Hillary Clinton Visits Maheshwar, India: 'Learning A Lot' Of History
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is on a 3-day visit to Madhya Pradesh, India, on the invitation of Richard Holkar, the U.S.-born descendant of the Holkar Kingdom.
Clinton arrived at the Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, on Sunday, 8 p.m. local time (10:30 a.m. EDT), in a private jet with a host of security tailing her at all times, the Week reported.
The first stop in her tour was the temple town of Maheshwar, on the banks of River Narmada, in Khargone district, which served as the capital of Holkar Kingdom in the past. She received a warm welcome at the Maheshwar Fort — which was converted into a heritage hotel by the Holkar family — where she will be staying.
Khargone Collector Ashok Kumar Verma was among the delegates present at the Ahilya Fort Hotel to welcome Clinton. She is expected to visit the famous tourist destinations in the area.
Apart from taking a scenic boat ride along River Narmada, she visited Mandu city in Dhar district, where historic monuments built by Mughal emperors are located.
On her way out of Jahaz Mahal, built during the rule of Mandu Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din Khilji, she told reporters that she was thrilled to be visiting India.
"Well, today I'm just enjoying the magnificent archaeological site and learning a lot of the Indian history because of this beautiful palace ground,” she said, New Indian Express reported. “I am very excited about being here and everything that I have seen.”
She also visited sites such as Hindola Mahal (swinging palace), Hoshang Shah's Maqbara (mausoleum) and Jama Masjid. In keeping with the simplicity of the town, she sat down in a tent to enjoy lunch made by Maheshwar town cooks.
According to Economic Times, Clinton will also bear witness to world-renowned Maheshwari saree being weaved — a profession promoted by Queen Ahilya Bai, in order to help the underprivileged earn a livelihood in her kingdom.
Later, she is also expected to attend a function organized by a local organization, which works with the Clinton Foundation. She will also be interacting with children at a local school in Maheshwar before retiring for the day to the hotel.
She is expected to leave for Indore on Tuesday, from where she will be flying to Jodhpur, as part of the next leg in her India visit.
Even before she arrived in Madhya Pradesh, Clinton was already making headlines with her bold and colorful outfits that were in stark contrast to the now iconic pantsuits that she wore throughout the 2016 election, Hindustan Times reported.
Clinton was seen wearing outfits by upcoming Indian designers Payal Khandwala and Anita Dongre after she landed in India. Khandwala also got an opportunity to meet with Clinton and pose with her for pictures.
“This happens!! A visit from @hillaryclinton this phenomenal woman and a personal hero! Thrilled to have had the honour to share stories with a lady that has empowered and inspired a generation of women to be strong and to stand up for what they believe in!!” Khandwala wrote in her Instagram caption.
Commenting on Clinton’s style, Khandwala told Vogue India: “She likes to wear colors so we sent her a mix of kurtas, shirts and our pleated looks. I was in New York when she was campaigning for President and despite her loss, she carried herself with such grace – I am such a fan, meeting her was a big highlight for me personally.”
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