Ahmednagar to become 'Ahilya Nagar,' announces Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde
The announcement was made public on Ahilya Bai Holkar's birth anniversary who was an inherited noble queen of the Maratha Empire in early modern India.
Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra, declared on Wednesday that the state's Ahmednagar district will now be known as "Ahilya Nagar." The announcement was made public on Ahilya Bai Holkar's birth anniversary who was an inherited noble queen of the Maratha Empire in early modern India.
The Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra will be renamed in honour of Ahilya Bai Holkar, according to a state government announcement. At Chaundhi, Nagar district, where they were celebrating Ahilya Bai Holkar's birth anniversary, the Maharashtra chief minister made the announcement.
A celebration honouring Ahilyabai Holkar, the Holkar Queen of the Maratha Malwa kingdom who is renowned for setting up temples and 'dharamashalas' (public rest houses) all over India, was held in Ahmednagar with the presence of the deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister Shinde, and numerous state ministers.
"Kashi wouldn't have survived if Rajamata Ahilyadevi Holkar hadn't been there. Without her, there wouldn't be any Shiva temples. People want Ahmednagar to be renamed Ahilyanagar for this reason. I'll ask CM Eknath Shinde for the same thing, too," he stated. The BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena coalition government was referred to as "Hindutva" government by the deputy chief minister.
"We are the ones who recite Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's name. Under your (Shinde's) direction, we established Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv. I think the chief minister is a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj "mawala" (soldier), and so Nagar (Ahmednagar) will be renamed Ahilyanagar," he further added.
Changing the names of Aurangabad and Osmanabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv, respectively, was proposed by the Maharashtra government in February, and it was approved by the Union home ministry. The district of Ahmednagar will soon be referred to as "Ahilya Nagar" in official documents, honouring the contributions of Ahilyadevi Holkar.