Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India, is not only the land of temples and ghats, but also the cradle of India’s rich and ancient music tradition. Music here is not merely entertainment—it is sadhana (spiritual practice), an offering to the divine, and a powerful expression of devotion, love, and life itself. The roots of music in Varanasi […]
Tucked away in the vibrant maze of Banaras lies Kabir Chaura — a neighborhood where music doesn’t just play, it lives and breathes. In his evocative video, writer Vyomkesh Shukla calls it a lane of magic and magicians, where men in gamchhas, known for their blunt humor and big hearts, have given India some of its finest classical legends. From the homes of Pandit Samta Prasad and Kishan Maharaj to the lingering spirit of Kabir, every gully here hums with a raga, a rhythm, a story. This is not just a place — it’s a living performance of Banaras’ timeless soul.
“Older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend.” These words by Mark Twain echo the timelessness of Varanasi — a city that has not only survived but thrived across millennia, embracing contradictions and diversity as a way of life. This city is not just a dot on a map; it is a living, breathing […]
In Banaras, even the silence has texture—and the loom, a heartbeat.” The ghats may be its face, but the soul of Varanasi lies deeper—in the dimly lit rooms where looms hum and silk breathes to life. These looms are tended not by machines, but by hands that have woven legacy into fabric for centuries. The Banarasi saree, globally […]
There are cities that pulse with life. There are cities that whisper of ancient legends.And then, there is Banaras — where life and death meet, embrace, and dissolve into the eternal. As dawn breaks over the Ganges, the first rays of the sun bathe the ghats of Banaras in molten gold. The city awakens not […]
Some cities are built by kings.Some cities are carved by empires.But Banaras — Banaras was woven by faith itself. It is easy to think of cities as collections of buildings, roads, and monuments.But what happens when those buildings fall? When temples crumble? When invaders try to erase a city’s memory? In Banaras, we find the […]
