Narayan dynasty

The Narayan dynasty was the ruling family of Benares. Ancestors of Narayan Dynasty were rulers of Kashi Mahajanpada but later the Dynasty had lost their kingdom. Raja Mansaram Singh of Narayan Dynasty had again acquired the kingdom of his ancestors. After seceding from Awadh, Benares emerged as a kingdom of its own, ruled by Maharaja Balwant Singh in the 18th century. Since then, the family ruled Benares. They belonged to the Gautam Gotra in Kitthu Mishra family of the Bhumihar Brahmin community. In 1911, Benares became a full-fledged princely state of British India and the Narayan dynasty ruled it as British vassals until they acceded to independent India in 1947.

Even today, the Kashi Naresh, the titular ruler of the dynasty, is deeply revered by the people of Benares. He is Benares's religious head and the people of Benares consider him to have been ordained the throne of Kashi by Shiva. He is also the chief cultural patron and an essential part of all religious celebrations.