New Delhi — The grand halls of Rashtrapati Bhavan resonated with the stirring tale of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, as renowned dastango from Lucknow, Dr. Himanshu Bajpai and Dr. Pragya Sharma, brought her story to life through a captivating performance of Dastan-e-Ahilya.
The event was part of a two-day literary conclave held on May 29–30, jointly organised by the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, Ministry of Culture, and Sahitya Akademi, marking the 300th birth anniversary of the legendary Maratha queen. Titled “How Much Has Literature Changed?”, the conclave was inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu and featured a special cultural evening dedicated to Ahilyabai Holkar’s life and legacy.
The dastan opened with a dramatic anecdote involving Anandibai, wife of Raghoba, who sends her maid to uncover the secret behind Ahilyabai’s popularity. The tale revealed Ahilyabai’s modest lifestyle, her deep sense of justice, and her refusal to commit sati, choosing instead to devote her life to public welfare.
Among many striking episodes was the retelling of how Ahilyabai sentenced her own son, Male Rao, to death for crushing a calf under his chariot—an emblematic moment of her unwavering commitment to justice.
The performance highlighted her military prowess, including her victories over Chandrawat of Rampura, her patronage of artists, and her disdain for flattery. The closing moments of the dastan portrayed the outpouring of public grief at her passing, affirming her divine legacy in the eyes of her people.
Speaking at the end of the session, Bajpai and Sharma expressed their desire to continue narrating the Dastan-e-Ahilya across the country as a tribute to the “Lokmata” (mother of the people).
The evening was graced by eminent literary figures, including Madhav Kaushik, President of Sahitya Akademi, Srinivas Rao, Secretary, and distinguished poets and writers Arun Kamal, Ashok Chakradhar, Lakshmi Shankar Bajpai, and Rajashekhar Vyas, among others.
