Ramnagar, Varanasi
Encyclopedia
Ramnagar is a city and a municipal board in Varanasi district
in the India
n state
of Uttar Pradesh
. Ramnagar has a fort known as Ramnagar Fort
which is still the residence of King of Varanasi (Benaras). He was known as Kashi Naresh meaning king of Kashi (Ancient name of Beneras) and is still regarded by old residents of the city of Varanasi
. Ramnagar Fort
and its museum are the repository of the history of the kings of Benares and since the 18th century has been the home of Kashi Naresh. Even today the Kashi Naresh is deeply revered by the people of Benares. He is the religious head and the people of Benares consider him the incarnation of Lord Shiva. He is also the chief cultural patron and an essential part of all religious celebrations. Ramnagar is popular for Ramlila
that is held annually under the aegis of King of Varanasi
Recently Ramnagar has emerged as a favorite spot for shooting movies because of the scenic location of the Ramnagar Fort (residence of the King of Varanasi) near the Ganges. Chokher Bali
is one of the popular movies shot here.
in the eighteenth century. It is a typically Mughal
style of architecture
with carved balconies, open courtyards, and picturesque pavilions.
by Goswami Tulsidas. There are also many books illustrated in the Mughal miniature style, with beautifully designed covers.
ic story, when Vyasa
failed to get alms in Varanasi
he put a curse on the city. 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 his bad temper Shiva
banished Vyasa
from Varanasi
. Resolved to be near at hand, Vyasa
took his residence on the other side of the Ganges where his temple may still be seen at Ramnagar.
Ramlila
When the Dussehra
festivities are inaugurated with a colourful pageant Kashi Naresh rides an elephant at the head of the procession. Then, resplendent in silk and brocade, he inaugrates the month long folk theatre
of Ramlila at Ramnagar
.
The Ramlila
is a cycle of plays which recounts the epic story of Lord Rama, as told in Ramcharitmanas, the version of the Ramayana
penned by Tulsidas
. The plays sponsored by the Maharaja, are performed in Ramnagar every evening for 31 days. On the last day the festivities reach a crescendo as Rama
vanquishes the demon king Ravana
. Maharaja Udit Narayan Singh
started this tradition of staging the Ramleela at Ramnagar in mid-nineteenth century. Over a million pilgrims arrive annually for the vast processions and performances organized by Kashi Naresh.
, Ramnagar had a population of 39,941. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Ramnagar has an average literacy rate of 58%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 66%, and female literacy is 49%. In Ramnagar, 15% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Varanasi District
Varanasi district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India, with Varanasi city as the district headquarters. Varanasi district is a part of Varanasi division. The district occupies an area of 1,535 km². The district has a population of 3,138,671 .-Divisions:The...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
. Ramnagar has a fort known as Ramnagar Fort
Ramnagar Fort
Ramnagar Fort is a fort in Ramnagar, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh state, India. The fort and its museum are the repository of the history of the kings of Benares and since the 18th century has been the home of Kashi Naresh.-History:...
which is still the residence of King of Varanasi (Benaras). He was known as Kashi Naresh meaning king of Kashi (Ancient name of Beneras) and is still regarded by old residents of the city of Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
. Ramnagar Fort
Ramnagar Fort
Ramnagar Fort is a fort in Ramnagar, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh state, India. The fort and its museum are the repository of the history of the kings of Benares and since the 18th century has been the home of Kashi Naresh.-History:...
and its museum are the repository of the history of the kings of Benares and since the 18th century has been the home of Kashi Naresh. Even today the Kashi Naresh is deeply revered by the people of Benares. He is the religious head and the people of Benares consider him the incarnation of Lord Shiva. He is also the chief cultural patron and an essential part of all religious celebrations. Ramnagar is popular for Ramlila
Ramlila
Ramlila is a dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Lord Ram, ending up in ten day battle between Lord Ram and Ravan, as described in the Hindu religious epic, the Ramayana...
that is held annually under the aegis of King of Varanasi
Recently Ramnagar has emerged as a favorite spot for shooting movies because of the scenic location of the Ramnagar Fort (residence of the King of Varanasi) near the Ganges. Chokher Bali
Chokher Bali
Chokher Bali , literally Sand of the Eye, equivalent to eyesore, is a Bengali novel written by Rabindranath Tagore in the early twentieth century.-Plot:...
is one of the popular movies shot here.
History
The Ramnagar Fort was built by Kashi Naresh Raja Balwant Singh with creamy chunar sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
in the eighteenth century. It is a typically Mughal
Mughal architecture
Mughal architecture, an amalgam of Islamic, Persian, Turkish and Indian architecture, is the distinctive style developed by the Mughals in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries in what is now India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. It is symmetrical and decorative in style.The Mughal dynasty was...
style of architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
with carved balconies, open courtyards, and picturesque pavilions.
Saraswati Bhawan , Ramnagar Fort
A rare collection of manuscripts, especially religious writings, is housed in Saraswati Bhawan. It includes a precious handwritten manuscriptManuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
by Goswami Tulsidas. There are also many books illustrated in the Mughal miniature style, with beautifully designed covers.
Vyasa Temple at Ramnagar
According to a popular PuranPuran
Puran Puran Tehsil is a sub-division and tehsil of Shangla District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan....
ic story, when Vyasa
Vyasa
Vyasa is a central and revered figure in most Hindu traditions. He is also sometimes called Veda Vyasa , or Krishna Dvaipayana...
failed to get alms in Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
he put a curse on the city. Soon after, at a house where Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
and Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
had taken human form as householders, Vyasa
Vyasa
Vyasa is a central and revered figure in most Hindu traditions. He is also sometimes called Veda Vyasa , or Krishna Dvaipayana...
was so pleased with the alms he received that he forgot his curse. However, because of his bad temper Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
banished Vyasa
Vyasa
Vyasa is a central and revered figure in most Hindu traditions. He is also sometimes called Veda Vyasa , or Krishna Dvaipayana...
from Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
. Resolved to be near at hand, Vyasa
Vyasa
Vyasa is a central and revered figure in most Hindu traditions. He is also sometimes called Veda Vyasa , or Krishna Dvaipayana...
took his residence on the other side of the Ganges where his temple may still be seen at Ramnagar.
RamlilaRamlilaRamlila is a dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Lord Ram, ending up in ten day battle between Lord Ram and Ravan, as described in the Hindu religious epic, the Ramayana...
When the DussehraVijayadashami
Vijayadashami also known as Dasara, is one of the most important festivals celebrated in various forms, across India, Nepal and Bangladesh...
festivities are inaugurated with a colourful pageant Kashi Naresh rides an elephant at the head of the procession. Then, resplendent in silk and brocade, he inaugrates the month long folk theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
of Ramlila at Ramnagar
Ramnagar
Ramnagar may refer to:Settlements in Bangladesh:* Ramnagar, BangladeshSettlements in India:* Ramanagar - a town near Bangalore in Karnataka state of India * Ramnagar, Agartala...
.
The Ramlila
Ramlila
Ramlila is a dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Lord Ram, ending up in ten day battle between Lord Ram and Ravan, as described in the Hindu religious epic, the Ramayana...
is a cycle of plays which recounts the epic story of Lord Rama, as told in Ramcharitmanas, the version of the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
penned by Tulsidas
Tulsidas
Tulsidas , was a Hindu poet-saint, reformer and philosopher renowned for his devotion for the god Rama...
. The plays sponsored by the Maharaja, are performed in Ramnagar every evening for 31 days. On the last day the festivities reach a crescendo as Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
vanquishes the demon king Ravana
Ravana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
. Maharaja Udit Narayan Singh
Maharaja Udit Narayan Singh
Maharaja Udit Narayan Singh , of the Royal House of Benares, was the Kashi Naresh from . He was the eldest surviving son of Mahipat Narayan Singh.He had a great contribution in the culture of Varanasi....
started this tradition of staging the Ramleela at Ramnagar in mid-nineteenth century. Over a million pilgrims arrive annually for the vast processions and performances organized by Kashi Naresh.
Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Ramnagar had a population of 39,941. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Ramnagar has an average literacy rate of 58%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 66%, and female literacy is 49%. In Ramnagar, 15% of the population is under 6 years of age.