This is a brief history of Chunar Fort.
This unknown fort has had a fascinating history.
Chunar. A little-known fort in Mirzapur.
Chunar Fort is a little-known fort in the Mirzapur district and lies about seventy kilometers from Varanasi. A cursory examination of the map will tell you that the fort lies on the banks of the Ganges River and the walls overlook the river's curve.
The founding kings built the fort on a small hill, and a tiny village stands at the foothill of the hill. More on the village later.
I used CoPilot.
I've been sneaky and lazy, which is unlike me, asking Microsoft's AI tool, CoPilot, to dig through the history of Chunar Fort. I don't usually use AI tools for my history research, but I've been swamped and haven't had time to scour the internet for all the relevant articles.
The fort has a chequered and colorful history.
According to some sources, the fort's history dates back to approximately 56 BCE. Any fort that old has witnessed the rise and fall of kingdoms, battles, sieges, executions, and blood stains its grounds and walls. No one can, or should, ignore this simple fact of history.
Many of us are aware of the adage that victors write history. Still, I have not come across any major article on the magnificent fort, barring what Microsoft CoPilot unearthed for me. But yes, the kingdoms that rose and fell include the Mauryans, the Guptas, the Mughals, the Marathas, the Sur( I remain convinced of this belief), and the British Empire.
Many have died in battle here and, to quote another adage, if stones could speak, they'd tell a pretty tale.
Almost no one in India remembers the Mauryas or the Guptas. Some people recall Chandragupta Maurya and his advisor, Chanakya, as featured in a TV series. Almost no one has read the book attributed to him – 'The Arthashastra.' Western commentators refer to Canakya (or Kautilya) as the 'Indian Machiavelli,' which is stupid on several counts. One, Canakya predated Machiavelli by centuries. Second, his book is much deeper than Machiavelli's offering. Third, Canakya (as per writers like Wendy Doniger) states that Canakya made Machiavelli seem angelic!
Chunar Fort. Sher Shah Suri & Humayun.
One of the more dramatic moments in Chunar Fort's history happened in the 16th century CE, when the Afghan king, Sher Shah Suri, converted Chunar into his stronghold. The second Mughal emperor, Humayun, laid siege to the fort and, after six months, captured it. The long siege allowed Sher Shah Suri to consolidate his power elsewhere – I doubt he was in the fort – eventually chasing Humayun out of the Indian subcontinent and establishing the short-lived Sur dynasty.
Sher Shah Suri was an incredible man and handsome! Apart from being an exceptional general, his administrative reforms, in the five years he ruled, would put any person to shame. I have been a great admirer of the man, and consider it an absolute scandal that we have allowed him to sink into obscurity.
In today's polarized atmosphere, with brain-dead Indians continuing to babble on about 'invaders,' there is little chance of his reputation being dug out of obscurity and giving him a proper place in India's history. It is better to allow him to ask his shade to rest in peace and wait until a more enlightened age dawns in India.
Sher Shah Suri chased Humayun out of the subcontinent, and Humayun finally found refuge in Persia. Sher Shah Suri's sons were useless, and upon the worthy Afghan's death, Humayun returned, reclaimed his kingdom, and re-established the Mughal (or, Timurid) Empire.
And then, the British took the fort.
The fort went through a few kings in the 18th century CE, with the fort passing from the Nawab of Awadh to a gentleman called Kashi Naresh Maharaja Balwant Singh, who yielded the fort to the British (Hector Munro) in 1768 CE. Chunar stayed with the British until India gained independence in 1947 CE.
When I visited the fort, I discovered several areas were out of bounds because the police had occupied half the grounds. Few people travel to the magnificent fort or admire its architecture.
What lies ahead? Virtual reality tours and games?
What lies ahead for the fort? Decay? Who knows? The age of kingdoms and empires seems over for now. The fort may find its way into a computer game, and future generations will use virtual reality to visit the fort and play battle games in the virtual world.
Am glad Chunar Fort still exists even if largely forgotten. And Sher Shah Suri sounds like an interesting character about who some screenwriter might write an excellent screenplay that finds it way into the hands of of a thoughtful director and an even more thoughtful producer if it's remotely possible that all three aren't extinct at least for now. Also Sher Shah Suri's name is so modern if still ancient possibly translating as Lion King Suri. And then wondering at the quirk that his name ended up being the name that Tom Cruise and Kati Holmes chose for their daughter meaning "sun" or "wise" in the Indian or Sanskrit context. That name sort of extends wise manly sun yang like characteristics to women if the name to given to women, who are more yinly like thought of as passive like the moon in the dark with similar characteristics. The reality of which seems reflected in some women in India, who are operate as the matriarchs of large families. And it shows how Indian culture finds it's way into exerting a positive influence out the past upon an ever more chaotic world. Thanks for historical posts like this. A pet peeve of mine is how some historical Hindi cinema films no matter how well produced, directed or acted are missing English subtitles. Maybe it's guilt, or from a fixed attitude that English speakers are totally indifferent to Indian history which British rule over India for 200 years, clearly demonstrates. But when English speakers are made more aware of Indian culture's positive influence on the world, then the evil barbarity of England's 200-year India occupation could or can be fully perceived. More please.
Sher Shah Suri is forgotten indeed, but is well remembered by historians! He was the first to build a similar structure near the Yamuna Doab, which later got sort of included in the magnificent Shahjahanabad and Lal Quila. Suri’s mahal was used by later Mughals a lot and was one of the residences of royal princes, including Dara Sikoh.
Suri’s coins were also one of the largest. Interesting article about Chunar. Hope to visit there one day!