Month: May 2020

The 85 Ghats of Banaras

Indian Heritage Podcast The ghats on the great Ganga riverfront at Banaras are unquestionably the city’s most iconic and celebrated image. For thousands of years these ghats have been the centre for religion, culture and commerce, offering an unrivaled panorama for visitors to the city. During my ten […]

Alamgir Mosque – Varanasi

Towering above Panchganga Ghat in the heart of Banaras, the Alamgir Mosque dominates the skyline of the city from along the ghats of the great Ganga. It’s the one monument that is instantly recognizable from wherever you are, a focal point that has attracted the attention of many […]

Bindu Madhav Temple – Varanasi

Situated high above Panchganaga Ghat in the shadow of Alamgiri Mosque, Bindu Madhav Temple is housed in a simple inconspicuous and rather nondescript building that one could easily mistake for any other dwelling in the twisting serpentine lanes of Varanasi. The present temple was constructed in the 19th […]

The Bir Babas of Banaras

Anyone walking the narrow alleyways and lanes of Banaras is bound to be struck by the sheer volume of small shrines and objects that are the subject of ongoing ritual attention. They are widely diverse in nature, some resting on raised platforms or nestling at the base of […]