Context:
Ahilya Fort is to present the 20th Sacred River Festival in February 2024, after a 3-year gap due to the Covid pandemic.
About Sacred River Festival:
- 4-day festival celebrated annually since 2010.
- Conceived by – Richard Holkar (Holkar dynasty)
- Venue – Ahilyabai Fort (Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh)
- Aim – To create a more inclusive art space that celebrates different identities and communities.
- Activities – Music, dance, theatre performances, and craft walks, discussions, food displays and also highlights the Ganga Jamuni tehzeeb (syncretic culture) intrinsic to Awadh.
Safed Baradari (White Palace) in Uttar Pradesh, is a white-marbled building and a place of Mourning by Wajid Ali Shah, the last nawab of Awadh.
Ahilya Fort:
- Location – Sacred river Narmada
- Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar ruled here from 1765 to 1796 and built Ahilya Wada, her personal residences, offices, and darbaar audience hall, within the fort.
Holkar dynasty:
- A Maratha clan of nomadic tribes.
- Seat – Maheshwar
- Founded by – Malhar Rao
- He joined the service of the Peshwa Baji Rao of the Maratha Empire in 1721, and quickly rose to the rank of Subedar.
- They later became Maharajas of Indore in Central India as an independent member of the Maratha Empire until 1818.
- It became a princely state under the protectorate of British India.
Narmada River:
- Also known as Rewa river
- Origin – Amarkantak peak of Maikal mountain
- Flows into – Gulf of Khambhat
- Basin States – Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh
- A West flowing river of the peninsular region
- Flows through a rift valley between the Vindhya Range on the north and the Satpura Range on the south.
- Major Tributaries –
- Right bank – Hiran, Tendori, Barna, Kolar, Man, Uri, Hatni, and Orsang.
- Left bank – Burner, Banjar, Sher, Shakkar, Dudhi, Tawa, Ganjal, Chhota Tawa, Kundi, Goi, and Karjan.
- Dams – Omkareshwar and Maheshwar dams.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
From the decline of Guptas until the rise of Harshavardhana in the early seventh century, which of the following kingdoms were holding power in Northern India?
1. The Guptas of Magadha
2. The Paramaras of Malwa
3. The Pushyabhutis of Thanesar
4. The Maukharis of Kanauj
5. The Yadavas of Devagiri
6. The Maitrakas of Valabhi
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]
(a) 1, 2 and 5 only
(b) 1, 3, 4 and 6 only
(c) 2, 3 and 4 only
(d) 5 and 6 only
Answer: (b)
