Place · Kashi Naresh fort-palace · India
Ramnagar Fort, Varanasi
Also known as Kashi Naresh Fort
The 1750 Ramnagar Fort across the Ganga from Varanasi, built by Kashi Naresh Balwant Singh, the first Maharaja of the Benaras state (ruled 1740-1770) under Awadh Nawab Safdar Jung's patronage. The red sandstone fort-palace is the official residence of the Kashi Naresh dynasty (Vibhuti Narain Singh is the current titular raja). The fort's museum houses palanquins, horse-drawn carriages, royal firearms, a planetarium clock and the preserved Kashi Naresh ceremonial elephant tusk. The annual Ramnagar Ramlila each September-October (begun 1830 by Maharaja Udit Narayan Singh) is India's longest-running continuous Ramlila (195+ years), with 31-day performances across the fort and surrounding villages.
- Function
- Authority & administration
- Patron dynasty
- Benaras state
- Confidence
- Established / referenced
- Location
- 25.265, 83.029
Connections (1)
- Site withinKāshī / Vārānasī / Banāras
The 1750 Ramnagar Fort sits within Varanasi across the Ganga from the main city. The red sandstone fort-palace of the Kashi Naresh royal house hosts the 31-day Ramnagar Ramlila each September-October (begun 1830, India's longest-running continuous Ramlila) and extends the Varanasi urban geography across the river to include the royal-ceremonial complex.
Sources
Standard reference.
Open Ramnagar Fort, Varanasi in the repository →