BENARES3

BENARES

GENEALOGY

continued from the previous page.

1835 - 1889 H.H. Maharajadhiraja Sri Sir Ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Benares, GCSI (1.1.1877, CSI 15.11.1872). b. at Benares, 1822, elder son of Raj Kumar Sri Prasidh Narayan Singh, educ. privately. Adopted by his childless uncle Raja Sri Udit Narayan Singh as his son and heir, and formally invested with the title of Raj Kumar Sri Ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh. Succeeded on his death, 4^th April 1835. Granted a sanad confirming him in his possessions and formally invested with the title of Maharaja, at Ramnagar Fort, Benares, 29^th July 1835. Reigned under the guardianship of the Court of Wards, until he came of age and was formally invested with limited administrative powers, 1841. He remained staunchly loyal to the British during the Indian Mutiny of 1857-1858, assisted the government in many useful ways, and was rewarded for his services with a grant of the personal title of Maharaja Bahadur 11^th August 1859. Received a sanad of adoption, 11^th March 1862. Granted a personal salute of 13-guns 26^th June 1867, and the personal style of His Highness 8^th February 1889. Councillor of the Empire 1877-1889, Mbr Governor-General's Legislative Cncl. He secured an amendment to the administrative regulations in 1881, restoring many of the powers lost by his predecessor in 1828. Rcvd: Prince of Wales' (1876) and KIH (1877) gold medals. He d.s.p. at Ramnagar Fort, Benares, 13^th June 1889 (succ. by his nephew and adopted son):

1) H.H. Maharajadhiraja Sri Sir Prabhu Narayan Singh Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Benares - see below.

1889 - 1931 Lieutenant-Colonel H.H. Maharajadhiraja Sri Sir Prabhu Narayan Singh Sahib Bahadur, Kashi Naresh, Maharaja of Benares, GCSI (1.1.1921), GCIE (1.1.1898, KCIE 1.1.1891).b. at Benares, 26^th November 1855, educ. privately. Succeeded on the death of his uncle and adopted father, 13^th June 1889. Ascended the gadi, at Ramnagar Fort, Benares, 14^th June 1889. Granted a personal salute of 13-guns, the personal title of Maharaja Bahadur and the style of His Highness, 23^rd September 1889 (confirmed as hereditary 1^st January 1918). Attended the Coronation Durbar at Delhi 1903. Recognised as a ruling Prince of the new State of Benares, comprising the parganasof Bhadohi and Keramnagar, Chakia and Ramnagar, 9^th November 1910. Installed with full ruling powers, at Ramnagar Fort, Benares, 1^st April 1911. Granted a personal salute of 15-guns, 1^st January 1918. Hon. Lieut-Col. IA 1/11/1919. Hon. Col. 1st Benares (Prabhu Narain's Own) Battalion, Benares State Forces. Presdt. Benares Hindu Univ. Cttee. 1904. Rcvd: Delhi Durbar gold medals (1903 and 1911), and GC of the Order of Leopold II of Belgium (12.2.1926). Hon. LL.D. (Benares Hindu Univ.). m. (first) at Benares, 1873, Sri Sri Sri Sri Sri Kancha Maharani Vishnu Dibyashwori Rajya Lakshmi [Kancha Maiya Maharani Sahiba], fifth daughter of Commanding-General H.H. Svasti Sri Madati Prachandra Bhujadandyetyadi Sri Sri Sri Maharaja Sir Jang Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, T'ung-ling-ping-ma-Kuo-Kang-wang, Maharaja of Lambjang and Kaski, GCB, GCSI, sometime Prime Minister and C-in-C of Nepal. m. (second) a sister of Babu Jagdep Narayan Singh. He d. at Ramnagar Fort, Benares, 4^th August 1931, having had issue, one son:

1) H.H. Maharajadhiraja Sri Sir Aditya Narayan Singh Sahib Bahadur, Kashi Naresh, Maharaja of Benares - see below.

1931 - 1939 Captain H.H. Maharajadhiraja Sri Sir Aditya Narayan Singh Sahib Bahadur, Kashi Naresh, Maharaja of Benares, KCSI (3.6.1933). b. at Ramnagar Fort, Benares, 17^th November 1874, only son of Lieutenant-Colonel H.H. Maharajadhiraja Sri Sir Prabhu Narayan Singh Sahib Bahadur, Kashi Naresh, Maharaja of Benares, GCSI, GCIE, educ. privately. Succeeded on the death of his father, 4^th August 1931. MLC Agra and Oudh. Hon. Capt. IA, 27/8/1932. Hon. Col. 1^st Benares (Prabhu Narain's Own) Battalion, Benares State Forces. Rcvd: Silver Jubilee (1935), and Coron. (1937) medals. m. the sister of Sri Raja Sadeshri Prasad Narayan Singh, Rai Bahadur, Raja , of Salemgarh, CBE, in the Gorakhpur district of UP, the younger daughter of Babu Ambika Prasad Narayan Singh. He d.s.p. at Ramnagar Fort, Benares, 5^th April 1939, having adopted a son of Babu Jharkhandi Prasad Narayan Singh (son or grandson of Babu Jagdep Narayan Singh, brother of a wife of Maharaja Sir Prabhu Narayan Singh) as his son and successor:

1) H.H. Maharajadhiraja Sri Vibhuti Narayan Singh Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Benares - see below.

1939 - [2000] H.H. Maharajadhiraja Sri Vibhuti Narayan Singh Sahib Bahadur, Kashi Naresh, Maharaja of Benares. b. 5^th November 1927, as Kumar Chandra Bhal Singh, son of Babu Jharkhandi Prasad Narayan Singh, educ. Mayo Coll., Ajmer, and Benares Hindu Univ. (MA 1947, Hon D Lit). Adopted by Maharajadhiraja Sri Sir Aditya Narayan Singh, and invested with the style and title of Maharaj Kumar Sri Vibhuti Narayan Singh, 24^th June 1934. Succeeded on the death of his adopted father, 5^th April 1939. Reigned under a Council of Administration until he came of age and was invested with full ruling powers, at Ramnagar Fort, Benares, 11^th July 1947. Signed the instrument of accession to the Dominion of India, 15^th August 1947. Merged his state into the United Provinces, 15^th October 1949 (when he ceased to enjoy sovereign powers). Entertained H.M. Queen Elizabeth II at during her State Visit to India, 1961. The GOI amended the Indian Constitution to remove his position as a "ruler" and his right to receive privy-purse payments, 28^th December 1971. Hon. Col. 1st Benares (Prabhu Narain's Own) Battalion, Benares State Forces. A distinguished scholar of Sanskrit, Purana and Veda and a patron of the arts. Chancellor Benares Hindu Univ. 1992-2000, Pro-Chancellor Sampoornanand Sanskrit Univ. Chair. All-India Kashi Raj Trust 1957-2000, Benares Hotels Ltd. (BHL) 1971-2000, Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust Exec. Cttee. 1983-2000, etc. Rcvd: Silver Jubilee (1935), Coron. (1937), and Indian Independence (1948) medals. m. at Ramnagar Fort, Benares, 1947, H.H. Maharani … Devi Sahiba. He d. at Ramnagar Fort, Benares, 25^th December 2000 (cremated at Manikarnika ghat), having had issue, one son and three daughters:

1) H.H. Maharajadhiraja Sri Ananant Narayan Singh Sahib Bahadur, Kashi Naresh, Maharaja of Benares - see below.
1) Maharaj Kumari Vishnupriya Devi.
2) Maharaj Kumari Haripriya Devi.
3) Maharaj Kumari Krishnapriya Devi.

[2000] H.H. Maharajadhiraja Sri Ananant [Anant] Narayan Singh Sahib Bahadur, Kashi Naresh, Maharaja of Benares. b. at Ramnagar Fort, Benares, 1963, youngest child and only son of H.H. Maharajadhiraja Sri Vibhuti Narayan Singh Sahib Bahadur, Kashi Naresh, Maharaja of Benares, educ. Mayo Coll., Ajmer, and Benares Hindu Univ. Succeeded on the death of his father as Head of the Royal House of Benares, and installed on the gadi, at Ramnagar Fort, Benares, 25^th December 2000. Pro-Chancellor Sampoornanand Sanskrit Univ. since 2000,Patron Project Mala, Mbr. Sri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Varanasi (Nyas Parishad). Chair. Taj Ganges Hotel, and Benares Hotels Ltd. (BHL), Dir Indian Resort Hotels Ltd, etc. m. H.H. Maharani Anamika Devi Sahiba. He has issue, one son.

BENARES 1

BENARES 2

MAIN

I would be grateful to hear from anyone who may have changes, corrections or additions to contribute. If you do, please be kind enough to send me an e-mail using the contact details at:

CONTACT