Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar To Be Renamed Ahilyanagar

Zaheer Hussain
June 2, 2023
976

On Wednesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated that Ahmednagar would be renamed ‘Ahilyanagar’. This occurred following the announcement of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that he will propose to the Chief Minister that Ahmednagar City be renamed “Ahilyanagar.” Fadnavis, Shinde, and other state ministers were at Ahmednagar to observe the birth anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar. The Maratha Malwa kingdom’s Holkar Queen is well-known throughout India for her temple and “Dharamshala,” or public rest houses.

Why In The News?

Marking The 298^th Birth Anniversary Of Maratha Queen Ahilyabai Holkar On Wednesday (May 31), Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde Announced That His Government Would Rename Ahmednagar After Her. The Western Maharashtrian City Will Now Be Known As Ahilyanagar.
Earlier In December 2022, Maharashtra Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar Had Informed The State Legislative Council That He Was In Conversation With The District Administration To Rename The City As ‘Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Nagar’.

Tracing The History Of City – Ahmednagar:

Located In The Western Region Of Maharashtra, Ahmednagar Has Been A Part Of Some Prominent Kingdoms, Starting From 240 BC, When The Vicinity Is Mentioned In The Reference To The Mauryan Emperor Ashok.
In The Medieval Period, The Region Was Ruled Over By The Rashtrakuta Dynasty, The Western Chalukyas, And Then The Delhi Sultanate. In The Last Case, The Rule Was Not Direct, And A Revolt By Afghan Soldier Aladdin Hasan Gangu Led To The Establishment Of The Bahmani Kingdom In The Deccan.
In The Following Years, Ahmednagar, Then Known As Nizamshahi, Became One Of The Five Independent Kingdoms To Emerge From That Empire. In 1486, Malik Ahmad Nizam Shah Assumed The Position Of The Bahmani Sultanate’s Prime Minister.
He Successfully Defeated The King Of The Bahmani Kingdom, Who Tried To Dislodge Him From Power, In 1490. Four Years Later, He Laid The Foundation Of A City Close To Where He Had Defeated The Army, On The Left Bank Of Sina River. This City Was Named After Him: Ahmednagar.

Who Was Ahilyabai Holkar?

Ahilyabai Was Born In Chondi Village Of Ahmednagar To The Village Head Mankoji Shinde, Who Ensured That His Daughter Received An Education, Which Was Quite Rare At That Time.
It Is Believed That Malhar Rao Holkar, The Army Commander To Peshwa Bajirao, Spotted Eight-year-old Ahilyabai At A Temple Service In Chondi. Impressed By Her Devotion And Character, He Decided To Get His Son, Khande Rao, Married To Her.
After Her Husband’s Death In The Battle Of Kumbher Against The King Of Bharatpur In 1754, Ahilyabai Took Control Of Malwa. She Excelled At Administrative And Military Strategies Under The Guidance Of Her Father-in-law.
Who Believed She Should Lead Her People, And Not Die By Sati After Khande Rao Passed Away. After The Death Of Her Father-in-law And Son A Few Years Later, She Petitioned The Peshwa To Become The Ruler, Backed By The Support Of Her Army.
In His Book, Nehru Said Holkar’s Rule, Which Lasted For Thirty Years (1765-1795), Was “Almost Legendary As A Period During Which Perfect Order And Good Government Prevailed And The People Prospered. She Was A Very Able Ruler And Organizer, Highly Respected During Her Lifetime.”

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