BENARES, an Indian State attached to the United Prov inces; area 87o sq.m., and pop. 391,272 in 1931. This is the latest Indian State to be so constituted, the maharajah having been given powers as a ruling chief in 1911. His ancestor, Balwant Singh, although nominally an ordinary landholder, succeeded in establishing his independence of the Oudh court, and helped the British at the battle of Buxar. His son was the famous Chet Singh, whose differences with Warren Hastings are familiar mat ters of history. Chet Singh's nephew was reinstated by the East India company; the tracts which had been under the family's management on behalf of the Oudh wazirs were taken over by the British, and the raja was confirmed in the possession of what long continued to be known as the "family domains," for which Balwant Singh had received a grant from the Delhi emperor. The immediate predecessor to the present chief was staunch to the British cause in the Mutiny; and the status of the family in rela tion to their own properties steadily approximated to that of an independent prince. The personal character, loyalty and munifi cence of the present maharaja ultimately turned the scale; and in 191 o his property was formally recognized as an Indian State. The maharaja has a personal salute of 15 guns (13 hereditary), and owns outside his territory large estates as an ordinary land holder in adjoining districts in the United Provinces and Bihar.
The capital of the State is Ramnagar (pop. 12,493 in 1931), a small town with a fine fort on the river, which is the maharaja's palace. The view from it down to the river front of Benares city is magnificent. The town was transferred to the State at a later date than the outlying lands, after having been greatly improved by the maharaja at his own cost. A Brahman himself and a patron of learning, the maharaja presented the Hindu university with the site of its buildings opposite Ramnagar, as well as with a handsome endowment.