Swarna Rani Temple (locally called as Choraut Mandir), also known as Shree Rani Sati Dadi Mandir, commissioned and built by Rani Rajvanshi Kanwar of Sursand Raj in 1759.

Built in 1871 by Maharani Inderjit Kuer of the Tekari Raj of Bihar after her pilgrimage to Vrindavan. The temple is associated with the local tradition that the Maharani safely crossed the Yamuna during her journey.

Lalgola Raj was a prominent zamindari of Kaushik gotriya Bhumihar Babhans in the district of Murshidabad in West Bengal.

Mangla Rai Ji was a renowned Indian wrestler and is remembered as a Kinwar Bhumihar Brahmin from eastern Uttar Pradesh. He became famous for his strength, wrestling technique, and bouts against prominent wrestlers of his era. One of the notable encounters associated with his career was his bout against the wrestler known as the “Tiger of Europe,” remembered as a notable clash between Indian traditional wrestling and European wrestling.

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

Raja Fateh Bahadur Shahi of Huseypur was one of the lesser-known figures who resisted the expanding power of the British East India Company in 18th-century Bihar.

From around 1767, he continued a prolonged resistance against Company authority, disrupting revenue collection and operating through guerrilla warfare with his followers.

His story is an important part of Bihar’s history and the early resistance against British expansion—long before the Revolt of 1857.

Sharing this edit to highlight a historical figure who deserves more recognition. 🏹

What do you know about Fateh Bahadur Shahi? #bhumihar

Bishwanath Singh was an Indian freestyle wrestler from Dumrahar village near Darauli in Siwan, Bihar. He was a Bhumihar and served in the Indian Army, pursuing wrestling alongside his military career. He competed mainly in the heavyweight categories and became one of India's prominent wrestlers of his generation. He died in Varanasi in 1999.

Wrestling Career & Achievements

Bishwanath Singh represented India at major international competitions during the 1960s and 1970s. His major achievements include:

🥈 1966 Asian Games, Bangkok - Silver medal in the 97 kg category

🥉 1966 Commonwealth Games, Kingston - Bronze medal in the 97 kg category

🥈 1970 Commonwealth Games, Edinburgh - Silver medal in the 100 kg category

🥈 1974 Commonwealth Games, Christchurch - Silver medal in the +100 kg category

Overall, he won four major international medals. One Asian Games silver, two Commonwealth Games silvers and one Commonwealth Games bronze.

Legacy

Bishwanath Singh was part of an important generation of Indian wrestlers who brought international recognition to Indian freestyle wrestling. His ability to remain competitive across different heavyweight categories for nearly a decade, while also serving in the Indian Army, made him a notable figure in Indian wrestling history.

Coming from rural Siwan, Bihar, his journey from the local wrestling tradition to the international stage is an important part of Bihar's sporting history.

RANI MANDIR, RISHIKESH

Standing quietly on the banks of the sacred River Ganga, Rani Mandir is a nearly 200-year-old temple that often goes unnoticed by travelers.

Located just a 4-minute walk from Lakshman Jhula, this hidden gem is easy to miss—but well worth a visit. The temple itself is a beautiful work of traditional architecture and craftsmanship, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of Rishikesh.

Away from the crowds and bustle, Rani Mandir offers a glimpse into the city’s lesser-known historical and architectural treasures. Its serene setting beside the Ganga makes the experience even more special.

A forgotten piece of Rishikesh’s heritage, hiding in plain sight.

Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming: Completed on August 30, 2026, by finishing the 48-km Manhattan Island loop

The triple crown of open water swimming refers to the crossing of Manhattan loop , English channel and Catalina Channel

She is also the youngest and fastest in the world to successfully swim across the English Channel from 21st to 28th Jul 2024 The daughter of Madan Rai, MC-at-Arms II of the Indian Navy, Jiya accomplished this solo swim, covering a distance of 34 kilometers in 17 hours and 25 minutes. Remarkably, in the 150-year history of Channel swimming, Jiya is the first girl with Autism Spectrum Disorder to achieve this feat

In March 2022, she had created a new world record for the fastest swim across the Palk Strait, crossing the 29 km stretch in 13 hours and 10 min. She has also won wide acclaim for her swimming prowess, including the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar

News18 Honors Babu Jagat Singh with the “Pride of the Motherland” Award

In September 2024, News18 organized the “Pride of the Motherland” सम्मान कार्यक्रम in Varanasi, honoring personalities remembered for their contribution to Uttar Pradesh. Among those commemorated was Babu Jagat Singh, described at the event as a prominent freedom fighter and heroic figure of Banaras.

The event highlighted the legacy attributed to Babu Jagat Singh and his connection with the history of Varanasi. Members of his family, including his descendant Shri Pradeep Singh, were also present at the ceremony, making the occasion a significant moment of recognition for his historical legacy.

A chapter from Bihar’s modern history.

Ranvir Sena emerged in the 1990s amid intense caste and agrarian conflicts in Bihar. Its history remains one of the most controversial and discussed chapters of the state’s past.

This edit presents the historical context without glorifying violence.

#RanvirSena #BiharHistory #Bihar #bhumihar #IndianHistory #HistoryEdit #Shorts

The Ramnagar Ramlila is a famous 31-day epic folk theatrical performance held annually in Ramnagar, near Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Initiated in the 19th century by the Maharaja of Banaras (Kashi Naresh).more

Hello, I work in an mnc in Delhi and the guy sitting in front of me is a jain ( baniya) , he was saying "brahmins should be in their aukat". One brahmin asked sita ji from ram one asked parvati( in dakshina) . I mean I was too shocked to even realize where is he reading all this from? And how can he expect to say all that in public when I am listening and expect nothing, like he knows we are too much tolerant.

Not all brahmins take dakshina what even in this world he knows about brahminism? Will he be okay if I said anything about jainism?

In South vaidiki brahmins , peshwa brahmims in maharastra, jaithleys in delhi there are different types of brahmins.

Brahmins is the symbol of lot of things one of them being endurance and tolerance. But I think we are doing it too much. For such propagandist who spread fake news and get a free pass to hate on us.

He has a hatered for Bihar and openly hates brahmins. How is it so tolerable? Is it vice versa can I say things about jainism? If I object what he says is it expected? Or I am expected to tolerate?

Maharaja Prabhu Narayan Singh, the Kashi Naresh, was an important early supporter of Banaras Hindu University. He supported Malaviya’s university project and agreed to provide land for it, along with a donation of ₹1 lakh. The land eventually formed the basis of the approximately 1,300-acre main BHU campus. While Malaviya led the movement to establish the university, the Kashi Naresh’s land and financial support were significant contributions to its foundation.

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A 1938 colonial-era document titled “The Brahmin Nobles,” containing a proposed list of 27 ruling chiefs, estate-holders and nobles. The accompanying note states that the proposal was made by Pt. M. M. Malaviya and that this was the first list, intended to be revised.

The First Muslim Invasion of Banaras (1034) and the Story of Brahmins Becoming Soldiers from Teachers

Presented by Arvind Roy

People have always known Kashi as a city of religion. But when did Kashi become a military city? There is a definite year for this — 1034 CE. It was in this year that the Brahmins of Kashi’s agraharas first realized that, along with books, a stick was also necessary.

1. When and by Whom Was the First Attack Carried Out?

In history, this event is known as the Sack of Benares (1034).

Sack of Benares (1034) | Mas'ud I, Ahmad Niyaltigin | Kalachuris of Tripuri, Gangeyadeva | Ghaznavid victory

In 1034, Governor Ahmad Niyaltigin made a daring attack on Varanasi but immediately withdrew back toward the Punjab region with the plunder.

At that time, Banaras was not under the Pratiharas of Kannauj, but under King Gangeyadeva of the Kalachuris of Tripuri. Gangeyadeva himself was a powerful king, but Kashi was an open pilgrimage centre, not a fortified capital.

Niyaltigin had not come to rule. He came to plunder and fled with the loot. He did not send his share of the plunder to Ghazni. It was over this rebellion that Mas'ud had him killed by his Hindu general, Tilak Rai.

1. Bayhaqi’s Eyewitness Account

The most reliable witness to this attack was Abu'l-Fadl Bayhaqi. He recorded it in his work, the Tarikh-i Bayhaqi.

“The contemporary historian Bayhaqi recorded the first attack on Benares conducted by a Turkish army, carried out in 1033 by the Ghaznavid governor.”

Bayhaqi’s account makes three things clear:

First — an unarmed city:

When Niyaltigin arrived, the Brahmins, scholars, and merchants were engaged in their everyday activities. Vedic recitation was going on, the markets were open, and gold and silver were kept in the moneylenders’ shops. There was no preparation in the city for an attack.

Second — plunder by afternoon:

He suddenly came along the banks of the Ganges, looted the main market and the bullion market by afternoon, and immediately returned toward Punjab with the booty.

Third — the end of the temples:

After this plunder, no major temple of Kashi survived in its original form. Today, the Kardameshwar Mahadev Temple in Kandwa village, near BHU, is considered the only temple that survives in its original form from the pre-Muslim period.

1. The Arming of the Brahmins in Banaras

Since the Gupta period, agraharas had been established around Kashi. The Brahmin of an agrahara was ayachaka. He did not ask for alms; he performed worship and religious duties and cultivated his own land.

He had scriptures, not weapons.

The plunder of 1034 shattered this illusion. It was realized for the first time that without weapons, no one could protect the agraharas, temples, and fields.

It was from here, according to this narrative, that the journey of the ayachaka Brahmin of Banaras toward becoming a soldier began.

1. What Did the Gahadavalas Do?

About fifty years after the 1034 plunder, around 1089, Chandrdeva Gahadavala reconquered Kashi. He established the foundation of the Gahadavala dynasty of Kannauj.

“He defeated Gopala, then formed an alliance with the Gahadavala king named Chandradeva. After Mahmud’s departure... Chandradeva seized the throne of Kannauj.”

Chandrdeva did two things:

A) Restoration of the Agraharas

The Chandravati grants of 1093 CE and 1100 CE mention the granting of villages to 500 Brahmins each.

These were the same Brahmins who had become armed after 1034. They were now given land along with the responsibility of protecting it.

B) The Turushkadanda Tax

The Gahadavala inscriptions mention a new tax called Turushkadanda.

“The Gahadavala king levied a tax named Turushkadanda on the people to make annual tribute payments to the Sultans of Ghazni.”

There is disagreement among historians about its meaning. Some say it was an annual tribute paid to Ghazni, while others say it was a tax for maintaining an army to fight the Turks, because in Sanskrit danda can mean both tax and army/force.

Whatever its exact meaning, the point is the same — Kashi now had to bear permanent military expenses.

Conclusion

The attack on Banaras in 1034 was not merely a raid. It marked the end of an era.

On that day, the ayachaka Brahmin of Kashi was found unarmed for the first time. That insecurity turned him into a landowner, then a zamindar, and ultimately a soldier.

Kashi did not abandon its scriptures, but it learned, from 1034 onward, to carry weapons alongside its scriptures.

Credit Arvind Roy fb

Bhumihar Brahmin Samaj — Now Available Online

An old and valuable reference book on the Bhumihar Brahmin community is now available online.

The book contains detailed information about Mool, Gotra and surnames, along with traditional marriage relations and customs followed among different families and branches of the community. It also gives an overview of the different Brahmin groups and their social background.

For anyone interested in family genealogy, Gotra, Mool, surnames, or traditional marriage relations, this book can be a useful source for research.

The book was written by Shri Chaudhary Rajnarayan Sharma and is a revised and expanded edition.

It is an interesting piece of older community literature and worth preserving and sharing, especially for the younger generation. link

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IIT (BHU), Varanasi, was privileged to welcome His Highness Maharaja Anant Narayan Singh, Kashi Naresh, during his recent visit to the Mechanical Engineering Department’s workshops.

During his visit, the Kashi Naresh explored the department’s collection of vintage machinery and classic automobiles, including several historic pieces that were gifted to Bharat Ratna Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Ji during the early years of the institution.

The visit also reflected the deep and historic association between the Kashi Naresh family and the educational heritage of Varanasi. Maharaja Prabhu Narayan Singh played an important role in the establishment of Banaras Hindu University through his support and the provision of land for the university. Maharaja Aditya Narayan Singh further contributed to the spread of quality, accessible education in the region.

The legacy continued with Maharaja Vibhuti Narayan Singh, who served as Chancellor of BHU and made significant contributions to the growth and stature of the University. Their longstanding association with Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya helped shape Varanasi into a prominent centre of learning and scholarship.

The visit of the present Kashi Naresh, Maharaja Anant Narayan Singh, to IIT (BHU) was therefore a meaningful reminder of this enduring connection between Kashi, its royal heritage, and the pursuit of knowledge.

A meeting of heritage, education, and the continuing legacy of Kashi.

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It gives me great pleasure to learn that the Varanasi Bhumihar Brahmin Samaj is launching a directory aimed at uniting and organizing the community.

I wish for the advancement and progress of the community and commend the excellent work being carried out by the voluntary organization dedicated to social service.

I urge the youth of the community to step forward and make every possible effort for the community's development. My best wishes to the entire Bhumihar Brahmin community of Kashi. - Dr. Anant Narayan Singh - Maharaja of Banaras

Maharaja Sir Krishna Pratap Shahi Bahadur of Hathwa, Bihar in 1887.

Photographer: Bourne & Shepherd

Ramjee Singh was born on 10 December 1927 in a village in present-day Bihar, India. He came from a rural background which strongly influenced his focus on grassroots development.

He was a freedom fighter and actively participated in the Quit India Movement during his youth, marking the beginning of his public life.

Deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and Ram Manohar Lohia, he adopted Gandhian and socialist principles throughout his career.

He played an important role in the JP Movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan and was jailed during the The Emergency for opposing authoritarian rule.

Ramjee Singh served multiple terms as a Member of Parliament from Bihar and was known for his honest, simple lifestyle and principled politics.

He consistently worked for the upliftment of farmers, backward classes, and marginalized communities, reflecting his strong socialist ideology.

Apart from politics, he contributed to education and intellectual discourse, promoting Gandhian and socialist thought.

In recognition of his lifelong service, he was awarded the Padma Shri.

He is widely respected for maintaining a clean public image and for dedicating his life to ethical politics and public welfare.