PRESENT RULER: HH Maharaja Shri ANANT NARAYAN SINGH, 10th Maharaja of Benares (2000/-) (The Ramnagar Palace, Varanasi - 221001, Uttar Pradesh, India)

born 1963, married HH Maharani Anamika Devi.

PREDECESSORS AND SHORT HISTORY: The ancient Kingdom of Kashi or Benares was founded by Khsetravridha, son of Ayus, of the Somavansa dynasty of Pratishthana. It lost independance in 1194 and was eventually ceded by the Nawab of Oudh to the British in 1775 who recognized Benares as a family dominion. Benares acceded to the status of State in 1911. The ruling family claims descent from the god Shiva and benefited greatly from pilgrimage to Benares. The modern name of Benares is Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Mansa Ram, a Gautam Bhumiyar Zamindar of Utaria 1737-1740, received most of the Benares territory from the Governor of Benares 1737, Balwant Singh 1740-1770, Ruler of Utaria (which name was changed to Gangapur), received the territories of Jaunpur, Benares and Chunar from the Sultan of Delhi. Other places that were under the protection of the Maharajas of Benares included, Chandauli, Gyanpur (site of a large hospital and a school), Chakia, Latifshah (site of the Maharaja's forests and hunting grounds), Mirzapur, Nandeshwar, Mint House and Vindhyachal. Rulers were....

1. Shri MANSA RAM 1737/1740, married and had issue.

   • Raja BALWANT SINGH (qv)

2. Raja BALWANT SINGH 1740/1770, born 1711, the best administrator that the people of the region had known although his administration was constantly hampered by the strained relations existing between him and Shuja-ud-daula of Oudh. In spite of his unwillingness, Balwant Singh was compelled to join Shuja-ud-daula, the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam, and Mir Kasim in the battle of Buxar which was fought in 1764 against the British, which ended in victory for the British, married (a), Rani Panna Kunwar, married (b), Rani Gulab Kunwar ^(#2) (sister of Ajaib Singh, died 3rd April 1787), and had issue. He died 19th August 1770.

   • Raja CHAIT SINGH (qv)

   • Rajkumar Sujan Singh

   • Kumari (name unknown), married Shri Durg Vijay Singh, and had issue.

     • Raja Mahip Narayan Singh (qv)

3. Raja CHAIT SINGH 1770/1781, ^(#1) his Raj was declared independent of Oudh in 1775 and made tributary to the British; deposed by them on 16th August 1781. He died 29th March 1810 at Gwalior.

4. Raja MAHIP NARAYAN SINGH 1781/1794, born 1756, restored to the Raj on 30th Seoptember 1781; married and had issue. He died September 1794.

   • Raja Udit Narayan Singh (qv)

5. Raja UDIT NARAYAN SINGH 1794/1835, attained majority in 1799, married 1791, a daughter of Fateh Shahi, a zamindar in Bettiah, and his wife, a daughter of Babu Pahalwan Singh, Zamindar of Manjhwa; and had adoptive issue. He died March 1835.

   • (A) Maharaja Shri ISHWARI PRASAD NARAYAN SINGH Bahadur (qv)

6. HH Maharaja Shri ISHWARI PRASAD NARAYAN SINGH Bahadur 1835/1889, born 1822 (or 1818), Maharaja Bahadur [cr.1859], G.C.S.I., he was granted the style of His Highness as a personal distinction in 1889 and a salute of fifteen guns; he was a great patron of literature; he adopted his nephew, his eventual successor. He died sp 13th June 1889.

   • (A) Lt.Col. HH Maharaja Shri Sir PRABHU NARAYAN SINGH Bahadur (qv)

7. Lt.Col. HH Maharaja Shri Sir PRABHU NARAYAN SINGH Bahadur 1889/1931, born 26th November 1855, succeeded by adoption, he was granted the title of Maharaja Bahadur and the style of His Highness (as a personal distinction) [cr. xx.9.1889]; Maharaja (hereditary) [cr.1911], G.C.I.E. [cr. 1.1.1898], K.C.I.E. [cr.1890], LL.D., proclaimed a Ruling Chief on 4th April 1911 at a Durbar in Nadesar Palace, married a daughter of Babu Har Prasad Singh of Bettiah, and had issue. He died 4th August 1931.

8. Capt. HH Maharaja Shri Sir ADITYA NARAYAN SINGH 1931/1939, K.C.S.I., born 17th November 1874, he adopted Kumar Chandra Bhal Singh, son of Babu Jharkande Prasad Singh of Surajpur, Azamgarh Distt., U.P. as his intended successor from a family of Bhumiyar Brahmins. He died 5th April 1939.

9. HH Maharaja Shri Dr. VIBHUTI NARAYAN SINGH 1939/2000, born 5th November 1927 into a family of Bhumiyar Brahmins and adopted by the Maharaja of Benares on 24th June 1934, educated at Meston High School, Ramnagar; Kashi Naresh, Chairman of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust, pro-Chancellor of Varanasi Sanskrit University, married 1947, and had issue, two sons and three daughters. He died 25th December 2000.

   • HH Maharaja ANANT NARAYAN SINGH (qv)

10. HH Maharaja Shri ANANT NARAYAN SINGH (see above)

OTHER MEMBERS:

• Babu Maniyar Singh, grandson of Babu Daya Ram (brother of Shri Mansa Ram).