VARANASI : An Exploration Of Inner Being
Varanasi, or more commonly known as the Benaras or Kashi, which is regarded as one of the continuously inhabited cities in the world and probably the oldest in India, was Photopeer’s latest destination of exploration. A place, rich in its culture and history, steeped in aesthetic values of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, is still moving on its unique slow yet steady pace. A place which Hindus believe to be the home of their god Lord Shiva who is imagined to be in a perpetual state of meditation.
The history or culture of this place dates back to 3,000 -5,000 years old. And the mention of this place was found in epic literature like Ramayana, Mahabharata and Rigveda to name a few. And this place was inhabited and visited by many great legends starting from Gautam Buddha, Kabir, Xuanzang, Tulsidas to Ravi shankar, Bismillah Khan, Hariprasad Cahurasia and photographic legends like Henri Cartier Bresson and more recently Steve McCurry. What could have been a better point to turn our lenses and capture a few more moments of this magnificent city and its ever enthusiast inhabitants.
So on 22nd January, 2010, Imran, Prabal, Arup, and Pallab along with Runa and our new photographer friend Kallol left Kolkata with an aim to explore and investigate this place as much as possible. The time was, as you know, Winter and we found Varanasi was sleeping under the soft blanket of its unique dense fog, which enhance the city’s mystique feeling thousand folds. But hearts sinks as the light was poor and the visibility was not perfect for photography But soon we found that this less clear and hazy dawn has its own beauty. And our shutters started making sweet sounds as mystery started unfolding before our own eyes.
This city portrays an unique relationship of life and death. Where in one side the fire at the multiple cremation ghats never extinguish and you could see funeral processions coming one after another, on the other side the people continued their laid back easy life smiling and mocking Death, as one inevitable yet fearless factor of life.
With the distant sounds of a flute player, by the side of river Ganga, surrounded by mystique fog we found ourselves in a different world. We understood why this place was a favourite visiting spot for great philosophers and artists. It just opens up our mind and soul, We were on a mystical journey to our inner self. An exploration of outer world has resulted in an inner one.
Our photographic trip starts and the rest will be on our forthcoming photos. Though, this time, it was just 3 days that we could manage from our otherwise busy schedule; but we vowed to go back to this place time and again. We believe that to capture this city and its life, one’s one lifetime will be short room. We conclude this essay with the great lines of American Traveller & writer Mark Twain.
“Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.”
We have started our journey, We have found our new inspiration and we welcome you to join us on our way. Hope to meet you on the Ghats of Kashi, “the luminous one”.
