Ramnagar Fort

2022-10-30T09:42:00Z

2409:4063:8E98:D0E:5C9E:13F7:A088:C2B2:

{{Short description|Fortification near the Ganga River in Varanasi, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox military installation
|name = Ramnagar Fort
|partof = [[Ramnagar, Varanasi]]
|location = [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]
|image = Ramnagar Fort in Varanasi.jpg
|caption =
|map_type = Uttar_Pradesh
|map_size = 300
|map_caption =
|type = [[Fort]]
|coordinates = {{coord|25.28|83.03|type:landmark|display=inline}}
|code =
|built = 1750
|builder = [[Kashi Naresh]] Raja Balwant Singh
|materials = ''chunar'' [[sandstone]]
|height =
|used =
|demolished =
|condition =
|open_to_public =
|controlledby =
|garrison =
|current_commander =
|commanders =
|occupants = [[Vibhuti Narayan Singh|Kashi Naresh]]
|battles =
|events =
}}

The '''Ramnagar Fort''' is a [[fortification]] in [[Ramnagar, Varanasi]], [[India]]. It is located near the [[Ganges]] on its eastern bank, opposite to the [[Tulsi Ghat]]. The [[sandstone]] structure was built in the Rajputana style in 1750 by [[Kashi Naresh]] Maharaja [[Balwant Singh of Benares|Balwant Singh]]. The current king and the resident of the fort is Anant Narayan Singh, who is also known as the [[Narayan dynasty|Maharaja of Benares]] even though this royal title has been abolished since 1971.<ref name="Mitra 2002">{{cite book|last=Mitra| first = Swati| title = Good Earth Varanasi city guide| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NviJaunGDJMC&pg=PA124|publisher = Eicher Goodearth Limited| access-date=6 November 2012|year = 2002| isbn = 9788187780045| pages = 124–127}}</ref><ref name= Ram>{{cite web|url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/uttar-pradesh/varanasi/sights/museum/ramnagar-fort-museum|title=Lonely Planet review for Ramnagar Fort & Museum |access-date=6 November 2012|publisher=Lonely Planet}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Rambag (Ramnagar) -Benares-..jpg|left|250px|thumb|Rambagh Garden within the Ramnagar fort, 1905]]
The fort is at a scenic location on the eastern right bank of the Ganges River, opposite to the Varanasi Ghats. It is {{Convert|14|km}} from Varanasi and {{Convert|2|km}} from the [[Benares Hindu University]] by the newly built Ramnagar bridge. With the bridge built it hardly takes 10 minutes to reach the fort from BHU. Boat ride to the fort from [[Dashashwamedh Ghat]] in Varanasi takes about an hour.{{citation needed|date=July 2015}} A painted state [[barge]] with a twin emblems in the form of horses could be seen moored to the landing stage.<ref name=moor>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/photocoll/f/019pho0000017s3u00001000.html|title= Fort, Ramnagar [Benares]|access-date=7 November 2012|publisher=Online Gallery of British Library}}</ref> There is a well laid out garden within the fort which forms the approach to the palace.<ref name=moor/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/photocoll/r/019pho0000017s3u00031000.html|title= Rambag (Ramnagar) [Benares]|access-date=7 November 2012|publisher=Online Gallery of British Library}}</ref>

==History==
The Ramnagar Fort was built by [[Vibhuti Narayan Singh|Kashi Naresh]] Maharaja Balwant Singh in 1750. Inscriptions on the outer ramparts of the fort date it to the seventeenth century.<ref name=moor/>

==Architecture==
{{multiple image
| align = left
| image1 = The Maharaja's Fort, Front view -Benares-.jpg
| width1 = 175
| alt1 =
| caption1 =
| image2 = Laldaruaza (Ramnagar) -Benares-..jpg
| width2 = 175
| alt2 =
| caption2 =
| footer = Left: The Maharaja's Fort, front view, 1869. Right: Entrance gate to the fort, 1905.
}}
The building was constructed with creamy-coloured ''chunar'' [[sandstone]]. It is built in typical [[Mughal Architecture|Mughal]] style of [[architecture]].<ref name="Mitra 2002"/> The fort houses the Veda Vyasa Temple, a museum, and the king's residential complex.<ref name=Fort>{{Cite web|url=http://easternuptourism.com/Ramnagar-Fort.jsp|title=Ramnagar Fort & Museum|access-date=7 November 2012|publisher=Official Website of Eastern UP Tourism|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131130011021/http://www.easternuptourism.com/Ramnagar-Fort.jsp|archive-date=30 November 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> There is also a ''Dakshin Mukhi'' temple of [[Hanuman]], which faces towards south.<ref name=NIC>{{Cite web|url=http://varanasi.nic.in/history/ramnagar.html|title=Ramnagar|access-date=7 November 2012|publisher=National Informatics Centre}}</ref>

The fort has been built on high ground, which is above the flood level.<ref name= "Fodor's 2004">{{cite book|title= Fodor's India, 5th Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eM-wM2K5mgYC&pg=PA168|publisher= Random House Digital, Inc |year=2004|page=168}}</ref> The fort has many carved balconies, open courtyards and pavilions.<ref name=Fort/> Only a part of the structure is open for public viewing as the rest of it is the residence of Kashi Naresh and his family. The flag on the fort is raised when the Maharaja is in residence in his palace fort.<ref name="Mitra 2002"/> Within the fort, the palace has two white towers, which are accessed by a flight of steps. At the end of the flight of steps, there is an archway and many courtyards that lead to the white tower.<ref name=moor/>
The private residence of the Maharaja is on one side of the tower while the Durbar Hall and reception rooms are on the other side. An inscription on the fort wall attests "Fortified House of the Rajah of Benares, with his state Boat".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/addorimss/t/019addor0004728u00000000.html|title= The Raja of Benares's palace at Ramnagar from the river, with the Raja's state boat|access-date=7 November 2012|publisher=Online Gallery of British Library}}</ref>

==Museum==
[[File:Ramnagar fort.JPG|thumb|left|Ramnagar Fort]]
The museum is known as Saraswati Bhawan. The museum is in what used to be the [[Durbar Hall]] or the Public Audience Hall of the fort.<ref name=Fort/> It is well known for its unusual and rare collections of [[United States of America|America]]n [[vintage cars]], bejeweled [[sedan chairs]], [[ivory]] work, medieval costumes, gold and silver brocaded royal Palakis ([[Palanquins]] in the shape of a lotus flower). It has elephant saddles carved out of silver, jewellery, costumes made of ''kimkhwa'' silk (finest product of the weavers of Varanasi), an impressive [[armory (military)|armoury]] hall with [[sword]]s, old [[guns]] from [[Africa]], [[Burma]] and [[Japan]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Top Ten Temple Towns of India|publisher=Mark Age Publication|first=S.C.|last=Karkar|location=Kolkota|isbn=978-81-87952-12-1|year=2009|page=13}}</ref> The old armoured matchlocks, ornate [[hookah]]s, daggers, portraits of Maharajas, black musical instruments which have turned white because of neglect of maintenance and there is a rare astronomical clock.<ref name= Ram/> This clock shows not only the time but also the year, month, week and day, and the astronomical details of the [[Sun]], [[Moon]] and other [[planets]]. This clock was made in 1852 by the [[Astronomer]] at the Court of the Royal Palace of Varanasi.{{citation needed|date=July 2015}} In addition, [[manuscripts]], especially religious writings, are housed in the museum. Many books illustrated in the [[Mughal miniature]]s style are also part of the collections.<ref name="Mitra 2002"/><ref name= Ram/><ref name= "Fodor's 2004"/> There are five hundred and thirty-five illustrations expressing Islamic ethos, each having a decorative border with ornate floral designs or [[cartouches]].<ref name= "Bäumer 2006">{{cite book|title= Sāmarasya: studies in Indian art, philosophy, and interreligious dialogue : in honour of Bettina Bäumer
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MZ3WAAAAMAAJ|publisher= D.K. Printworld|access-date=7 November 2012|year=2006|isbn=9788124603383|page=193}}</ref><ref name="Limited2003">{{cite book|last= Limited |first= Eicher Goodearth |title= Good Earth Varanasi City Guide
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NviJaunGDJMC|publisher= Eicher Goodearth Limited |year=2003|isbn= 9788187780045 |pages=124–127 }}</ref>

==Festivals==
[[File:Ram Leela Mela As Performed before at Ram Nugur before the Raja of Benares by James Prinsep 1834.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Ram Leela Mela. As Performed at Ram Nagar before the Raja of Benares, 1834]]
The fort palace appears very vibrant and colourful when beatified during the one-month-long [[Ram Lila]] festival where different episodes of [[Ramayana]] are enacted. On this occasion, a colourful pageant or procession of [[Ramayana]] epic is presented as part of the [[Dussehra]] celebrations that is held in October as per [[Gregorian Calendar]], with the burning of the effigy of [[Ravana]], the demon king, and his associates, which signifies victory of good over evil. The festival also includes a procession of various antique displays of Royal possessions.<ref name=Fort/> The Maharaja continues his family tradition of attending the annual month-long Ram Lila drama festival held in the streets behind the fort by riding on a decorated elephant at the head of the procession.<ref name="Limited2003"/> In olden days, the drama was performed by the native regiments and the epic story of Ramayana scripture was read through the month-long festival.<ref name= "Heitzman2004">{{cite book|last= Heitzman |first= James |title= The City in South Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c2p0kqUqfQ4C&pg=PA54|publisher= Psychology Press |year=2008|isbn=9780415343558|page=54}}</ref><ref name= Dance/> Other festivals held in the fort are in the month of Magh (January and February) in front of the Veda Vyasa temple where pilgrims visit Ramnagar. In the month of [[Phagun]], (February and March) a festival called '''Raj Mangal''' is held in the fort with a procession of boats with people, dancing and singing; it starts from the Asi Ghat, goes along the river in front of the fort.<ref name= Dance>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/other/019xzz000007513u00004000.html|title= Ram Leela Mela. As performed before at Ram Nugur before the Raja of Benares.|access-date=7 November 2012|publisher=Online Gallery of British Library}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
Because of its scenic location on the banks of the Ganges, the fort and the palace are frequently used as an outdoor shooting location for films. The film titled [[Banaras (2006 film)|''Banaras'']] is one of the popular movies shot here.<ref name="Mitra 2002"/><ref name= Ram/> It was the seventh pit stop of ''[[The Amazing Race 18]]''.

==See also==
* [[List of forts in Uttar Pradesh]]

==References==
{{Commons category}}
{{Reflist|33em}}

==External links==
* Information about [http://www.kashibanarasvaranasi.com/ramnagar-fort Ramnagar Fort Varanasi].
* [http://www.bongblogger.com/ramnagar_fort-varanasi-benaras/ Ramnagar Fort]
{{Forts in India}}
{{Forts in Uttar Pradesh}}

[[Category:Forts in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Varanasi district]]
[[Category:Government buildings completed in 1750]]
[[Category:Infrastructure completed in 1750]]

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Ramnagar Fort