Chait Singh, Maharaja of Benares

Rafa'at wa Awal-i-Martabat Maharaja Shri Chet Singh Sahib Bahadur (died 29 March 1810), commonly known as Raja Chet Singh, a king from the Narayan dynasty, was the 3rd ruler of Kingdom of Benaras in northern India. Chet Singh belonged to the Bhumihar Brahmin or popularly called Babhan community, the same caste as the Rajas of Hutwa, Bettiah, and Tikari, to which much of the landed aristocracy of Bihar belonged. The word "Babhan" is neither Sanskrit nor Prakrit, but appears to have been used in the inscriptions of Asoka in the sense of Brahmin. Chet Singh succeeded his father, Maharaja Balwant Singh, to the throne as the Raja of Benares in 1770. Although the Nawab of Awadh still wished to hold total suzerainty over the control of Beneras, the British authorities encouraged him to recognise Chet Singh as the ruler of Benaras in 1773. Two years later, the Nawab, by now fed up with British interference, transferred the domain to the East India Company (EIC) under 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. The Raja refused and began to secretly correspond with enemies of the EIC in hopes of forcibly breaking the increasing control of the Company in India. The EIC discovered his plan with the help of some traitors and tried to place him under house arrest in August 1781, pending an audience with Hastings.

Revolt of Benares Hastings came to meet the Raja. The Raja and his men were waiting for such an opportunity. They attcaked and defeated the Company's troops, killed British officers and arrested Hastings . They were advised by Munshi Sadanand (ancestor of Sampurnanand) against killing Hastings. Hastings escaped and left Benaras disguised as a women. This incident gave rise to ,"Godhe Pe Hawda, Haathi pe Jeen, Aise Bhaga Warren Hastings". The Raja gathered a small force. He appealed for assistance against Britishers, from local rulers, who, except Raja Fateh Bahadur Shahi, did nothing. Maharaja Chet Singh's last hope was the Raja of Gwalior who signed a treaty in which maharaja gave him land, protection and troops for making ghats and in return he promised to provide troops when needed but he did not help him and he arrested him and detained him in Gwalior after the battle. In various battles with the company's forces, Chet Singh's troops were defeated, the rebellion crushed with the help of traitors, The state was confiscated and given to Avsaan Singh in reward for his loyalty to the Bristish, but revolt restarted.

Later life He died in Gwalior on 29 March 1810, leaving three sons. His Chattri is still at Gwalior. Carved stone from Chait Singh's palace was later taken and incorporated into the palace of the Maharajas of Cossimbazar.