Deel 52.
Vanaf de poort naar het fort van Maheshwar komen we op een groot plein
waaraan het paleis en een groot aantal tempels liggen.
Detail van het paneel dat we eerder zagen.
De grote binnenplaats met tempels, bogen en paleizen.
Het is er niet heel druk maar overal zijn wel mensen.
Foto vanaf het Ahilyabai Holkar Fort naar de rivier. Dit fort is genoemd naar een Indiase heerser over Maheshwar waarover dadelijk meer informatie.
Dit is een voorstelling van Ahilya Bai Holkar. Ze woonde in dit huis en bestuurde Maheshwar vanuit hier.
In het paleis dat nu dienst doet als een soort museum stond deze tekst. Hieronder schrijf ik die uit.
Ahilya Bai Holkar, daughter-in-law of the founder of the Holkar Maharajas of Indore, ruled from Maheshwar for 30 years, 1765 to 1795. This building, built in 1766 housed both het living quarters on the first floor and her administration on the ground floor. A woman with great diplomatic and administrative skills, she became indispensible to her father-in-law, aiding him at Indore, in running affairs of state while he ranged far and wide. Enlarging his dominions through battle. Ahilyabai’s husband was killed in battle. She prepared to follow him on the funeral pyre, but her father-in-law, maharaja Malhar Rao Holkar, entreated her not to do so, saying that he personally could not do without her, and the state needed her even more. She acquiesced. Her abilities matched by dauntless spirit and courage, persuaded the peshwa to confirm her as overseer of the Holkar domains. The foundation was thus laid for a unique period of peace and prosperity within her realm. The rest of India, wracked by turbulence. But Holkar territory was calm and prosperous. Ahilya Bai took it upon herself te repair much of the damge done to her faith by the great iconoclast Aurangzeb.
Her good deeds span India’s breadth and width – most famously she rebuilt the Vishwanath temple in Benaras while supporting the resurrection of temples and dharamshalas around India, she took great care to ensure that muslims who settled in her territories were treated on par with her hindu subjects. Consequently, Ahilya Bai Holkar is venerated by people throughout India, and Narmada’s Parikrmavasis (pilgrimd) come to her town and her gadi (throne) to take her darshan (pay their charities) trust. This trust was created shortly after independence by the late maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar and the government of Madhya Bharat. The trustees include the head of the house of Holkar and representatives of the state and central governments.
Het water roept. Tijd voor een boottocht terug naar het hotel.
