Thread by @PrasunNagar

The House of the Golden Deer

One of the most popular things for a traveler is to explore the narrow gullys, and pathways.

The houses adjoining these gullys, nooks have some incredible stories attached to it.

One of the story concerns a Golden Deer!

The story is of around 1770's Varanasi, when the East India Company was fighting to ensure their hegemony in the Indo-Gangatic plains.

They were up against Raja Chait Singh of Benaras ( Died 1810).

During one of these struggles with Chait Singh, the EIC lost and their Governor General, Warren Hastings had to flee the battlefield.

In his wanderings, he came to an area called Bansphatak, which is about 50 odd meters from the famus temple of Shiva.

A house-dweller at Bansphatak, gave refuge to Hastings in his need of hour, and after 2-3 days he shipped off Hastings in a palanquin towards Gwalior, and this saved his life.

Afterwards, when EIC had won, in gratitude, Warren Hastings gave an area of at least 20 sq miles as a gift to this house-dweller.

The person and his descendants got exceedingly rich in a matter of few decades.

However, one small secret from their house filtered out!

That little secret was a store-room at the house, which contained lots of treasures, like diamonds, jewels, gold, pearls of intricate designs, and most importantly a deer, made of solid gold!

However, no one, including the persons living in the house are allowed to enter the store-house.

The legend goes that if anyone tries to pick up the treasure, the golden deer speaks and demands the sacrifice of the eldest son or daughter of the person who wants the treasure.

If anyone tries to ignore the warnings, the door shuts off automatically, and traps the person inside.

Even now, the room is still there, after all these years, but locked from outside and no one is allowed to enter it!

End

P. S: The escape of Hastings gave rise to the popular saying,"Godhe Pe Hawda, Haathi pe Jeen, Aise Bhaga Warren Hastings".