahilyabai’s father-in-law Malhar Rao had introduced his daughter-in-law to the geographical, political, economic and social situation of the country and the world during his lifetime.
After becoming the capital Maheshwar saw many new chapters of development. Along with social, religious, physical and cultural development, Devi Ahilya planned to start textile manufacturing here to make her capital industrially prosperous.
At that time, Hyderabadi weavers had a monopoly in textile manufacturing and handloom. She invited the weavers of Hyderabad to her kingdom and asked them to stay in Maheshwar and do their ancestral work. Ahilyabai had a special request from these weavers to make the designs made on the wall of Maheshwar Fort on these sarees and other clothes.
They started doing the same. Even today, designs based on the walls of Maheshwar Fort are found on the borders of sarees. Prince Richard, son of the last Maharaja of Indore, Yashwant Holkar, created an organization called “Reva Society” which even today manufactures Maheshwar sarees in the Maheshwar Fort itself.
Ahilyabai was so visionary that she worked for the development of every area.
Rani Ahilyabai had minted silver and copper coins. In which one anna, two annas, four annas and one rupee were of silver. Dhela (half paisa) and half anna (two paisa) were of copper. The mints for minting coins were in Maheshwar and Malhargarh. Shivalinga, water bearer and bel-patra were depicted on silver coins
Maheshwari sarees are very famous but little has been done to establish and promote this industry of sarees. She established textile manufacturing as a cottage industry 250 years ago in 1767 to provide work to all hands.
Weaver families from Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and other cities of India were brought and settled here. Gave them facilities like house, business etc. Earlier only cotton sarees were made here but later sarees made of high quality silk and gold and silver threads started being made.
During the reign of Queen Ahilyabai, there was peace and happiness all around in her kingdom. The people were happy under his popular rule. The economic condition of the state was good. Grain was produced in abundance. The entire trade and business of the state was prosperous. The economic condition of the state was strong.
There was very little tax on common people. The state got income from land tax, fines and octroi. The economic system during his reign had two parts. First is private property and second is government property. Khasgi property was the ruler’s self-acquired property which was used by the ruler for his personal activities and charity.
The maximum income of the Holkars came from the property which was the parganas given as special property by the Peshwas of Poona. Due to which the Holkar family earned an annual income of Rs 3 lakh. The state or Peshwa had no authority over it.
Ahilyabai herself had received personal property worth Rs 15 crore from Maharaja Malharrao. Over which Ahilyabai had complete authority. Queen Ahilyabai used this property for worship and gave donations from it. Ghats and temples were built all over the country. Used to help the poor. Due to the far-sighted arrangement of the queen, she started earning an annual income of Rs 15 lakh from her private property.
The state got huge income from land tax, fines and octroi. At the time of Malharrao, the state got an annual income of Rs 74 lakh from it. Whereas during the rule of Ahilyabai, this income increased to Rs 1 crore 15 lakh annually.
The rules for collection and expenditure within the state were very difficult. Any kind of wasteful expenditure was prohibited. This expense was taken care of by the queen herself. The army received salaries on time. Public welfare works were done. Various types of construction work were done for employment
But every kind of expenditure was done with the approval of the queen. The method of tax collection in the state was easy. The tax authorities of the state used to determine it. Complete accounts of income and expenditure were maintained. If any employee committed any kind of irregularities in the treasury, he was given severe punishment.
Rani Ahilyabai had minted silver and copper coins. In which one anna, two annas, four annas and one rupee were of silver. Dhela (half paisa) and half anna (two paisa) were of copper. The mints for minting coins were in Maheshwar and Malhargarh. Shivalinga, water bearer and bel-patra were depicted on silver coins.
After a few years, a mint was established in Indore also. The traders and moneylenders of the state used to get the coins minted by paying money in the mint and they used to give the fixed amount to the mint for minting. The mint was completely under state control. The mint had its own officers and employees.
During the reign of the queen, huge quantities of grain were produced in the state. The queen did a lot of work for the welfare of agriculture and farmers. The tax on land was reduced. Land tax was taken from farmers at one-fourth of their produce. The rent on one bigha agricultural land was one rupee.
For collection of revenue the state was divided into three parts, northern, central and southern. Indore in the northern part of the state, Maheshwar in the middle and Sutapuda hill area in the south. Used to come. Whenever there was no rainfall in the state or in case of famine, revenue was not collected or there was a shortage in it.
If there was any loss to agriculture in any kind of military action, it was compensated by the state. The trade of the state was perfect during the reign of Ahilyabai. Taxes on clothes, food, toys and small scale industries were reduced. There was fixed tax for every item in the state.
Ahilyabai’s administration was characterised by her deep commitment to public welfare, which combined good governance with social reforms.Her policies were inclusive, aiming to uplift the marginalized sections of society, including landless farmers, tribal communities, and widows
Octroi was a major source of income for the state. There was a system of collecting tax at the state border, on entering the city limits and at the river ghats. There were prescribed names and scales of weight for the transaction of goods. Traders were provided with many types of facilities.
The capital Maheshwar was the biggest center of trade. Holkar kingdom was in the center of India. This was the commuting route for North and South. The movement to and from the commercial goods took place through this route. Due to this, Holkar Empire got a lot of income from octroi.Ahilyabai was a stickler for rules and regulations. When land disputes started arising in the state, She made ‘Khasra Rules’. Applicants were asked to plant seven fruit trees along the length of the land and twelve fruit trees along its width. In this way equal division took place.
She ordered to deposit the income from the fruits of seven trees in the treasury as annual tax and asked him to keep the income from the fruits of twelve trees for his livelihood. Even today the Revenue Department of Maharashtra State maintains land records through it.
At that time the Panchayati system was implemented in the state by Queen Ahilyabai. With this, people got easy and cheap justice. Disputed matters were settled by the queen herself. Many people also came to get their domestic disputes settled from the queen of the state.
At the time of Malharao, there was a rule in the kingdom that if a person died childless, the state would confiscate his entire property. His widow could not adopt any child. Ahilyabai changed this rule during her reign. Widows were given the right to adopt. This brought prosperity to the people. Ahilyabai’s administration was characterised by her deep commitment to public welfare, which combined good governance with social reforms.Her policies were inclusive, aiming to uplift the marginalized sections of society, including landless farmers, tribal communities, and widows. Her social justice and welfare efforts were pioneering, promoting harmony, justice, and prosperity for all.
Her empathy-oriented governance stands out in her administration, which endeared Ahilyabai to her people. She based her reign on the principles of Dharma and righteousness, focusing on impartial and swift justice. As a result, one sees her administration as a blend of compassion and efficiency, setting high standards for governance in her era.
As a successor of the Holkar family after her father-in-law’s death, she embarked on numerous projects aimed at societal betterment, especially focused on agricultural development, water management, and education. Her numerous charitable works, including constructing temples, ghats, wells, and educational institutions, were spread across the Indian subcontinent.
Moreover, infrastructural initiatives, such as building roads and improving trade routes, were critical outcomes of her reign. Such efforts manifested in the transformation of Maheshwar (the capital of the Holkar kingdom from 1766 to 1818) into a centre of trade and industry.
(The writer is Editor of “Kamal Jyoti” and the state coordinator of Uttar Pradesh Election Management and Research.)