Topic 1: When a Holkar queen ruled
Introduction: Today, we celebrate the 300th birth anniversary of the Maratha queen Ahilya Bai Holkar — a great administrator and visionary with a spiritual inclination.
The life of Ahilya Bai Holkar
- She was born in 1725 to a shepherd (Dhangar/Gadariya) family in what is today Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district.
- Ahilya Bai strove to be recognised not just as the wife of Khande Rao Holkar but also as a leader in her own capacity, who helped preserve and encourage India’s spiritual integrity and displayed administrative ingenuity and political impartiality.
- Breaking the shackles of patriarchy, she took over the role of monarch after her husband’s death.
- Her exceptional leadership skills were evident in the 30 years of peace and financial stability that her kingdom experienced under her reign.
A champion of Hindu faith
- Ahilya Bai is believed to be the great ruler that she was due to her undying faith in Hinduism.
- She regularly attended Purana recitals and yagnas, believing that the spiritually charged environment would help her stand firm on her principles.
- It was her immersion in the philosophy of Hinduism that eventually led to a monumental change in the architectural expression of the faith.
- Ahilya Bai resurrected the jyotirlingas across the country as a tribute to Lord Shiva.
- Renovations in Somnath, Varanasi, Trambak, Gaya, Pushkar, Vrindavan, Nathdwara, Haridwar, Badrinath, Kedarnath and many other sacred sites were undertaken during her reign.
- To defend against attacks and iconoclasm, she came up with the idea of installing the idols in secret shrines under the temples, providing an additional layer of security.
- Ahilya Bai’s tireless attempts to resurrect these temples were, on the one hand, an act of defiance against Mughal autocracy and, on the other, bound her subjects together with the thread of civilisational ethos, irrespective of their social-religious identity.
A promoter of women empowerment
- The beautiful Maheshwari saris that we wear today are also part of the queen’s legacy.
- She not only promoted the traditional weave but also paved the way for skilling women, thus empowering them.
- The production of these saris was not only a way to increase the revenue collection of the state, but provided a steady source of income to the weavers.
- Under her encouragement, the production of Maheswari saris gained momentum and popularity.
- Today, their production remains alive as a traditional craft of Maharashtra.
- Ahilya Bai also made efforts to develop the city of Indore, conserve forests and animals, and was responsible for the flourishing trade and commerce in her kingdom.
A ruler who brought Harmony and Prosperity
- Beyond Religion: She fostered social harmony by integrating marginalized communities (Bhil and Gond castes).
- Economic Development: Ahilya Bai promoted trade, commerce, and skilled labor within her kingdom.
- Environmental Stewardship: She actively worked on forest and animal conservation.
- A Model for Good Governance: Her reign serves as an example of inclusive policies and effective leadership.
- Legacy Beyond Gender: Ahilya Bai paved the way for future generations of strong rulers, regardless of gender.
Conclusion: Ahilya Bai’s reign was marked by great governance, which helped bring social harmony in the truest sense. To bind her legacy only to her contribution to temple renovation would also be unjust. In assessing her impact, it is impossible to overlook her overall governance, which helped bring samajik samrasta (social harmony) in the truest sense and provided a blueprint for what Ram Rajya in today’s era would look like.
Topic 2: Heat wave & the worker
Introduction: Following the death of a 40-year-old labourer due to extreme heat, the office of the Lieutenant Governor has intervened by issuing instructions for water provision, sprinkling water on roads and change in timings for construction workers considering the “unprecedented heat wave”.
Heatwaves Pose a Double Threat to Urban Informal Workers in India
- Health Risks and Emergency Conditions: Extreme heat creates immediate health dangers for manual laborers.
- Urban Heat Islands: Dense city environments worsen the situation by trapping heat.
Vulnerability of Informal Workers
- Precarious Employment: Most Indian urban laborers lack job security and social safety nets.
- Economic Hardship: Heatwaves can lead to lost work hours and income for informal workers.
- Combined Vulnerabilities: Precarious jobs and existing socio-economic disadvantages make informal workers more susceptible to heatwaves.
Heat Action Plans (HAPs): Strengths and Limitations
- Effective Policy Tool: HAPs, when implemented correctly, can reduce heatwave casualties.
Current Shortcomings of HAPs
- Limited Reach: Many Indian cities lack HAPs altogether.
- Neglecting Vulnerable Groups: Existing plans often overlook informal workers.
- Short-Term Focus: HAPs prioritize immediate responses over long-term solutions.
- Rural Bias: These plans are not designed for urban environments or challenges.
Impact of Heat on Informal Workers
- Reduced Productivity and Income: Heatwaves hurt earnings across various informal jobs.
- Increased Workload for Women: Women workers face additional burdens due to heat-related issues.
- Health Risks and Costs: Informal workers lack healthcare access and suffer from heat-related illnesses.
- Financial Strain: Heatwaves force additional expenses on workers for protection and spoiled goods.
Policy Measures to Mitigate Heatwave Impacts on Workers
- Shifting Perspective: Recognize heatwaves as long-term issues requiring long-term solutions. Integrate Heat Action Plans (HAPs) with urban planning and climate action strategies.
- Prioritizing Vulnerable Workers: Mandate the inclusion of diverse informal workers in urban HAPs. Develop national guidelines for worker-specific interventions.
- Holistic Approach: Consider the impact of heat on both indoor and outdoor informal labor for comprehensive solutions.
- Worker Participation: Include worker representatives (worker welfare boards and bodies similar to town vending committees) in developing and implementing HAPs.
- Gender-Sensitive Measures: Address the disproportionate impact of heat on women workers.
- Income and Health Security: Implement social safety nets and compensation programs (like, climate-resilient social protection systems and income protections) to offset heatwave losses.
- Labor Law Reforms: Adapt labor laws to consider the impact of climate change on informal workers.
- Urban Redesign: Redesign cities to prioritize worker well-being, including access to water, shade, rest areas, and leisure spaces.
- Worker Visibility: Acknowledge the contributions of informal workers and advocate for their rights in urban planning.
Conclusion: Our urban imagination needs to be reconfigured, not only to ensure water, shade, and rest–eat–leisure spaces to mitigate heat wave impacts, but also to find more ways of advancing workers’ rights in cities.