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| A panoramic view of the ghats |
A sudden burst of emotions and you make some of the best decisions in life. One such decision of my life was to quit my job and go to Benaras. I happened to reach there just in time to celebrate the festival of colours, Holi. Now, the first thing I realized was that the Ghats are the soul of this city. Even if they aren't already when you reach, they become an eternal part of each and every soul present there. For most of them who belong to Benaras, life begins and ends on these ghats... |
| The grand every-day evening Puja |
For me, everything there was like music.
From the journey to the ghats on a rickshaw, breathing in the early morning beauty of Benaras to sitting on a mildly rocking boat with this crazy friend at midnight sipping hot lemon tea, watching the orange moon at the horizon.
From the first rays of the sun sparkling on the water of the Ganges, watching devotees immerse themselves into the holy river to the massive diyas that light up hundreds of worshiper's beliefs, at a Puja which is nothing less than a performance.
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| The early morning Puja at Dasaswamedh ghat |
From Surya Namaskar on a ghat pillar embracing the background flute melody to a cross country talk on the rooftop at a midnight jam.
From the funeral process of becoming an eternal part of the holy Ganges to the endless walks in this city high on colors, bhaang and dreams - the contrast surely brings out the art in everything.
Benaras during Holi is blissfully colorful and chaotic. A celebration in its true sense.
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| That is where we sat and stared at the orange moon sipping hot lemon tea at midnight. And yea..I made a journal out of it :) |
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| Sketch of the early morning beauty |
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| The best description of Varanasi by Lonely Planet
PS: I was too immersed in the beauty of this town that I almost forgot to click pictures.
Do take a walk starting from Assi ghat to the other end and back. Every ghat tells a different story. :)
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