- Type
- Fortress
- Origins
- 1750 · 18th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Uttar Pradesh, India
- Commissioned by
- Vibhuti Narayan Singh
- Coordinates
- 25.2697°, 83.0247°
History
Raja Balwant Singh, who built up the power of the ruling house of Benares, raised the fort around 1750 on the eastern bank of the Ganges, facing the holy city. Built of cream-coloured Chunar sandstone, it combines Mughal architecture with ornate balconies and pavilions. His successors, bearing the title Kashi Naresh, ruled from here over a state that came under British paramountcy in the late 18th century. After 1947 the state was merged into India, and descendants of the maharajas still live in part of the fort.
What to see
Part of the fort holds a museum with vintage cars, palanquins, sedan chairs, weapons and court costumes. A highlight is a 19th-century astronomical clock that shows not only the time but also the positions of the sun and planets. Within the walls stands a temple to the sage Vyasa, and the bastions overlook the Ganges and the ghats of Varanasi. Each autumn the maharaja hosts the month-long Ramlila, a staging of the Ramayana, around the fort.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q4492020
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