PLACES TO VISIT

It is a small town, you can potentially do it in a day or two. The city revolves around the Maheshwar Fort with the Narmada flowing gently on one side and the city emanating from its gates on the other. So, let us start our journey from the heart of this place

Shivalinga Puja At Ahilya Fort

In her days, 108 Brahmins used to create 125,000 miniature Shivalingas every day from black earth, worship them, and then offer them to the Narmada River. Today, 11 Brahmins create about 15,000 Shivalingas every day, worship them, and then offer them to Narmada waters. Every day between 8-10 AM you can witness this Puja. I was totally fascinated by it. I wanted to participate in the process, but it is only done by the assigned Brahmins. However, you are welcome to witness it and join in chanting the mantras as I did. Do watch it, if you are visiting this place. Watch a bit of it in this video.

Rajwada

Gaadi or the throne of Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar

Ahilya Fort or palace were potentially built by the Mughals. The palace is now a heritage hotel which means the residential part is open only to the guests staying here. However, the key areas are still open to the public. I was pleasantly surprised to see how many locals visit the place to pay their respects as if visiting a temple. Rajawada area is like a courtyard of a large house. As you enter you see an idol of Sri Krishna flanked by two cows. The open space in the middle is full of green plants, giving you a feeling, it is still a living space. Various boards in white and red tell you briefly about Holkars, Ahilya Bai, and her works to restore temples across India

In one of the open corridors or veranda is where Rani Ahilya Bai used to have her Gaadi or the court. This is where she sat with a Shivalinga in her hand, listened to her people, and did justice. The place is maintained as it used to be. Surrounded by wooden pillars with a cotton mattress, there is now a life-size statue of Ahilya Bai. On top are the portraits of various Holkars. What I liked the most was a long mural depicting the Maheshwar Fort from the Narmada. What remains with you is the innate simplicity of Maheshwar Rajwada, which is a reflection of the simplicity of the queen who ruled from here.

Temples Of Maheshwar

This place can well be called a temple town, for the life here revolves around temples and Narmada. It may not be possible to see all the temples where people believe that every stone found in the Narmada bank is a Shankar or God. Let me share a few temples I visited during my short stay at this place.

Ahilyeshwar Shivalaya

This is a beautiful temple in stone that combines many architectural styles in its stone walls. Built by Krishna Bai, Ahilya Bai's daughter it is called the chhatri or cenotaph of Ahilya Bai. It is built like a temple in Nagar style with a towering Shikhara. It has a Shivalinga in its Garbh Griha along with a statue of Ahilya Bai Holkar.

Two tall Deepastambhas, built in the typical Maharashtrian style stand on either side of the temple. There is a small temple dedicated to Sri Ram and Hanuman in the complex.

Mural Depicting The Narmada

The premises of Rajwada of Ahilya Bai has her Palki which is still taken out every Monday in a procession. There are statues in marble. What I found most interesting was the wood carved brackets – some in the shape of elephant trunks. Outside there are life-size images of an elephant, a horse, and a bull. The bull represents the Shiva's vehicle, Horse the Kuldevta of Holkars, and the Elephant a sign of royalty. Simplicity is the keyword at Ahilya Bai's Rajwada or palace.