Proposal to rename Ahmednagar after Ahilyabai Holkar

Who is Ahilyabai Holkar?

• Ahilyabai (1725 -1795) was one of the women rulers of Medieval India who belongs to the Holkar dynasty of the Maratha Empire.
• She was married to Khanderao Holkar in 1733 at the tender age of 8. Her husband was killed in the battle of Kumbher in 1754.
• Ahilyabai is famous for having built numerous forts and roads in the Malwa region, sponsoring festivals and offering donations to many Hindu temples. Her philanthropy was reflected in the construction of several temples, ghats, wells, tanks and rest houses stretching across the length of the country.
• She welcomed stalwarts such as Marathi poet Moropant, Shahir Ananta Gandhi, and Sanskrit scholar Khushali Ram into her capital.
• John Keay, the British historian, gave the queen the title of ‘The Philosopher Queen’. She had been an acute observer of the wider political scene.

Q1) Why was Ahilyabai Holkar famous for?

She defended the Malwa state against intruders and personally led armies into battle, with Tukoji Rao Holkar as her military commander and was a great pioneer who constructed hundreds of temples and Dharmshalas throughout India.

Source: Proposal to rename Ahmednagar to Ahilyadevi Nagar.

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