Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2022/12/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Neela & I had gone on a trip to Bandhavgarh National Park, followed by the temple town of Khajuraho, and finally Varanasi on the River Ganges, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, and the high seat of Hinduism. To start with a few impressions of Varanasi, mostly seen from boats on the river, as the hotel we were staying was situated on the river, and not accessible by vehicles - only by boat, or on foot - so a lot of our movement was on boats: Ghats are access points on any river/water body. There are 84 ghats in all on this stretch of the Ganges - some a few years years old, and some thousands of years old. This is a view from the terrace of our hotel, which was situated on the river at Darbhanga Ghat: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/Varanasi-20221206-050-Edit.jpg.html The ghats are interconnected, so it is possible to walk from one end to anther on the rivers edge, taking in sights like this one - shaving of one's hair is a common act of piety and penance in Hinduism: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/untitled-20221209-896-Edit.jpg.html Varanasi is probably the holiest city in Hinduism, and the main temple here is the Kasi Viswanath Mandir (the tower of which is visible just to the left of the central lamp post in the photograph). As it is also Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency, it is getting a much overdue facelift, including this modern, clean and efficient access to the temple from the river: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/Varanasi-20221206-184-Edit.jpg.html The Ganga Aarti is a photogenic, daily tourist spectacle of a tradition thousands of years old, offering prayers to the goddess Ganga, after whom the river is named, on the banks of the river, at Dasashwamedha Ghat, by a dozen priests. It is about an hour long, and these are some views of the ceremony from the river - a variety of props are used - conchs, lamps of different types and sizes, incense, fans made of reeds as well as peacock feathers, among others: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/Varanasi-20221206-199-Edit.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/Varanasi-20221207-151-Edit.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/Varanasi-20221207-181-Edit.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/Varanasi-20221207-185-NEF_DxO_DeepPRIME-2-Edit.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/Varanasi-20221207-591-NEF_DxO_DeepPRIME-Edit.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/Varanasi-20221207-732-NEF_DxO_DeepPRIME-Edit.jpg.html These two young men seem to be more interested in their smartphones rather in the spectacle going on: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/Varanasi-20221206-206-NEF_DxO_DeepPRIME-Edit.jpg.html The floating of small lamps in the Ganges is a ritual done to pray for good health and well being of your loved ones: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/Varanasi-20221207-104-NEF_DxO_DeepPRIME-Edit.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/Varanasi-20221207-095-NEF_DxO_DeepPRIME-Edit.jpg.html In Hinduism, the belief is that all your sins are washed away by dying in Varanasi, and being cremated on the banks of the River Ganges, so this is a constant activity. The main location is Manikarnika Ghat, where multiple cremations happen 24/7 through the year - here are impressions taken at sunset, and at night: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/untitled-20221208-881-Edit.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/Varanasi-20221207-780-Edit.jpg.html Finally , a portrait of a young man I caught while disembarking from a boat at night, both in B&W and Colour: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/Varanasi-20221207-087-NEF_DxO_DeepPRIME-Edit+B_amp_W.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Varanasi/varanasi/Varanasi-20221207-087-NEF_DxO_DeepPRIME-Edit.jpg.html Please see LARGE. Comments and criticism, as ever, welcome Cheers Jayanand