Ahilyabai Holkar (Marathi pronunciation: [əɦɪljɑbaɪ]; 31 May 1725 – 13 August 1795), also spelled Ahalya Bai, was the Rajamata and later the ruling queen of Indore within the Maratha Empire. She established Maheshwar (in Madhya Pradesh) as the seat of the Holkar Dynasty. Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar is renowned for good governance, along with educational and cultural development. She commisioned a number of temples, Ghats, Pathasalas, and Dharmshalas as socio-cultural projects, while also contribu…