Maheshwar Fort (Rajwada) Tourism

Top 5 Reviews on Maheshwar Fort (Rajwada)

• Suryakatakam

  ★★★★4.0

  Wrote on 11 Jan 2022

  Simplicity is the best word to Express about Rajwada

  Rajwada of Maheshar is built by the Holkars of the Maratha Empires about two centuries ago, which reflects in Maratha Architectural style dominantly , but it also show case Mughal and French trends.13 feet high Rani Ahalyabai statue standing tall right at the main entrance is the special attraction of Rajwada. Rajwada is the place where Ahilyabai use to sit for administration and justice for all. Rajwada complex is best approachable from the north entrance of the fort which is called as Ahilya Dwar, one of the five gateways of the fort. Rajwada area is like a courtyard of large house. Rajwada is a two stored wooden building. The entrance to the building opens into an open corridor, surrounded by a pillared verandah on all sides. As we enter we can see an Idol of Sri Krishna flanked by two cows. The open space in the middle is full of greenery with plants like Garden. The rooms on the upper floor served as the royal residence while lower were meant for guests. At present visitors are not allowed to first floor. We can only visit lower floor where there is a small museum exhibiting objects used by Ahilya bhai. There are boards displayed which tells us briefly about Holkar's, Ahilya Bai and her works towards development of Holkar Kingdom. If you spend some time here you can understand the history of Holkar's and greatness of Rani Ahilyabai. Guests are available to show case entire fort and all nearby temples. Special attraction of the Lower floor is Rani Ahilyabai Gaddi. In one of the open corridor Rani Ahilyabai used to have her Gaddi of the court, which is left to the main entrance when you are entering in to the Rajwada. This is where she sat and listened to her people, and did justice. Now thew is Gaddi surrounded by wooden pillars with a cotton mattresses to showcase those days arrangements as is and Rani Statue is arranged here to get feel of those days. By seeing this arrangement I understood the simplicity of the Rani Ahilyabai. After visiting Rajwada Lower floor come out from the main entrance and turn towards your right while exit and there is one more entrance which takes you towards the place where Unique rituals that was put in place by Rani Ahilyabai herself and that continues till date. In her days, 108 brahmins used to create 125000 miniature Shivalinga's everyday from black earth, worship them and then offer them to the Narmada River. Today, 11 Brahmins create about 15000 Shivlinga's everyday, worship them, and then offer them to Narmada River. This pooja happens everyday between 08:00 to 10:00 in the morning. we went there in the afternoon to we were missed the same. please plan your visit to Rajwada in the morning to witness the same.

• abkush

  ★★★★★5.0

  Wrote on 24 Dec 2021

  Residence of Ahilyabai Holkar

  This is where Ahilyabai Holkar used to reside. True to her self, the residence is quite simple and sober. It's good to visit it to get more information about her rule and deeds and how she setup the city of Maheshwar. Nice place.

• RkRoadie

  ★★★★4.0

  Wrote on 22 Oct 2021

  Rajawada of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar

  Rajwada is the place where Rani Devi Ahilyabai Holkar used to stay. One can see how simple life she has lived. You can also see the court where she used to provide judgement. The Rajwada has shivlings which was kept by Ahilyabai with her own hands. One can see the view of Narmada river from here.

• gluttonyguilts

  ★★★3.0

  Wrote on 1 Oct 2019

  Very simple

  This is the place where Queen Ahilyabai used to stay. The palace is not very grand although rooms are available for staying for tourists.

• Pan_India_Traveller

  ★★★★★5.0

  Wrote on 26 Sept 2019

  Notes from my Trip- Puja, Palace, History of Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar. *MUST SEE PLACE

  Puja, Palace, History of Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar. Her palace is a very simple big house. She worshipped shiva lingas and river Narmada. During her period 108 Brahmins would worship 1.5 lakh clay shiv lingas and after puja and Aarthi would immerse it in narmada. She used to do it for Jan Kalyan/well wishing for her subjects . This practice is continued till today. The Brahmins come at 830 am and they make it in 1 hour. Then after that they do puja ,Abhishek, prathishta and immerse it in narmada . In the palace you see a very simple seat of Ahilya Bai where she would meet her council and public . From her room there's a direct line of sight of the Narmada which used to revere a lot. Her palanquin and the weapons she used are also displayed in this courtyard. There's a small adjacent room where shiv linga made of silver are kept. This sanctum sanctorum has a rudraksha mala horse back soldier Malhari Marthand who is Ahilya Bai's kuldevta . History of Holkar Dynasty When Holkars were ruling in this area under the Peshwas, a Holkar king Malhar Rao Holkar working under Balaji Baji Rao Peshwa sees a small girl in a farm Ahilya Bai and adopts her and feels she's destined for great things. Though she was not born into royal family, he gets her married to his son. She has 2 children. Her husband is killed in battle soon . Her father in law prevents her from committing Sati and trains her to be a ruler. Her son is mentally ill and he too dies. Her daughter marries a commoner and the daughter performs sati. Despite all these setbacks she becomes a compassionate ruler for the betterment of subjects. The ramparts of the fort which we see now were built later by Mughal rulers. She got the weavers to develop the famous Maheshwari sarees. She built/restored temples from Kedarnath to Kashi to Somnath to Rameshwaram. The entire Malwa region came under her. Transferred the capital from Indore to Maheshwar Inside the fort is a beautiful hexagonal shaped Chhatri/Cenotaph of Vithoji Rao in the centre. The designa on the inner walls are mesmerising.  Opposite to it, a flight of steps leads to the Cenotaph of Ahilya Bai. Ahilya Bai's remains are not there in this Cenotaph, it is considered as Ahilya Bai's temple. The floral and zig zag patterns on the sides are some if the best designs inspiring Maheshwari sarees designs even today. After Ahilya Bai's tenure, the capital was moved back to Indore. Temples inside the fort and some traditions associated with Maheshwar - Maheshwars old name is Mahismathi ( Bahubali fame) Karthavirya Arjuna Temple Karthavirya Arjuna or Sahasra Arjuna story - Karthavirya Arjuna was a brave warrior with 1000 hands. He had 500 wives. Once when they were Bathing , the flow of Narmada was great and so he stopped the river . Ravana passing that way, saw the river had stopped, so he builta Shiva Linga and started worshipping it. By the time the wives had finished bathing and Karthavirya Arjuna released the water . Ravana almost drowns and his shiva Linga is swept away. Enraged by this Ravana trues to fight with Karthavirya Arjuna . Karthavirya caught him in his thousand arms flipped him and tied Ravana on his son's cradle as a plaything for 6 months . This is a shiva temple with a niche for karthavirya Arjuna. 2.Raja Rajeshwara Temple Agni fell in love with a daughter of a king Neela and comes in disguise to meet Her.  When the king finds out, he confronts the stranger, Agni manifests himself in his full form . The king asks for forgiveness and asks Agni to protect his land forever. In return Agni says the ladies in the kingdom should have the freedom from marriage and need not sanctify their wedding. 3.It is said that in the Mahabharata, it is mentioned that Mahismathi is exempt from all the rules followed all over India. Even when Sahadeva came on the Digvijaya, he came to Mahismathi prayed to Agni and goes back without attacking Mahismathi. They light 11 lamps to honour Agni at the Raja Rajeshwara temple complex 4.River Narmada temple - There us a small temple of River Narmada at the banks .Â