PROFILE OF MAHESHWAR

Heritage Resources

People and Culture

Maheshwar is an important pilgrimage destination, and thousands of people flock to the city for this reason. They visit temples devoted to Lord Shiva and bathe in the holy River Narmada. The major pilgrimage circuit is the five-day, 70 km-long walk called Panchkroshi Yatra. The Panchkroshi Yatra starts at the ancient Raj Rajeshwar Temple (the place where the famous Haiheya Emperor Kartavirya Arjuna attained samadhi) and is held every year in the memory of the much revered Queen Ahilyabai Holkar. Around 20,000 persons take part in this annual walk, and they stay and rest in the temples and on the ghats.

Maheshwar is full of festivals and celebrations. Every year Swaadhyaaya Bhavan Ashram organizes Mahaamrityunjaya Rath Yatra in the town of Maheshwar. This Mahaamrityunjaya Rath Yatra was initiated by Shri Harvilas Aasopaa for the welfare of humanity, and is known to be the first of its kind in the world. The yatra intends to invoke blessings of Ayurved Murti Bhagwaan Sadaashiv Mahaamrityunjaya (who is regarded as the primordial and supreme doctor), and it starts from Swaadhyaaya Bhawan Ashram and culminates at the banks of the Narmada.

The festivals of lord Ganesh and Navaratra are also celebrated with great enthusiasm. During Navratra, the urban squares and public places are filled with festive people dancing, singing and praying. Other prominent annual festivals include the Mahashivratri, Ahilya festival, Narmada festival, Kalidas festival and the sacred river festivals. The most prominent Muslim celebration occurs during the Moharram and is signified by the beautiful tazias that are taken out in processions. The continuing reverence for the Queen Ahilya Bai Holkar is visible as thousands of devotees throng to the Ahilyabada, the palace within the fort from where she ruled and held meetings to coordinate her welfare and building works across India.

Built Heritage

Maheshwar is famous for its fort, and its numerous temples are also highlights of the townscape. The temples and ghats of Maheshwar have together given the town a distinct identity. The ghats are named after the dynasties such as Peshwa ghat, Fanase ghat and Ahilya ghat. Lining the river Narmada, flights of steps lead down from the sandy banks to the river. The religious, cultural and daily life of the people plays out on the river bank. Pilgrims and holy men sit here in silent meditation; rows of women carry gleaming brass pots down to collect the water of the sacred river; ferryloads of villagers cross and re-cross the river. Lining the banks are memorials in stone to the satis of Maheshwar, who perished on the funeral pyres of their husbands. The memorial shrine or chattri of Ahilya Bai, an ornate building that resembles a temple, is one of the grand monuments in Maheswar.

The magnificent Maheshwar fort palace, built in 1766, is simple and elegant. It is a typical example of the Maratha architecture of the period. Within the complex is an exquisite small shrine which is a starting point of the ancient Dussehra ceremony which is still carried out. The image is installed reverently in a splendid palanquin and carried down the steep fort road to the town below to receive the yearly homage of the people of Maheshwar.

The temples of Maheshwar with their tiered and soaring spires are distinguished by carved overhanging balconies and intricately worked doorways and walls. Kaleshwar, Rajarajeshwara, Vithaleshwara and Ahileshwar are the main temples here. This place is also known for its archaeological significance:  Navdatoli is an archaeological site situated just outside Maheshwar, and discovered in 1950. In the early stages of excavation, painted pottery and microliths were found. More excavations on this site have confirmed that people from resided there from the lower paleolithic period until the 18th century.

Literature, Arts and Crafts

Maheshwar has been a centre of handloom weaving since the fifth century. It is home to one of India's finest handloom fabric traditions and is a noted centre for weaving colourful Maheshwari saris. Maheshwari saris were introduced into Maheshwar 250 years ago by Rani Ahilyabai and are renowned throughout India for their unique weave and distinctive designs involving stripes, checks and floral borders. The handlooms also make fabric used in kurtas and other clothing.

The origin of Maheshwari saris is traced to the establishment of Rehwa Society, an NGO founded by the Holkars in 1978 to give women employment and revive the town's textiles. About 130 weavers associated with the society produce over 100,000 meters of fine fabrics a year. The weaving centre is located in one of Maheshwar's historic buildings. Rehwa Society also provides free school for weavers' children and runs a low-cost health scheme. There are a few other small local organizations involved in weaving of saris and other fabrics.