malva _diary

11/04/2026

Amir Khan – The Rise of a Pindari Power

Amir Khan was one of the most prominent Pindari sardars in India. The Pindaris were bands of irregular warriors who sustained themselves through plunder, comprising various ethnic groups—though Pathans formed the dominant force.

When Amir Khan joined Maharaja Yashwantrao Holkar, he initially commanded around 1,000–1,500 men. At the peak of his power, his force expanded nearly 15–20 times, making him a formidable name across Hindustan.

His association with the House of Holkar gave him immense political leverage, allowing him to negotiate with rulers and influential figures. Though loyal to Yashwantrao Holkar for most of his career, shifting power dynamics led him to align with the rising British authority.

During the Battle of Mahidpur, internal betrayal within Holkar’s army played a crucial role in the British victory. Following this, Amir Khan was granted the title of Nawab of Tonk—marking a significant turning point in his legacy.

25/02/2026

The story of the discovery of Bhimbetka is very interesting. Once (23 March 1957 ) Doctor V.S. Vakan Kar was passing near Bhopal during his train journey, when his eyes fell on a very interesting group of rocks, then he felt that he should see this place closely and he found about 30000 years old paintings inside the rock shelters there, which are the biggest witnesses of the ancient culture of India today.

06/02/2026

05/01/2026

Hidden gem 💫

03/01/2026

“Satdhara Buddhist Stupas” is a major early Buddhist monastic site near Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh, known for its large main stupa and many smaller stupas and viharas.
Satdhara lies roughly 9–14 km west of Sanchi, near Murli Khedi village in Vidisha district, overlooking the Halali (also called Besali) River.
It is one of the four important satellite stupa-groups around Sanchi, along with Bhojpur, Andher, and Sonari, forming part of the wider Sanchi Buddhist landscape.
Historical backgroundThe site flourished from around the time of Emperor Ashoka (3rd century BCE), with the main stupa thought to originate in his reign, and later enlargements in the Śuṅga period (2nd–1st century BCE).
Excavations have revealed that the main stupa was first built in brick and then encased in stone, mirroring the development sequence seen at the Great Stupa of Sanchi.

Layout and architecture : The complex includes a large central stupa (often called Stupa 1), dozens of smaller stupas (around 29–40 identified in excavations), and at least two or three monasteries on the surrounding terraces.
The main stupa is almost as large as the Great Stupa at Sanchi; it has a high stone drum (medhi), remains of railings, a brick pradakshina‑patha and staircase, and would originally have been crowned by a harmika and chhatravali.

Religious significance : Satdhara belonged to the same monastic network as Sanchi, serving a community of monks whose stupas likely enshrined relics of senior monks and teachers.
Later Buddhist tradition links the Sanchi–Satdhara region with early disciples such as Mahākaccāyana and with relics of Sariputta and Moggallāna, whose relics were once associated with stupas in this area (now preserved at Sanchi).