Varanasi Trip Overview
Take a trip across the Ganges river by taxi for 1.5hrs and into the countryside of rural India to the historic fortress of Chunar. Filled with myth and legend the fort is said to be a place where the Vaman (dwarf) incarnation of Vishnu took a step and hence has been called Chunar (footstep) ever since. The current fort dates from Sher Shah Suri’s renovations in the 16th century and houses the Sonwa Mandap Mandir (c1300CE). It is an ideal spot for a picnic on the verandah of Warren Hastings colonial house overlooking the river, which is built inside the fort. A visit to a Muslim nobleman’s gravesite rounds out the journey.
Additional Info
Duration: 6 hours
Starts: Varanasi, India
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Historical & Heritage Tours
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What to Expect When Visiting Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Take a trip across the Ganges river by taxi for 1.5hrs and into the countryside of rural India to the historic fortress of Chunar. Filled with myth and legend the fort is said to be a place where the Vaman (dwarf) incarnation of Vishnu took a step and hence has been called Chunar (footstep) ever since. The current fort dates from Sher Shah Suri’s renovations in the 16th century and houses the Sonwa Mandap Mandir (c1300CE). It is an ideal spot for a picnic on the verandah of Warren Hastings colonial house overlooking the river, which is built inside the fort. A visit to a Muslim nobleman’s gravesite rounds out the journey.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Chunar Fort, Mirzapur 231304 India
Chunar Fort is also known as Chandrakanta Chunargarh and Charanadri which has got long history along with some legends. The fort is located on Kaimur Hills. History of the fort dates back to 56 BC when Raja Vikramaditya was the ruler of Ujjain. Then it went under Mughals, Suris, Nawabs of Awadh and finally into the hands of the British.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Sonwa Mandapam, Chunar Rd, Chunar, Uttar Pradesh 231304, India
Sonwa Mandap is an open-air pavilion in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is one of the two notable buildings within Chunar Fort.Its 28 pillars are in the Hindu style of architecture.
The pillars of the Sonwa Mandap in 2008
An engraving on its mehrab is believed to be filled with gold. Sonwa Mandap has four gates and a tunnel at the front yard of the building. It is mentioned[by whom?] that in 1333 AD, princess Sonwa, daughter of Sandeva, a Nepali king, came here frequently to take baths in the Ganga River through this tunnel. The access is from the fort. It is also mentioned that princess Sonwa used this well for her ablutions.
Duration: 20 minutes
