The setting sun threw long shadows over the ramparts of Chunar Fort as we sat there, watching the Ganges flowing below. The river takes an S shaped course through this historic town, a 40-minute drive from Mirzapur and the fort gives a magnificiant view of it. It was absolutely quiet, when suddenly, we heard a disembodied voice: `Oh! I didn't know we had company !' Startled out of our reverie, we looked around. But there was nobody in sight. `Ha,Ha,' the voice cackled, `I can see you, but you can't see me !' Acutely conscious of our isolation in that crumbling fort, my husband and I legged down the steep stairs in no time, intending to reach the relative security of our jeep as soon as possible. Then, we saw an old man, bent double with laughter who said, ` I saw you through these air vents that open on the roof, and decided to give you a scare. After all, it's not often that this place sees anyone except for ghosts, and ancient relics like me!' Then he saw the sweat on my forehead and realised how flustered I was.
Apologising for his prank, he said, `I'm a guide but so few tourists come here, that I'm more or less unemployed. Let me show you around the fort to make up for my little joke.' He led us to the central area of the fort, from where some bare looking barracks and a tiny temple were visible. `This fort was never built as any king's residence, so it lacks the glamour that other, historically less important forts have' he said. Instead, Chunar Fort was a military establishment, situated at an height and overlooking the Ganges, so that all approaches to it were always visible. Wheezing asthmatically, he showed us the thick walls of the fort, in which there were slanted apertures for rifle butts of sentries. Leading us to the flat ground where the large cannon of Chunar once thundered, he said, `The history of Chunar Fort is, in fact, the history of this region. Every king who came here, took over Chunar as an army camp.' Built and rebuilt several times, Chunar first came into prominence in 1177 AD, when Prithviraj Chauhan established his fort there. After him, a list of kings that includes Vikramaditya and Sikandar Lodi have ruled Chunar. Most of the great Mughal emperors like Babar and Akbar have used this fort too. Eventually, Chunar came under British rule: Warren Hastings stayed here to quell a revolt against in 1781.
Our guide showed us the infamous Chunar Jail, which boasts of dungeons ventilated only by small air holes. Above the dungeons were barracks used as living quarters for soldiers. Despite the fact that this fort was being used by the Provincial Ahmed Constabulary (PAC) till quite recently, everything we saw was in a woeful state of disrepair. In the fading light, he showed us the execution chamber. We gazed at the dark structure, inaccessible through the undergrowth and I fancied I saw something within.
`Thousands died such horrible deaths here - it's no wonder that Chunar still rings with their tortured screms,' he whispered, breathing down my neck. `Why don't more people visit Chunar?' I asked. `Look around you,' said our old guide angrily, `do you see tourism booths, taxi stands and public conveniences?Our government has done nothing to promote Chunar. Its walls are crumbling, there's no one to repair them.
Why should anyone come here?" Our tour over we turned to tip our guide. But he'd disappeared into thin air. `No taxis, no tourists...wonder what he was doing there anyway,' my husband murmured, gazing at the lonely dark fort. `let's not speculate,' said I and we sped off.
