 "Exploring Mirzapur beyond the cinematic portrayal")
Violence, shootouts, beatings, dead bodies, a free flow of cuss words, plenty of illicit sex, political intrigues at the local and state level—amidst all this, a few carpet makers were thrown in as cover. That’s Mirzapur in the cinematic world for OTT enthusiasts. But for a person who has had the opportunity to explore the real district that Kaleen Bhaiya & Co made their happy hunting ground, the area is a far cry from the manner in which it is portrayed.
The first place to explore in Mirzapur district is Chunar, which is synonymous with a certain kind of stone that has an important place in Indian history. A short drive from Varanasi, the strategically built fort at Chunar stands on a rocky outcrop of the Vindhya Range, overlooking the Ganga. This made it a much coveted bastion for various dynasties for centuries. A record of this was kept by WB Cotton, collector and magistrate of Mirzapur, in 1924. He erected a stone tablet in the fort, listing out its various rulers over the ages. The accuracy of some parts of this inscription has been questioned, but the outline is correct.
As per Cotton’s list, the earliest record of a settlement at Chunar dates to 56 BCE, to a ruler called Vikramaditya, who ruled the kingdom of Ujjain. The tablet then moves forward by over a thousand years with a reference to the last Chauhan ruler of Delhi, Prithviraj. Next up is a Ghurid ruler, and who exactly this is has been hazy. A more clear record emerges from the time of Babur, whose soldiers took the fort on their journey eastward. After Babur’s death, his son Humayun lost the kingdom to Sher Shah Sur. Sur acquired control of Chunar in the 1530s by marrying the widow of its governor. After the fall of the Sur dynasty and the short-lived rule of a former Sur minister called Hemu, north India was once again under Mughal control.
Emperor Akbar is said to have taken Chunar in 1575, and much of what stands in the fort today is attributed to his patronage. His son and successor, Jahangir, appointed a nobleman called Iftikhar Khan as the local governor. Iftikhar’s elegant tomb stands a short distance from the fort, in a nearby village. Accessed through a striking gateway, this is a garden tomb in the signature Mughal charbagh pattern. The original garden has been replaced by a green patch tended by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), but the clean lines of the multi-level tomb structure indicate the importance of the occupant.
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More ShortsThe fort itself stands proud of its vantage point. Once upon a time, it would have had a Mughal garrison in charge. Today, it is controlled by the Uttar Pradesh Police, with a small part open to tourists. Below Chunar is where the Ganga makes a turn towards the east. Looking down from the fort walls, views of the Ganga flowing below in its eternal journey make a visitor feel as if time were standing still. This is the view that Akbar, Sher Shah, and others before them would have seen. Perhaps there was more water in the river then; the views of the countryside around would not have been interrupted by haze, and the vicinity would have been more forested than today.
The British, too, were at Chunar, taking charge of the fort and its vicinity in the last part of the 18th century. Warren Hastings is said to have spent time here. The best-maintained part of the fort, which includes his palatial residence, is with the police and is out of bounds for visitors. As one goes down from the fort, a British cemetery appears on the right, filled with graves of soldiers and their family members from throughout the 19th century.
At various points in time, Chunar was used as a detention centre for political prisoners, both by the Mughals and the British. Among the most prominent personalities housed here was Rani Jindan, wife of the Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh. She was brought to Chunar as it was considered safe to house her here, far from Punjab. However, she added a sensational chapter to Chunar’s history by escaping from the fort in the guise of a servant.
Among the Mughal prisoners was Shah Qasim Sulaimani. A Sufi suspected of supporting the out-of-favour Prince Khusrau, Sulaimani, was imprisoned in Chunar by Jahangir. Dying here in 1607, his tomb became a shrine for locals, and it remains a place of worship to this day. His dargah is now the focal point of a large necropolis, with numerous tombs built around it. Brilliant stone carving is a highlight of the tombs here.
Going back in time, long before the Mughals, the Surs, or Chauhans, the famed ‘Chunar stone’ was used to make Ashokan pillar edicts found all over the subcontinent. Thus, it seems quite fitting that Mirzapur district itself is home to an Ashokan rock edict as well as a pillar. At a place called Ahraura Khas, a hilltop Britsh-era shed protects a rock edict dated to the Ashokan era. The hill is called Bhandari Devi ka Pahar, named after a shrine that stands near the shed. The shrine is recent, but perhaps it was built atop a more ancient temple. Close by, near the village of Belkhera Bhagwanpur, an Ashokan pillar stands tall, unchanged for more than two thousand years.
Beyond recorded history, Mirzapur has more in its past—much more! The district is also home to prehistoric painted rock shelters. Located in remote rural areas, a total of thirty sites, containing as many as sixty painted rock shelters, were found in this region. In the vicinity of Mirzapur town itself, there are more than half a dozen of these sites. It is truly a fascinating region, with layers of history to be explored, provided one is persistent enough to probe beyond what OTTs dish out. Cheers to a season of exploring the real Mirzapur!
The author is a heritage explorer by inclination with a penchant for seeking obscure sites. A brand consultant by profession, he tweets @HiddenHeritage. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.
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