Varanasi is a city very close to my heart ever since I first visited it a few years back during the coldest winter days. The trip was rather eventful - fog covered everything in sight, our train to Delhi got cancelled and we had to take a flight instead, we got chased by street dogs and also ate some awesome Korean food near the Ghat for the dead - Manikarkina! However, it wasn't till my third trip to Varanasi with my friend Pawan that I actually took a dip in the holy water of river Ganga. The river wasn't so clean, but floating in the cool water on a hot day certainly felt great, especially after two glasses of bhaang thandai.
Why did I take a holy dip?
Well, I am not really religious but there's something about Varanasi which makes you feel different. I think it's the stories from the city. It's one of the oldest continuously habituated city in the world and has been rebuilt many times over. This essentially means that there are thousands of stories (many of them hidden away) which are right there in the city as long as you are willing to dig deeper. This fascinates me and also makes me immerse in the city even more so, starting of course with taking a holy dip in the river.
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Varanasi on an iPhone 7 Plus |
Each trip to the city has been special for different reasons, and so was my most recent one. It was during the hot and humid monsoons when the river was flooded and the ghats were almost submerged. I decided to focus on capturing life of real people in the lanes and bylanes of the city, right behind the ghats. Just to make it even more fun, I decided to capture it through one of my favourite travel companions -
iPhone 7 Plus.
Here's a photo-story, which is more than just photos and stories - it's a labor of my love for Varanasi. In no way is this the end of my love affair with the city, in fact I am planning already to come back again!
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рджिрди рдХी рд╢ुрд░ुрдЖрдд рдЪाрдп рдХे рд╕ाрде ❤️ |
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рд╕ुрдмрд╣ рд╕рд╡ेрд░े рд╕्рдиाрди рдХे рдкрд╢्рдЪाрдд... |
While Ganga is flooded in #Varanasi and ghats are almost submerged, the locals are happy that it's much lower than usual; nevertheless life goes on as usual...
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рдХुрдЫ рдФрд░ рдкрд▓ рдзोрдмीрдШाрдЯ рдкрд░... |
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Early morning in Varanasi |
Nothing really special, just another morning in Varanasi ❤️
p.s. Every morning is special in #Varanasi!
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рдЪрд▓ोрдЧे рднैрдпा...рдоेрд░ी рдиाрд╡ рдкे рдШुрдордиे? |
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рдХ्рдпों рдиा рдеोрдб़ी рдЪाрдп рд╣ो рдЬाрдп? ЁЯШЙ |
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рдиाрд╢्рддे рдоें рдЪाрдп рдХे рд╕ाрде рдЖрд▓ू рдХी рд╕рдм्рдЬ़ी рдФрд░ рдХрдЪौрдб़ी рд╣ो рддो рдордЬ़ा рд╣ी рдЖ рдЬाрдп।
рдФрд░ рд╣ाँ, рдЕंрдд рдоें реирелреж рдЧ्рд░ाрдо рдЬрд▓ेрдмी рднी рд╣ो рддो рдХ्рдпा рдмाрдд рд╣ै ЁЯШН |
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рд░ाрдо рдиाрдо рд╕рдд्рдп рд╣ै, рд╕рдд्рдп рдмोрд▓ рдоुрдХ्рдд рд╣ै। |
Ever wondered why we say this phrase during the funeral procession when the departed is taken to the shamshaan?
There seem to be numerous reasons behind this; the simplest one states that reciting the name of Lord Rama can give 'mukti' or salvation to the 'atman' or soul of the departed.
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рдЗрдХ рд╕рд╡ाрд░ी рдХे рдЗंрддрдЬ़ाрд░ рдоें... |
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рднрдИ рд╢ाрдо рдХी рдЪाрдп рдХा рдЯेрдо рд╣ो рдЧрдпा। рдЕрдм рдХोрдИ рдХाрдо рдиा рд╣ोрдЧा рд╣рдорд╕े ЁЯШР |
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рджिрди рдХी рд╢ुрд░ूрдЖрдд рдХрд╕рд░рдд рдХे рд╕ाрде ЁЯЩВ |
A gym instructor who also doubles up as a
dhobi every morning on the Ghat. I appreciate the hard work he puts in to make ends meet, but all the detergent does no good to the river either.
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рдЬрдп рдЬрдп। рдЬрдп рдЬрдп। |
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Good morning Varanasi...it was nice to wake up to some clouds, and not just a flat grey sky ЁЯШЙ |
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Afternoon fun! |
There is nothing more fun than capturing the kids having the time of their lives doing somersaults in the holy Ganga. They showcase a completely different side of city - fun and carefree - something most tourists don't think of when they visit the city.
рдмрдиाрд░рд╕ рдпाрдиि рд╡ाрд░ाрдгрд╕ी рдХे рдПрдХ рдПрдХ рдкрд▓ рдХो рдорд╣рд╕ूрд╕ рдХрд░ाрддा рд╣ुрдЖ рд╢ाрдирджाрд░ рд╡ृрдд्рддांрдд
ReplyDeleteрдмрд╣ुрдд рдмрд╣ुрдд рдзрди्рдпрд╡ाрдж рдЖрдкрдХा рд╕ंрджीрдк :)
DeleteNice photos!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Aravind :)
DeleteроХроЩ்роХை роЗрои்родிропாро╡ிрой் рокுройிродроо்.роХроЩ்роХா рооாродாро╡ுроХ்роХு
ReplyDeleteродро▓ைрокрогிрои்род ро╡рогроХ்роХроо்
That's so true Subramanian...
DeleteAlways loved your photography. Awesome pics from Varanasi.
ReplyDeleteGreetings.
Super
ReplyDeleteThanks Dharmendra :)
DeleteBeautiful photos. I'd love to know what apps and tools you're using on the iPhone to get these results!!
ReplyDeleteJ
Thanks Jane :) I use snapseed for editing my pictures on the phone...and a little bit of editing (no filters) on Instagram :)
DeleteWonderful photos, it was like being there and yes very special Varanasi mornings and I liked all the subtitles :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Lakshmi :)
DeleteYou have captured the essence of Varanasi so beautifully.
ReplyDeleteThank you Niranjan! :)
DeleteрдПрдХрджрдо рдмрдвीрдпा рдлोрдЯो рд╣ै।
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
Deletenice post and very helpful thanks for sharing this admin
ReplyDeleteYour post is very good and meaningful. How long will it take you to write and post
ReplyDeleteshell shockers