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VARANASI: A Place of Many Wonders

Photos by Indira Mohabeer (American University) Student Correspondent for UW in India: Varanasi, Fall 2019

Our local roommate (Aradhana) took some of us to her family’s home, which was located just outside of Varanasi. The neighborhood was calm and tranquil, which was such a drastic difference from the continuous noise and traffic of Banares!
Enjoying a sunset in the Indian countryside with another amazing local roommate, Sanjay!
On one of our many Varanasi excursions, we came across a temple of the Lord Ganesh. These black marks on the back of the temple, stand as historical markers of the hundreds of people who wanted to get a bit closer to their god. Unable to physically touch the deity, devotees will place their two hands on the wall, and then lean their forehead on it in reverence to Ganesh.
Do you know what this says? No worries, I’ll translate… while walking along the ghats, we visited a temple devoted to Lord Rama. Adjacent to the shrine of Hanuman, we spotted dozens of scribbles from devotees (in red paint) that said “Ram”.
If you think that WWE is wrestling, then you are sadly mistaken. Here in Varanasi, wrestling is more than just entertainment or a sport, it is a way of life. While on a walking tour, we came across some old and young men working out and relaxing inside of the wrestling pit.
Another great aspect of Banares, is that is a city with multiple religions. While visiting some Buddhist temples in Varanasi, I was met with a multitude of religious artistic depictions of the Buddha, as well as his followers. This large and beautiful sculpture really spoke to me…
On another note- totos are the absolute best way to get around in Banares, due to the fact that there are hundreds of them in the city, at any given time. Here is a photo of a toto driver, that chose to express his um- interests!
The city is flooded! However, that does not stop the locals from taking a dip in their beloved Ganges. (p.s. If you look closely, you can see the top of a man’s head!)
The weaving community in Varanasi is essentially the cultural life source of the city. On almost a daily basis, the expert artisans churn out hundreds of beautiful Banarasi sarees to the greater community. (this photo is a close-up of a hand loom and, according to the artisan, it will take him about 14-days to complete this saree)
And another life source of Varanasi… it’s wonderful chai!

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