Chunar Fort Chunar

Head to Chunar Fort to witness a stunning architectural grandeur of a bygone era. Comfortably standing on a small hillock on the banks of the River Ganges, the Chunar Fort dates back to 56 BC. This beautiful historical attraction in Chunar sprawls over a large area of 3,400 sq km. Being one of the most ancient forts in the region, Chunar Fort is under the administration of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). This popular tourist attraction in Chunar has a rich historical past. The fort went under the control of powerful rulers throughout history, from Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir and Aurangzeb to the British East India Company. At present, Chunar Fort serves as one of the most iconic and must-visit tourist places in Chunar.

Legend

Chunar Fort is also associated with several interesting legends. One of them tells the tale of King Bali. Once Bhawan Bhagwan ( a Hindu deity), appeared in the form of a Brahmin in front of King Bali and begged him for three feet of land. The kind-hearted king agreed to it. Bhawan Bhagwan left the mark of his first step on the hill where presently the Chunar Fort is located. Since then the fort site is known as 'Charandri'. However, over the years, the name has been shortened to Chunar.

Another legend goes like this. The brother of King Vikramaditya of Ujjain, Bharthari, decided to live the life of a hermit. For that, he started living near the site of Chunar. On seeing the condition of his brother, King Vikramaditya built a house for Bharthari. At present, the fort site houses a black stone which is worshipped even now, as it was the place where the saint Bhartihari lived and prayed.

The third legend says that it was King Prithviraj of Rajasthan who purchased the fort site along with its neighbouring settlements during his reign. After his demise, the site was sold to Khair-ud-din Subuktagin by his descendants. A Sanskrit inscription on the entrance of the fort says that the fort is under the administration of Swami Raja.  There is a stone tablet which had been used to record this entire event.