Page 46 - Seniors Today - Jan25 Issues

Travel

Banaras: A City of Life,

Death and Eternal Faith

and Rhythms

All Photographs/Videos by Urvi Piramal

Banaras is not just a place – it is an
eternal rhythm, a song of the spirit
and a journey into the heart of
India, writes Urvi Piramal

Banaras or Varanasi is not merely a city
– it is an emotion, a timeless journey,
and a sacred portal where life, death and
spirituality merge. In the Mahabharat and in
ancient India, the city is referred to as Kashi
which means “to Shine” making Varanasi
known as “City of Light”, the “luminous
city as an eminent seat of learning”. Nestled
along the banks of the sacred Ganga, this
city is a tapestry of faith, culture and history.
Banaras has been a destination where
Ratneshwar Mahadev Mandir: Kashi’s Iconic 9-Degree Lean at
people come not only to live but also to die, Manikarnika Ghat – steeper than the Leaning Tower of Pisa,
believing that departing this world here Timeless like the Ganges
ensures liberation from the cycle of birth seekers and wanderers. Here, I found myself
and death. Banaras welcomes you with enveloped in its many layers, its meandering
open arms, offering itself as a sanctuary for ways and its complex simplicity.

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