Ishvari Prasad Narayan Singh. (r. 1835–1889;) - A Maharaja
of Benares who authored the dialogues (samvads) for the characters in the
Ramnagar Ram Lila with the aid of local intellectuals.
The Ram Lilas are dramatized renditions of the epic Ramayana
that go beyond ordinary play and become a type of warfare.
The Ram Lila at Ramnagar, the fort where the Benares kings
reside, is the most well-known and traditional of all these Ram Lilas.
The royal family first supported the Ramnagar Ram Lila, and
they continue to support the yearly spectacle.
The royal family continues to play an important ceremonial
role, despite the fact that they are no longer the real political rulers.
Anaradha Kapur's Actors, Pilgrims, Kings, and Gods,
published in 1990, has further information.
