Punyashlok ahilyabai holkar

Holkar's Chhatri Temples part-2

B. Shrimant Sardar Khanderao Holkar:

Sardar Khanderao Holkar was the son of Subhedar Malhar Rao Holkar and husband of Rani Ahilya Devi Holkar. He died in 1754 in the Battle of Kumbher in Rajasthan. His main Samadhi is at Gangarsoli. Samadhi of Sardar Khanderao Holkar at Indore was built in the year 1784 under the guidance of Rani Ahilya Devi Holkar. This Samadhi is on the left side of Samadhi of Subhedar Malhar Rao Holkar I.

Samadhi of Sardar Khanderao Holkar is in the middle of Samadhi of Malhar Rao Holkar and Male Rao Holkar. This Samadhi is on a high chotharya and has a sanctum sanctorum and a sabhamandapa. There is a spire on the sanctum sanctorum and an attractive dome on the sabhamandapa. Holkar carpet carvings on the tops and domes are worth seeing. The battle scenes of many Sardars' lives are engraved on Samadhi. There are many horses, elephants and camels fighting on it. Maratha, Rajput style can be seen in the construction of this mausoleum.

In the sanctum sanctorum of Samadhi, there are idols of Shrimant Sardar Khanderao Holkar and his sati wives. There are idols of Khandeao's wives on the right, left and down side of Khanderao Holkar's idol. Also one more idol can be seen on the left side of Khanderao Holkar's idol over chotharya.
Shrimant Sardar Khanderao Holkar's first wife was Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar and besides her, Khanderao Holkar had 11 wives and all of them performed sati, even Ahilya Bai Holkar was going to perform sati but was stopped by Malhar Rao Holkar and (maybe?) even Gautama Bai Holkar.

The names of 11 wives of Khanderao Holkar who had been sati are as under:

1. Parvati Bai (Gavadyachi Kanya)
2. Surat Kumbara Bai (Alimohan Rajakadil)
3. Popa Bai
4. Rajkumbara Bai
5. Premkumbara Bai
6. Ramkumbara Bai
7. Sundar Bai
8. Ganga Bai
9. Kumbar Bai
10. Kunwar Bai Ramjani Bai (Muslim)
11. Nakhu Bai of Delhi

There is no idol of Rani Ahilya Devi Holkar in it as she was not allowed to go for sati by Malhar Rao Holkar. Some time later, a marble idol of Rani Ahilya Devi was installed in the right temple of the sanctum sanctorum by the descendants of Holkar.

Nandi can be seen in the black stone in the sabhamandapa of Samadhi of Sardar Khanderao Holkar and the special feature of this Nandi is that this type of Nandi can be seen in Samadhi of Rani Ahilya Devi Holkar at Maheshwar.

Nandi placed her torso on a pillar, on which a sculpture of a woman with her hands joined/folded was engraved.
Nandi sculptures with different images can be seen in Holkar Shahi. There can be a great research on that.