Lokmata Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Brought Glory to Sanatan Culture: CM Dr. Yadav

Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav said that Ahilyabai Holkar, revered as Lokmata, brought immense glory to Sanatan culture as an ideal warrior, a powerful ruler, and a virtuous leader. He stated that on the occasion of her 300th birth anniversary, the concluding ceremony of the ‘Goda to Narmada’ Jal Yatra, organised by the Government of Maharashtra, was held in her karmabhoomi, Maheshwar, amid great enthusiasm, reflecting the enduring importance of her legacy.

Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav remarked that Devi Ahilya’s legacy is so profound that a Jal Yatra dedicated to her is inaugurated by the Chief Minister of one state and concluded by the Chief Minister of another. He stated that Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are like twin brothers due to their shared heritage. He congratulated the Government of Maharashtra for the successful organisation of the ‘Goda to Narmada’ Jal Yatra.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav stated that the ideals of Lokmata Devi Ahilya Bai serve as an inspiration for the Madhya Pradesh government. He informed that on the occasion of her tricentenary, the state government had organised Cabinet meetings dedicated to her last year in Maheshwar and Indore. Inspired by her legacy, a traditional Shastra Pujan ceremony was also organised in Maheshwar during Dussehra.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav further said that a daily ‘light and sound’ show is organised at Ahilya Ghat in Maheshwar, showcasing the glorious history of Lokmata. The state government is constructing Devi Ahilya Lok in Maheshwar, with its foundation ceremony to be performed soon. To improve connectivity, a four-lane highway is also being developed. Following Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar’s legacy of building temples, ghats, and public utilities, the state government is undertaking efforts to strengthen the management of religious sites and enhance connectivity by linking religious towns through heli-services.

Water Resources Minister of Maharashtra, Dr. Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, said that Lokmata Ahilya Devi’s ideals of water management, public welfare, and good governance remain a source of inspiration. The ‘Goda to Narmada’ Jal Yatra was organised to spread awareness while carrying forward her legacy of water management. He informed that the yatra brought water from the Godavari River and 130 other rivers of Maharashtra, along with sacred soil from her birthplace Chondi, to Maheshwar. This water and soil will be used for planting a Belpatra sapling in the Rajwada. He expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Dr. Yadav for attending the closing ceremony.

Maharashtra Revenue Minister Shri Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that the Jal Yatra, organised on the occasion of Lokmata Ahilya Devi Holkar’s tricentenary, represented a remarkable confluence of spirituality, environmental conservation, and culture. He highlighted that youth, farmers, and self-help groups actively participated, setting an example of public awareness through Janbhagidari. The yatra has provided a new direction to water conservation. He added that under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Yadav, a ‘water revolution’ is taking place in Madhya Pradesh, celebrating Lokmata’s ideals. At the end of the program, Maharashtra’s Minister of Marketing and Protocol, Shri Jaykumar Rawal, delivered the vote of thanks.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav, along with other distinguished guests, performed the ceremonial Maha Aarti of Maa Narmada River at the historic Ahilya Ghat in Maheshwar. Amid the sacred chants of ‘Namami Devi Narmade’ and a vibrant fireworks display, he prayed for the prosperity and well-being of the state. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav also paid floral tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Lokmata Devi Ahilya Bai. During the event, the collected water urns and soil urns from the Jal Yatra were ceremonially presented to him.

Among those present at the program were Lokmata Ahilya Devi’s descendant Shrimant Yashwantrao Holkar, Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur, Members of Parliament Shri Gyaneshwar Patil and Shri Shankar Lalwani, MLAs Shri Rajkumar Mev (Maheshwar), Shri Sachin Birla (Barwah), Shri Balkrishna Patidar (Khargone), District Panchayat President Smt. Anubai Tanwar, along with several public representatives and senior officials from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

On the occasion of Lokmata Ahilya Devi Holkar’s 300th birth anniversary, the ‘Goda to Narmada’ Jal Yatra was organised by the Godavari and Krishna Valley Irrigation Development Corporation and the Water Resources Department of Maharashtra to spread a strong message of water management and conservation. The yatra was inaugurated on April 25, 2026, from the banks of the Godavari at Trimbakeshwar by Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis and from Chondi, Lokmata’s birthplace, by Deputy Chief Minister Shri Eknath Shinde.

The yatra passed through 5 districts of Maharashtra and 3 districts of Madhya Pradesh, carrying water from 130 rivers and sacred soil from Chondi, before concluding at Ahilya Ghat on the banks of the Narmada. Around 1,000 participants, devotees and members of the Warkari community took part, spreading awareness about water conservation and Lokmata Ahilya Devi’s contributions to water management among the masses.