Holkar

Author: Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Holkar is the family name of the Maratha rulers of Indore, which was adopted as a dynastic title. Holkars were a powerful family that was part of the Maratha Confederacy, which held the rank of subahdar under Peshwa Baji Rao I. When the Maratha Empire began weaker to weaken due to internal clashes, the Holkars declared themselves rulers of the Indore in Central India, which existed as an independent member of the Maratha Empire until 1818. Later, their kingdom became a princely state under the protectorate of British India.

Origin

• Holkar, the family name of the Maratha rulers of Indore, was adopted as a dynastic title. The family was of peasant origin and of shepherd caste. It is said to have migrated from the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh to the village of Hol about 65 km. from Pune in Maharashtra. The name of this village coupled with the Maratha terminal kar (meaning: an inhabitant of) provided a surname used by all members of the family.

• Holkars were of Dhangar origin.

• It is to be noted that Dhangar is a Jat clan. It needs a Genealogical research to establish any Jat-Maratha Connection.

Maratha Jat connections

Ranmal Singh pointed out Maratha Jat connections. Some of the Maratha clans evolved from Jat clans as under:

• Holkar - From Haga Jat clan
• Sindia - From Sindhu Jat clan
• Gayakwar - From Gawar Jat clan
• Bhosle - From Bisu Jat clan
• Pawar - From Panwar/Parmar Jat clan

This is based on oral History and needs Genealogical research to establish any Jat-Maratha Connection.

Holkars Of Indore

Holkar, the family name of the Maratha rulers of Indore, was adopted as a dynastic title. The family was of peasant origin and of shepherd caste. It is said to have migrated from the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh to the village of Hol about 65 km. from Pune in Maharashtra. The name of this village coupled with the Maratha terminal kar (meaning: an inhabitant of) provided a surname used by all members of the family.

The founder of the dynasty was Malhar Rao Holkar (1694-1766), who rose from peasant origins by his own ability. In 1724, the Peshwa at Pune,delighted by his soldierly prowess, gave him command of 500 horseback soldiers and appointed him as the Peshwa's chief general in the Malwa with headquarters at Indore. He was given the previlege of flying a triangular red and white stripped flag which later became the ensign of the Holkar house.

In 1733, Peshwa gifted him the Indore area, thereby catapulting him to the ownership of a vast domain stretching from the Deccan to the Malwa table land. He gradually became independent of the Peshwa central rule and by the time of his death, he was the de facto ruler of Malwa.

After his death, as his son had died before him (killed by a cannon ball), he was succeeded by his daughter-in-law Ahilya Bai Holkar. She ruled from 1767 to 1795 with great skill and understanding. She governed the state from a palace fort at Maheshwar on the northern bank of the Narmada river. Sir John Malcolm, in his memoirs of Central India described her as a "female without vanity... excercising in the more active and able manner, despotic power with sweet humanity...". Though Ahilyabai never stayed in Indore, it is in her reign that Indore grew up into a city. Indore was an island of prosperity in a sea of voilence. Her rule became proverbial for justice and wisdom. She was the rare Indian royalty to be deified in her life time. She contributed a lot to the heritage of India by establishing several religious edifices remarkable in architecture. The Kashi Vishweswar temple at Varanasi being notable among them. Her unique pan-indian look is reflected in the fact that she built Dharmashalas at Badrinath in the north and Rameshwaram in the south, established Anna Chhatras at Dwarka in the west, Jagannathpuri in the east, and at Omkareshwar and Ujjain in central India. She also establishes charitable institutions at Gaya, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Prayag (Allahabad), Haridwar and Pandharpur. She was at heart a queen of whole India rather than that of the Holkar kingdom. She died at Maheshwar where a large mousoleum stands in her memory.

The commander of her forces was Tukoji Rao Holkar, of the same clan but no near relation. On his death in 1797 power was seized by Tukoji's son Jaswant Rao.

Jaswant Rao Holkar was a brilliant guerilla leader. After the defeat of Scindias (of Gwalior) in 1803, he took on the British forces and defeated Col. William Monson and beseiged Delhi. He was however, defeated by Gen. Gerard (Lord) Lake at Dig and Farrukhabad in November of 1804, and was compelled to make peace a year later. Soon after, he became insane and died in 1811.

In 1818, Holkars became a part of British India empire, when the British under Sir John Malcolm defeated the Holkars at Mahidpur. Indore now became the official capital of the Holkar kingdom with a British Resident stationed at Indore.

Indore was a participant in the Indian War of Independence of 1857. The then British resident at Indore - Colonel Henry Durand had brushed away any possibility of uprising insisting that "there was not a ripple to break the calm which reigned in Central India". At eight o'clock on 1st July 1857, mutiny began. Thirty-nine English subjects were killed and the Resident managed to escape. Indore was retaken by the British after a few months and Saadat Khan, who led the mutiny, was tried and sentenced to death.

The last four Holkar rulers are often called the Makers of Modern Indore.

• Tukoji Rao II (1844-1886) installed the first railway line from Khandwa to Indore . He also built the M.T.H. Hospital, Kila (now a Girls Degree College), Shiv Vilas Palace and began the construction of the Lal Baugh Palace.

• Shivaji Rao Holkar (1886-1903) was specially known for his love for architecture. Among the many to his credit is the Holkar Science College which has completed more than 100 years.

• Tukoji Rao III (1903-1926) gave the city the High Court, Gandhi Hall, Moti Bunglow and Yeshwant Niwas Palace.

• Yeshwant Rao Holkar (1926-1947) gave to Indore the famous six storied Maharaja Yeshwant Hospital.

Till 1947, when India became independent, Indore was a princely state. After independence, Indore state joined Dominion of India along with hundreds of other princely states. The Holkar dynsty as rulers of Indore formally came to an end when former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi abolished the state pension of all the ex-ruler families. Even now, the Holika (firewood burnt of the eve of Holi festival) in front of Rajbada is lit by members of Holkar family.

Source: 1. Encyclopaedia Britannica, "HOLKAR". 2. "Holkars of Indore". Indore District website.

History

Malhar Rao Holkar (1694–1766), a Maratha chief serving Peshwa Baji Rao, established the dynasty's rule over Indore. In the 1720s, he led Maratha armies in the Malwa region, and in 1733 was granted 9 parganas in the vicinity of Indore by the Peshwa. The township of Indore already existed as an independent principality established by Nandlal Mandloi of Kampel, Nandlal Mandloi was won by the Maratha force and allowed them to camp across the Khan River. In 1734, Malhar Rao established a camp later called Malharganj. In 1747, he began construction of his royal palace, the Rajwada. By the time of his death, he ruled much of Malwa, and was acknowledged as one of the five virtually independent rulers of the Maratha Confederacy.

He was succeeded by Ahilyabai Holkar (r. 1767–1795), his daughter-in-law. She was born in the Chaundi village in Maharashtra. She moved the capital to Maheshwar, south of Indore on the Narmada River. Rani Ahilyabai was a prolific builder and patron of Hindu temples in Maheshwar and Indore. She also built temples at sacred sites outside her kingdom, from Dwarka in Gujarat east to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple at Varanasi on the Ganges.

The adopted son of Malhar Rao Holkar, Tukoji Rao Holkar (r. 1795–1797) briefly succeeded Rani Ahilyabai upon her death. Tukoji Rao had been a commander under Ahilyabai for her entire rule.

The fall of the Maratha Empire

His son Yashwantrao Holkar (r. 1797–1811) (also called as Jaswant Rao) succeeded him upon his death. He tried to free the Delhi Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II from the British in the unsuccessful Second Anglo-Maratha War. The grateful Shah Alam gave him the title of Maharajadiraj Rajrajeshwar Alija Bahadur in honor of his bravery.

Attempts by Yashwantrao Holkar to unite the kings failed, and he was approached to sign a peace treaty with the British. The Treaty of Rajghat, signed late December 1805, recognised him as a sovereign king.

List of Holkar rulers of Indore

• Malhar Rao Holkar I (r. 2 November 1731 – 20 May 1766). Born 16 March 1693, died 20 May 1766
• Male Rao Holkar (r. 23 August 1766 – 5 April 1767). Born 1745, died 5 April 1767
• Ahilya Bai Holkar (first as a regent on 26 May 1766) (r. 27 March 1767 – 13 August 1795). Born 1725, died 13 August 1795
• Tukoji Rao Holkar I (r. 13 August 1795 – 29 January 1797). Born 1723, died 15 August 1797
• Kashi Rao Holkar (r. 29 January 1797 – January 1799) Born before 1776, died 1808
• Khande Rao Holkar (r. January 1799 – 22 February 1807) Born in 1798, died 1807
• Yashwant Rao Holkar I (first as a regent from 1799) (r. 1807 – 27 October 1811). Born 1776, died 27 October 1811
• Malhar Rao Holkar III (r. 27 October 1811 – 27 October 1833) Born 1806, died 27 October 1833
• Marthand Rao Holkar (r. 17 January 1833 – 2 February 1834). Born 1830, died 2 June 1849
• Hari Rao Holkar (r. 17 April 1834 – 24 October 1843). Born 1795, died 24 October 1843
• Khande Rao Holkar II (r. 13 November 1843 – 17 February 1844). Born 1828, died 17 March 1844
• Tukoji Rao Holkar II (r. 27 June 1844 – 17 June 1886). Born 3 May 1835, died 17 June 1886
• Shivaji Rao Holkar (r. 17 June 1886 – 31 January 1903). Born 11 November 1859, died 13 October 1908
• Tukoji Rao Holkar III (r. 31 January 1903 – 26 February 1926). Born 26 November 1890, died 21 May 1978
• Yashwant Rao Holkar II (r. 26 February 1926 – 1948). Born 6 September 1908, died 5 December 1961

On 22 April 1948 Yashwantrao Holkar II signed a covenant with the rulers of the adjoining princely states to form a new state known as Madhya Bharat. Madhya Bharat was created on 28 May 1948. On 16 June 1948, the princely state of Indore, which the House of Holkar ruled, merged with the newly independent Indian states.