Maharashtra's historic Ahmednagar city to be renamed as Ahilyanagar after Maratha queen

The Ahmednagar district in western Maharashtra will be renamed as Ahilyanagar- after Ahilyabai Holkar, the iconic 18th-century Maratha queen, chief minister Eknath Shinde announced on Wednesday. Shinde was speaking at a function at Choundi in the district, the birthplace of Ahilyadevi (also known as Ahilya Bai), to mark her 298th birth anniversary. Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said at the function that he would request CM Shinde to rename Ahmednagar city as Ahilyanagar’. “Our government works keeping in mind the ideal of governance set by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Ahilyadevi Holkar. Therefore, as per the wish of all of you, we have decided to rename (the district) for Ahilyadevi Holkar,” Shinde said in his speech.

Ahmednagar will now be AhilyaNagar !
That’s our Govt’s humble tribute to the fearless warrior queen Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar..
अहमदनगर जिल्ह्याचे नाव बदलण्याची मागणी सातत्याने केली होती. माझे सहकारी राधाकृष्ण विखे पाटीलजी, राम शिंदे, गोपीचंद पडळकर आणि इतरही नेते सातत्याने… pic.twitter.com/8OBznjNlBO

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) May 31, 2023

Fadnavis said that had Ahilyadevi Holkar not been there, “there would not have been Kashi, temples of Lord Shiva.” The ruling alliance of the BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena was a Hindutva government," he added. The deputy CM also noted that before this, the Shinde government renamed Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad as Dharashiv. The city of Ahmednagar, 120 km northeast of Pune, is said to have been named after its founder- the 15th-century ruler Ahmad Nizam Shah I. Ahilyabai Holkar was born in the present-day Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News, Trending News,  Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.