[4] The family tradition goes back to the year 1709, when an ascetic of Utaria, a village near Benares, foretold the succession of his descendants to the dominions then governed by a Hindu raja.

In the late 17th century, Raja Mansa Ram entered the service of the Nazim of Benares, Rustam Ali Khan (uncle of Sheikh Abdullah Nawab of Ghazipur).

The Raja grew immensely powerful, fought many wars and rose to become the Zamindar of Kaswar in the service of the Nazim, recapturing the kingdom of his ancestors which had been lost to Muslim rulers.

[5] His eldest son, Rafa'at wa Awal-i-Martabat Maharaja Sri Balwant Singh Sahib Bahadur, succeeded his father as Raja of Kaswar and Nazim of Benares in 1738.

Two years later, the Nawab, by now fed up with British interference, transferred the domain to the Company under the direct control of the Governor-General of Bengal, Warren Hastings.

Under the new British terms, Chet Singh was forced to contribute cavalry and maintenance grants for the company's sepoy battalions.

[7] This incident greatly tarnished Hastings' image and capability, leading to a failed attempt to impeach him by the British parliament.

He was even more averse to British dominion than his father and had regular confrontations with the company, who, in spite, falsely labeled him as an incapable administrator.

He added grandeur to and formed the present shape of the world famous Ramlila of Ramnager which was a low key affair at that time.

Britishers were not able to tolerate him so conspired against him and under false charges confiscated all thy lands of Benaras State and started ruthlessly exploiting the peasants.

However, the company, in accordance with its colonial intent, ordered a sham inquiry into Maharaj Udit Narayan Singh's personal affairs and his governance.

As expected, the report backed the false charges of mismanagement.The company, taking advantage of its own fraud, confiscated the last remaining lands of the Maharaja and placed them under their own control which were sold into permanent settlement as Zamindaries.

[9] Ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh succeeded his adoptive father at the age of 13 in 1835, becoming the first of his line to be granted the title of Maharaja.

During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, he remained neutral to revolt for the welfare of his people as he has not forgotten the treachery of his countrymen in battle against Hastings.

He eventually became a member of the Viceroy's Legislative Council and in the crowning achievement of his reign, restored all the family lands that had been lost to them for over a century.

[10] Prabhu Narayan Singh would reign for 42 years as Maharaja; in 1891, he was knighted with the KCIE, later becoming an honorary colonel in the Indian Army.

Maharaja Aditya Narayan Singh would reign for only seven and a half years before dying in 1939, aged 64, but in this short period of time established Colleges for higher education at Gyanpur, Bhadohi.

He was a great patron of education and He also gave his private land for the maintenance of expenditure of BHU in Sunderpur which was given by the state for his personal expenses.

A deeply religious believer in, and scholar of, the Vedas and Puranas, Maharaja Vibhuti Narayan Singh strictly adhered to orthodox Hindu customs.

Despite the decision of the Indira Gandhi government to abolish the titles of the Indian monarchs on 28 December 1971, he remained deeply respected for the remainder of his life.