An Accidental Queen

While she wasn't born in a royal family, her legacy is certainly one of royalty. This day marks the birthday of Ahilyabai Holkar, one of India's finest female rulers.

A stamp in Ahilyabai's honour; Source: Wikimedia Commons

The world is not fair. It has never been and it is hard to fathom that it will ever be. We all have to struggle for achieving something great in our lives but for some, this struggle is more difficult than others; so the poor have to work harder than the rich and women have to work harder than men. Still, there have been those who have broken the chains of prejudices and rose high enough for their names to be incorporated in the histories of the world.

India has had its share of this greatness. In medieval times in the country, there was a kingdom in the middle of the subcontinent, a rather small one but significant in its own ways. In this kingdom ruled a Queen, young and beautiful and motherly.

Her entry into history was more of an accident than some well-decided hard worked out plan. Ahilya's story is significant because she was both poor and a woman!

Ahilya was born today in 1725 in a humble household. Poverty did not limit Ahilya's parents in any way but society did. So her father educated her on his own but within the walls of their home. Women's education was not considered a holy thing in the villages then.

The great commander of the Peshwa army, Malhar Rao Holkar once visited a temple. There he saw a young girl, dedicated to the lord, working in the temple premises. Her character and her simplicity greatly influenced the noble Sardar. He saw a daughter in Ahilya and indulged himself in the task of making her a part of his family. Soon, Ahilya became a Holkar as she was married to Khanderao, the only son of Malhar Rao.

Fate however was not very kind to the young princess. In the battle of Kumher, young Khanderao was one day inspecting his forces when he was fired upon. He died on the spot. As the custom demands, when his pyre was set up, Ahilya walked towards it to die along with her husband as there is no life for a woman beyond the life of her man. But Malhar Rao thought otherwise. He had lost a son, he did not intend to lose a daughter.

So he refused the ghastly custom to happen and raised Ahilya like her own. Twelve years later, when her father-in-law died followed soon by her son, she took the reigns of her kingdom and became a Queen par excellence, much ahead of her time.

Her kingdom was not very large but her deeds for that small piece of land were astonishing.

Punyaslok Rajmata Ahilyabai Holkar became a brave warrior and a skilled archer. From administration to military, she handled all affairs of her little kingdom with great talent and led her army to victories in battles. In all this, she did not simply sit back in her fort but led her armies on the battlefield, fighting with valour on her elephant, which had four bows and quivers of arrows fitted into the corners of the howdah.

Ahilya was fond of architecture. When she shifted the capital to Maheshwar, she built a beautiful palace named after her, on the banks of the Narmada. She also built various temples like Somnath and Kashi Vishweshwar and patronised literature, sculpture and music. Her belief in Gods was strong and reflected in her public works in holy cities.

Ahilyabai's greatest grief remains that her daughter jumped into the funeral pyre and became a Sati on the death of her husband, Yashwantrao Phanse.

She had the political skills in her and so appointed her father-in-law's trusted Tukoji Holkar as the Commander of her Armies. For her realm, she was like a mother who would sit among them and listen to their problems and give suggestions. Many considered her a goddess incarnation, some divine being to end the oppression and bring abundance for her people.

Her excellence, exuberance, ideas and ethical conduct made her a woman far ahead of her time. She was not royalty, but her proficiency and erudite political tactics made her one of the greatest Queens, history has witnessed.

“In latter days from Brahma came,

To rule our land, a noble dame,

Kind was her heart and bright her fame,

Ahilya was her honoured name. - Joanna Baillie