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King after king after king came Tukoji Rao, who became a king when he was twelve. He learnt and became a good king by twenty. He fought battles and he got married and then he died. King after king after king followed him and here we are reading their stories!
Born on 3rd May 1835
This is the story of Maharajadhiraja (king of kings) Raj Rajeshwar (more king of kings) Sawai (honorific title for a strong and intelligent man) Shri (honorific man) Sir (honorific by western standards man) Tukoji Rao II Holkar XI Bahadur (courageous). He was born today in 1835.
But let us start a hundred and fourteen years ago when Malhar Rao who fought for Peshwa Baji Rao I set up his dynasty. Malhar Rao was known as Holkar Maharaja and that is how the title came! He eventually rose to the rank of Subedar and established his rule over Indore. He kept rising in rank and adding territory to his name.
Eventually, he became an independent ruler in Maratha and built a palace for himself and called it Rajwada - King's abode. After him came Ahilyabai Holkar, a queen. Then what?
The game began and many Holkars came after that - Tukoji Rao, Yashwant Rao, another Malhar Rao, Marthand Rao, Haro Rao, Khande Rao, and so on. They were nephews, sons and adopted sons.
They engaged in many battles against the British and over time became Maharajadhiraja. In these Anglo-Maratha wars, Holkars lost a lot and in the end, were subdued and became a princely state under British Raj.
Now in this massive family of Holkars, to one Holkar was born Shrimant Yukaji Jaswant Holkar. He is the topic of our story. When Khande Rao died, the earlier Maharaja Marthand Rao, jumped back on the throne and said he was the King. He had popular support but he didn't have the support of the people who mattered.
The British came, picked him up and told him - You can't be King! Britishers were like 'Tau Ji', they couldn't be refused.
Then a widow of Yashwant Rao (even former ruler) suggested the name of Jaswant Holkar, who was twelve at that time. The Britishers liked the idea (of course they would, kids are easier to control) and Indore found a new king. But the name was not liked, so it was changed to Tukoji Rao II because obviously, they didn't show much creativity as far as coming up with names was concerned, so they ended up recycling old names.
Four years after that, he started governing his kingdom. By the time he was twenty, he could manage the whole kingdom alone!
A King needs a Queen. So he married. First, he married Maharani Shrimant Akhand Soubhagyavati Mhalsa Bai Sahib Holkar, but she died of cholera. Poor woman! Then he married Maharani Shrimant Akhand Soubhagyavati Bhagirathi Bai Sahib Holkar and Maharani Shrimant Akhand Soubhagyavati Radha Bai Sahib Holkar. Three Queens with big names, the Maharaja was good!!
This was the story of Tukoji Rao Holkar. He did many reforms in his rule but they are not duly noted. When India rebelled against the Britishers, he stayed loyal to the British and fought for the East India Company, this is duly noted. And when he died, his son carried on the name and business of Holkars and the chain continued. Until India got independence and all the kings lost power. Hail Democracy!
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