Benares State
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Benares State Banārasa rājya | |||||||||||||
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1740–1948 | |||||||||||||
Imperial Gazetteer of India | |||||||||||||
Capital | Benares (Kashi) | ||||||||||||
Common languages | Bhojpuri | ||||||||||||
Religion | Hinduism (official) | ||||||||||||
Raja | |||||||||||||
• 1740 – 1770 (first) | Balwant Singh | ||||||||||||
• 1939 – 1947 (last) | Vibhuti Narayan Singh | ||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||
• Established | 1740 | ||||||||||||
• Accession to the Union of India | 1948 | ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Today part of | Varanasi division of Uttar Pradesh, India |
Banaras State initially known as Banaras kingdom or Kashi Kingdom was a kingdom and later princely state under the Narayan Dynasty in what is today Uttar Pradesh, India. On 15 October 1948, Benares' last ruler signed the accession to the Indian Union.[1]
The state was founded by the dynasty of Gautam
History
Princely State
The earliest rulers of the later princely state of Benares were originally zamindars for the Awadh province of the Mughal Empire who later became independent state.
Most of the area currently known as Varanasi was acquired by Mansa Ram, a
As the Mughal suzerainty weakened, the Benares zamindari estate became Banaras State, thus
Benares became a princely state in 1911.[7] It was given the privilege of the 13-gun salute.
History of Ramnagar
The residential palace of the Naresh is the
The Ramnagar Fort was built by Raja Balwant Singh with creamy chunar
On 28 January 1983, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple was taken over by the government of Uttar Pradesh and its management was transferred to a trust, with the late Vibhuti Narayan Singh, then Kashi Naresh, as president, and an executive committee with the Divisional Commissioner as chairman.[11]
Ram Leela at Ramnagar
When the
The
Over a million pilgrims arrive annually for the vast processions and performances organized by the Kashi Naresh.[13]
Geography
From 1737, the state included most of present-day Bhadohi, Chandauli, Jaunpur, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, and Varanasi districts, including the city of Varanasi. Balwant Singh expelled Fazl Ali from present-day Ghazipur and Ballia, and added it to his domains.[14]
Between 1775 and 1795, the British gradually took over administration of most of the state, leaving the rajas to directly administer two separate areas – an eastern portion, corresponding to present-day Bhadohi district, and a southern portion, comprising present-day Chakia tehsil of Chandauli district. These two areas made up the princely state of Benares from 1911 to 1948. The rajas retained certain revenues from rents, and certain administrative rights, in the rest of the territory, which the British administered as
All India Kashi Raj Trust
Serious work on the
Vyasa Temple at Ramnagar
Vyasa Kasi, the name by which the temple is called by the people on pilgrimage to Kasi, through ages, is located near Ramnagar. A temple for Sage Vyasa is located here facing Kasi on the opposite side of the river Ganga. The temple is at a distance of 19 km by road from Kasi. Once upon a time, the whole area was covered by a forest of Badari trees. (Badari is called 'Bel' or 'ber' in Hindi, and 'Jujube' in English). Badari is a thorny bush- like tree which gives small sweet and sour fruits. Since Vyasa lived among the Badari trees, he was also called 'Baadarayana' (a person who moved among the badari bushes). People who go on pilgrimage to Kasi does not fail to visit Vyasa Kasi. They travel through boats that ply on the river Ganga. But when once they reach Vyasa-Kasi, they finish their tour of the place very quickly and return to Kasi before Sunset. Nobody makes a night halt at this place.
Sage Vyasa, who had to live in this forest along with his disciples some 2000–2500 years ago, is also called by other names such as – Veda Vyasa, Krishna Dwaipayana, Paarasarya (son of Rishi Parasara) and Satyavateya (son of mother Satyavati). He had to live there as he was banished from the city of Kasi by Lord Viswanath, the reigning deity of Kasi.According to a popular Puranic story, when Vyasa failed to receive alms in Varanasi, he put a curse on the city.[16] Soon after, at a house where Parvati and Shiva had taken human form as householders, Vyasa was so pleased with the alms he received that he forgot his curse. However, because of Vyasa's bad temper Shiva banished him from Varanasi. Resolving to remain nearby, Vyasa took up residence on the other side of the Ganges, where his temple may still be seen at Ramnagar.[16]
Rulers
The rulers of the state carried the title "Maharaja Bahadur"
Maharaja Bahadurs
- 1737–1740 Mansa Ram Singh (d.1740)
- 1740 – 19 Aug 1770 Balwant Singh(b. 1711 – d. 1770)
- 19 Aug 1770 – 14 Sep 1781 Chait Singh(b. 17.. – d. 1810)
- 14 Sep 1781 – 12 Sep 1795 Mahip Narayan Singh (b. 1756 – d. 1795)
- 12 Sep 1795 – 4 Apr 1835 Udit Narayan Singh(b. 1778 – d. 1835)
- 4 Apr 1835 – 13 Jun 1889 Ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh (b. 1822 – d. 1889) (
- 1 Apr 1911 – 4 Aug 1931 Sir Prabhu Narayan Singh(b. 1855 – d. 1931)
- 4 Aug 1931 – 5 Apr 1939 Aditya Narayan Singh(b. 1874 – d. 1939)
- 5 Apr 1939 – 15 Aug 1947 Vibhuti Narayan Singh (b. 1927 – d. 2000)
Titular Maharajas
- 15 Aug 1947 – 25 Dec 2000: Vibhuti Narayan Singh (b. 1927 – d. 2000)
- 25 Dec 2000– present: Anant Narayan Singh
See also
References
- ^ a b "Benares Princely State". Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-521-31054-3.
- ^ Lethbridge, Roper (1893). The golden book of India, a genealogical and biographical dictionary of the ruling princes, chiefs, nobles, and other personages, titled or decorated, of the Indian empire. Robarts - University of Toronto. London Macmillan. p. 66.
- ^ Swati Mitra 2002, pp. 124–126.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-521-31054-3.
- ISBN 9780521310543.
- ^ Benares (Princely State) Archived 21 February 2006 at the Wayback Machine – A Document about Maharajas of Varanasi
- ^ "A review of Varanasi". Archived from the original on 24 September 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2006.
- ^ Swati Mitra 2002, p. 216.
- ^ "Banaras Hindu University, [BHU], Varanasi-221005, U.P., India. – Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India". bhu.ac.in. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ "Official website of Varanasi". Archived from the original on 10 February 2007. Retrieved 16 August 2006.
- ^ a b Swati Mitra 2002, p. 126.
- ISBN 978-0-521-43437-9.
- Imperial Gazetteer of India, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1908–1931. v. 12, p. 224.
- ISBN 978-0-415-21527-5.
- ^ a b Swati Mitra 2002, p. 129.
Bibliography
- Swati Mitra (2002). Good Earth Varanasi city guide. Eicher Goodearth. ISBN 978-81-87780-04-5.
External links
- Media related to Benares State at Wikimedia Commons