Maheshwar,
Madhya Pradesh

Maheshwar is a town in central India in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The study looked at the urban form that has developed along the Narmada river in Maheshwar and the life that unfolded around it. In the late eighteenth century Maheshwar served as the capital of the Maratha queen Ahilyadevi Holkar. She was responsible for building several buildings and public works including a fort and her palace, the riverfront ghats, numerous temples and schools. Maheshwar has been the center of handloom weaving since the 5th century, which was further given an impetus by Ahilyabai Holkar. Several weaving sheds are located in the vicinity of the ghats. Ahilyabai Holkar hired weavers from Surat and Mandu to make sarees and turbans. The Rehwa society, an NGO founded by the Holkars continues to run handloom weaving in the region, famous for the Maheswari saree. The study looked at the urban fabric with smaller local institutions which were hybrid spaces, where temples, crematoriums, libraries, rest houses and living quarters were mixed together creating interesting types for mixed use living.