๐ฉRajmata Ahilyadevi Holkar was a Holkar Queen of the Malwa Kingdom. She was a brave warrior and an excellent archer, who led the army many times to protect her kingdom.
๐ฉShe respected art, music, literature, sculpture, poetry and her court was always open for artists.
๐ฉHer capital was known for its distinct craftsmen, sculptors and artists who were paid handsomely for their work and kept in high regards by the queen. She also moved on to establishing a textile industry in the city. She developed Indore into a big and flourished city.
๐ฉDuring her reign, the crime rate greatly dropped as she encouraged poor people to get involved in trade or farming. She employed forest tribes to be the protectors of the travelling merchants.
๐ฉShe was philanthropic and provided her people proper infrastructure by properly utilising tax money.
๐ฉShe helped widows in retaining their husband's property so that they can live their lives independently and with honour.
๐ฉMost of the developments and charity were done by her personal fund which was estimated to be 16 crore at that time.
๐ฉDuring her pilgrimages all over the country , she was appalled by seeing conditions of temples , Ghats and Dharmashalas. She generously donated for upliftment of these holy places. She built hundreds of temples and Dharmashalas throughout India.
๐ฉFamous Somnath temple of Gujarat was reconstructed by her after it was looted and destroyed by Mohammad Ghaznavi.
๐ฉKashi Vishvanath Temple of Varanasi and Vishnupad Temple in Gaya, Bihar was reconstructed by her. Most of the Ghats near the banks of Ganga in Varanasi were constructed during her reign.
๐ฉShe built temples at Srinagar, Haridwar, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Rishikesh, Prayaga, Varanasi, Naimisharanya, Puri, Rameshwaram, Somnath, Nasik, Omkareshvar, Mahabaleshwar, Pune, Indore, Srisailam, Udipi, Gokarna etc.
๐ฉ She built hundreds of temples from Badrinath, Dwarka, Omkareshwar to Puri, Gaya, Rameswaram. Every holy pilgrimage place in India had a contribution, in one way or another, from Devi Ahilyabai Holkar.
๐ฉShe built roads, wells, forts, temples, lodges throughout India.
๐ฉAhilyabai never issued capital punishment. She took personal oath from the prisoners & released them. A prisoner who promised not to commit misdeeds again was released. Many such prisoners adopted an honest life and this generosity showed results.
๐ฉAt the same time she paid special attention to the maintenance of the four Dhams and the seven holy pilgrimage centers in India.
๐ฉWhen Devi Ahilyabai Holkar held court for justice, she always had a Shivling made of clay in her hands.
๐ฉIn memory of this great female ruler, the Government of India issued commemorative stamps in 1966.
๐ฉ Queen Ahilya Bai Holkar was the only public figure who has been conferred with the title of Devi.
๐ฉ In Vishnu Purana the Maruts are said to be the sons of Rishi Kashyap and Diti. Diti having lost her children, propitiated her husband, who promised her a boon.She asked that she should have a son of irresistible prowess & valour, who should destroy Indra.
๐ฉ The Muni promised to grant this request on one condition. โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐," he said,โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐,
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐.โ Diti accepted the boon with this condition.
๐ฉWhile the Pandavas were in exile,the wind brought a beautiful Saugandhika flower & dropped it near Draupadi.She was delighted with its sweet fragrance & divine beauty.She asked Bhima to bring her more such flowers.
๐ฉBhima went in search of the flower.As he was walking through the forest,he saw an old monkey sleeping in his path.He made sound to scare it away.But he didn't move. Bhima ordered the monkey to give him the way.
๐ฉThe monkey said, "๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐ญ๐จ๐จ ๐จ๐ฅ๐ & ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฏ๐. ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ก ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐."
Bhima tried very hard to move its tail but failed.
๐ฑShani Jayanti is an extremely auspicious Hindu festival, which commemorates the birth anniversary of Shani Dev, son of Surya Dev. It falls on Amavasya of the Vaisakha month.
๐ฑShani is associated with the planet Saturn and exerts an enormous influence on the life of all individuals.
Astrologers recommend the worship of Shani Dev to nullify the malefic effects of the planet in ones horoscope.
๐ฉVat Savitri Puja is observed by married women with great dedication and devotion for longevity of their husbands.
๐ฉThe festival is dedicated to the legendary married woman Savitri who succeeded in getting back her deceased husband from Yama Dev, Satyawan by her severe penance.
๐ฉVat Savitri Puja is mainly observed in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Orissa and Maharashtra. Married ladies especially of Tamil Nadu and Karanataka observe the festival with a different name as Karadaiyan Nonbu.
๐ฉSenapati Santaji Ghorpade (1642-1697) the '๐๐๐ง๐ง ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ก๐๐ซ' whose name was terror to Mughals from Pune to Chennai.
๐ฉThe man who put fear in the heart of Aurangzeb. Between 1689 and 1697 when he died, Santaji defeated and captured several Mughal generals in Maharashtra, Karnataka and today's Tamil Nadu.
๐ฉOn one occasion Santaji came close to killing Aurangzeb and on another occasion he could have captured the emperor alive. The best part is that even Mughal history which is full of abuses and epithets for him records his exploits.
๐ฉShree MahaLakshmi Temple, Mumbai is one of the oldest temples in the city. It is dedicated to Goddess MahaLakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. It is a seaside Temple along the shores of the Arabian Sea.
๐ฉThe Temple also has the Vigrahas of Goddess MahaKali & Goddess MahaSaraswati.All the 3 Murtis are adorned with gold bangles, pearl necklaces & nose rings. Within the Gabhara, Vigrahas of the Goddesses, MahaLakshmi, MahaKali & MahaSaraswati are ornamented with jewels & flowers.
๐ฉThe thrones too are covered in silver, adorned with intricate carvings. According to the records, MahaLakshmi Temple was constructed around 1761-1771 CE.