Hi There
It is pretty long time that I have written on my blog,the main reason was I was preparing myself for my upcoming ride to Forts around Varanasi and Sasaram. This was also my Solo long ride and I had never visited Sasaram ever before.However Varanasi I had visited earlier a very long time back.
The house were she was born,was constructed by her grand father and given to her father.The monument is very well kept one should visit it on a visit to Varanasi.
It is pretty long time that I have written on my blog,the main reason was I was preparing myself for my upcoming ride to Forts around Varanasi and Sasaram. This was also my Solo long ride and I had never visited Sasaram ever before.However Varanasi I had visited earlier a very long time back.
PART I Jhansi to Varanasi
A day before my start of ride as I was very excited I could not sleep early and in fact woke up much before than my actual ride time.I had planned to leave by 0600am on 18 Mar.However I saddled up by 0530am and I started my journey by 0540am. The breeze was good ,spirits were high and my TB was most smooth and was blessed with such a lovely scene.
Route - Jhnasi-Orai-Bhognipur-Ghatampur-AH1-Varanasi
Roadside assistance - Ample number of fuel stations.
Eating Joint - I had lunch at an excellent Pehalwan Dhaba on Allahabad- Varanasi By Pass.
Weather - Mornings are excellent to ride but afternoons it gets pretty warm.
Condition of road - All NH/AH are excellent ,however a lot of work going on.
Riding from Jhansi to Varanasi
As per my earlier plan I was to stay in Allahabad for night and than proceed next day to Varanasi.However I had already by passed Allahabad by 1pm and I was in Gopiganj by 3pm. However there was a huge traffic jam and I had to take a cross country road to by pass the traffic jam,the by pass it self was traffic jammed.
Beautiful Highway
Tea Break at Ghatampur
Cross country road to bypass the Jam on AH!
By 7 pm,I reached the hotel,were I met my friend Mohit from Delhi, who had come to Varanasi to be with me for a day .
Visit to Birth place of Rani Laxmibai
Having rested in the night,woke up early and started my day by visiting the birthplace of Rani Laxmibai,which is near Assi Ghat and very well marked.
Rani Laxmibai was born on 19 November 1828,and was named Manikarnika. Her father was Moropant Tambe(who played important role in her later life too when she was in Jhansi) and mother was Bhagirathi Bai.Her mother died when she was 4 yrs old.Her father was temple priest,who later on went to Bithoor to work for Peshwa Nana Saheb.
Beautiful Fresco's
Visit to Chet Singh Fort
Maharaja Chet Singh was the eldest son of Raja Balwant Singh, and succeeded to the throne of Varanasi in 1770 after the death of his father.
Varanasi was part of Oudh. In 1775 the Nawab of Oudh , was fed up with British interference, transferred the domain to the Company under the direct control of the Governor General Warren Hasting. Under the new British terms, Chait Singh was to contribute 2000 Cavalry and 5000 foot soldiers and 5 lacs as maintenance grant . However Chait Singh refused to do so and made a counter offer of 500 Cavalry,2000 foot soldiers and maintenance grant.But when it actually came to delivery he refused to do so,the reason being that,the main aim of Hasting was to capture Varanasi and make it as part of the East India Company.Since Varanasi was controlling all the trade happening on Ganges from Kolkata to Kanpur.
In spite of Hastings threats and emissaries,Chait Sing refused to bow down.So in August 1781 Warren Hasting along with a battalion attacked the Chait Singht Fort.
On the very ramparts now towards Ganga there was a bloody battle fougt,the Raja escaped the Fort and took shelter in Chunar Fort.Warren Hasting stripped him of his title and awarded the title to his nephew Mahip Narayan Singh on 14 September 1781. Chait Singh than moved to Oudh and to Gwalior were he breathed his last on 29 Mar 1810.. The incident greatly tarnished Hastings' image , leading to an inquiry for 8 yrs.
The main entrance from Ganges side
Inside the Fort
Royal Temples
The entrance to the fort is closed and no one to guard,it has now become a heaven for smoking of Chilim ,however inside is maintained clean and whole premises is rented out to film companies,there is not much to see as the original Fort got restructured a number of times.It is still property of the Royal family.
Some Random clicks
The Visit to Varanasi should not be restricted to Ghats ,but if one looks around there are a lot of historical places to visit.
Ride Safe Firm Saddle .Adios
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