Ghats of Varanasi during the Festival of Light
My intention is to show the cultural landscape of Varanasi and the pilgrims who arrive for Diwali. Sunrise sees families arriving in brightly coloured robes. They flow down the Ghat steps carrying flames in tiny leaf cups to offer Goddess Ganga. This is a sacred rite, a time for prayer, and also a joyful occasion as families submerge themselves in the Ganges to wash away sin. A short distance downstream - the atmosphere changes. Ghats witness other rituals. Hindus come here to die and be dipped in the Ganges before cremation. In the early evening, mourners wait to buy wood. The scene seems medieval with discarded gold and orange fabrics spilling down the bank as smoke fills the air. At sunset, people gather in boats and on land. Incense fills the air as Brahmin Priests celebrate their Ceremony of Aarti - while intimate family groups make personal dedications to Ganga as night falls.
