Ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh

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Maharaja Ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh
Maharaja ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh

His Highness Maharaja Bahadur Sri Sir Ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh, GCSI (1822-13 June 1889) was the Maharaja of Benares ascending the throne at the age of 13. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 he remained neutral to revolt for the sake of welfare of his people as he has not forgotten the bitter taste of treachery of his countrymen in battle against Hastings. As a reward, he was promoted to the rank of Maharaja Bahadur in 1859.[1] In 1867, he was granted a personal 13-gun salute; a decade later he was knighted with the GCSI, becoming Sir Ishwari. He eventually became a member of the Viceroy's Legislative Council (never attended Delhi Darbar) and in the crowning achievement of his reign, restored all the family lands that had been lost to them for over a century.

He was a great poet-scholar and established Sanskrit Collage in Varanasi (now known as Sapoornaand Sanskrit University). He was the mentor of Babu 'Bhartendu' Harischandra, father of modern Hindi. He was a saint King and his name is mentioned in Naveen-Bhaktamaal along with eminent saints of nineteenth century.[2] He was a disciple of Dev Swami and Shyamacharan Lahiri Mahashy. He was very popular amongst his people who used to keep his small earthen busts in their homes.[3] He was a great patron of Art, Music and Literature. He was also the chief patron of gulabi minakari work and company school miniature painting style [benares school] which after his death saw a steep decline. Started the first Hindi Theater and founded the Beneras School of Art thus is called 'The Second Jahangir'. He was Given the title of His Highness in 1889, HH Maharaja Sir Ishwari Prasad Narayan Singh died several months later, aged 67 and was succeeded by his adopted son, Prabhu Narayan Singh Sahib Bahadur.

References[]

  1. ^ Bayly, C. A. (1988). Rulers, townsmen, and bazaars: north Indian society in the age of British expansion, 1770-1870. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-31054-7. OCLC 20698220.
  2. ^ Lethbridge, Roper (2005). The golden book of India: a genealogical and biographical dictionary of the ruling princes, chiefs, nobles, and other personages, titled or decorated of the Indian empire. Delhi: Aakar Books. ISBN 81-87879-54-8. OCLC 61285920.
  3. ^ Mukhopadhya, N (1874). Bharat Dharpan. Benares. pp. 72–73.
Preceded by Ruler of Benares State
1835–1889 		Succeeded by
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