During the Ganpati vacation of September 2024, we visited Maheshwar, a small, quaint town on the banks of the holy Narmada just 90 kilometres from Indore. As we explored the town located in the fertile Narmada valley surrounded by the vast tracts of cotton fields, we encountered fascinating facets and realised that Maheshwar is multidimensional. The town is embedded with layers of history, culture, tradition and spirituality that appeal to the casual tourist, pilgrims, history buffs, fashion connoisseurs and casts a spell of charm on anyone who has ever visited it.
We reached Maheshwar on a balmy September afternoon just a few hours before sunset. For our stay, we chose the Madhya Pradesh Tourism property, which is located on the banks of the River Narmada. After freshening up a little, we went to the terrace of the property and witnessed an amazing sunset. The monsoon was just about to recede, and River Narmada was in the pink of her health. The rains had been plentiful, and in the pinkish golden light of sunset, she appeared like a benign lady who was about to bestow her blessings on mankind. As darkness descended on the sleepy town, we walked towards the Ghat area which was about one kilometre from the MP tourism property. We crossed small lanes and bylanes and reached the Narmada Ghat. Around 8 p.m., there was an aarti dedicated to the river considered to be the elixir of life in this region. We strolled around the market area and saw a plethora of shops selling the famous Maheshwari weave. In fact, Maheshwar today is the hub of a flourishing textile industry whose history dates back to ancient times. In the ancient epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, the town was mentioned as Mahishmati, the capital of King Kartivarjun. There are many interesting stories and legends of those times that speak of how the women of Mahishmati enjoyed freedom that was unheard of elsewhere in Aryavarta. Maheshwar’s connection with women’s liberation was reinforced in the late 18th century when it became the capital of the great Maratha Queen Ahilyabai Holkar.
The next morning, we decided to see Maheshwar Fort and Palace, which were built during the reign of Ahilyabai, a period that has been described as the Golden Era of Maheshwar. We hired an autorickshaw and first went to a place called Sahashradhara, located in the outskirts of the town where the river Narmada flows through rocks and gets divided into thousands of streams. A pleasant auto rickshaw ride across the vast expanse of cotton fields brought us back to the centre of the town where the palace and fort were situated. Today, the palace and fort stand testimony to the contribution of Rajmata Ahilyabai Holkar, an able administrator, a great military ruler and a social reformer who believed that upliftment of society could be achieved through religious, educational and cultural upliftment.
The palace does not have the opulence and grandeur of traditional palaces. It is simple and reflects the personality of the queen, who lived a life full of devotion and piety. The fort area has some exquisite carvings and a beautifully carved temple exclusively dedicated to Lord Shiva. As we walked along the fort area, we were greeted by the ticktock of looms, which was symptomatic of the fact that Maheshwar is the hub of a thriving textile industry. In fact, one of Ahilyabai’s greatest contributions was the revival of the weaving tradition that had existed in the region since the 5th century. The delicate Maheshwari weave that blends cotton with silk and is the perfect summer textile was developed during her time. The queen brought weavers from different places, and new aesthetics began to develop during her time. She instructed her craftsmen to take inspiration from local architecture and elements of nature, like the wave pattern of the river Narmada. Soon a vibrant textile industry flourished, and this led to economic and social development. Weaving skills were imparted to women as the queen felt that women had the power to change the world.
Economic prosperity also resulted in the development of art and architecture. The fort, which was originally built by Akbar, was given a facelift, and the ghats were revived and rebuilt for pilgrims to pay tribute to the river. Another interesting fact about the ghats of Maheshwar is that they somewhat resemble the ghats of Banaras, and many Bollywood movies like Manikarnika and Padman have been shot in the ghats.
During the British Raj, the handloom industry suffered a great setback because of the rampant mechanisation of looms. Post-independence efforts were taken to revive the handloom industry. In 1978, Rehwa Society, an NGO, was established by the descendants of the Holkar family to preserve the weaving heritage and also to support the artisans by providing them housing, education and healthcare. We visited the Rehwa Society and saw how meticulously they are trying to preserve a weaving heritage. The women who were working in the looms were highly motivated. Today, there are about 250/300 weavers, most of them women, who are working in the society, and the profits that are earned are used for employee welfare, training and skill development. Rehwa society’s efforts are a shining example of how women’s empowerment can be achieved through education, training and welfare schemes.
Our day came to an end with a boat ride across the swelling waters of the river Narmada. As I sat on the boat looking at the ghats thronged with pilgrims, revellers and casual tourists, I felt that Maheshwar is a microcosmic reflection of what India is—a medley of cultures, traditions and spirituality all inextricably wrought together by an all-pervasive spirit of oneness. Maheshwar’s story of women empowerment from ancient times to present day has a universal relevance that transcends the boundaries of space, time and cultures.
Fact File
Location:
90 km from Indore, Indore is well connected to the rest of the country by both rail and air.
Places to stay:
MPT Maheshwar, a unit of Madhya Pradesh Tourism
Hotel Ahilya Fort, a luxury hotel inside the fort
Nearby places to visit:
Historic town of Mandu
Religious town of Omkareshwar
The writer, currently based in Mumbai, is a travel and creative writer with a vast experience in travelling through India and abroad