Weaves of Maheshwar
Ahilyabai Holkar of Maheshwar was a lady much ahead of her time. She took over the reigns of the Malwa province after the death of her husband & father-in-law to save her people from invaders.
Besides building dharamshalas & temples the one initiative that deeply impacted the people of Maheshwar & the Indian handloom industry, was her revival of the Maheshwari weave.
Taking inspiration from the gentle waves of the Narmada, Ahilyabai gave the weave it's distinct striped pallus & the intricate gold embellished borders. The local architecture & temples were more inspiration for the borders. She introduced the cotton & lighter version of the weave too, that made it a popular choice.
While weaving was a male dominated profession, she got & taught women the skill too. Over the years, many of the Maheshwari weaving centres & organizations have continued to train & hire women weavers.