Varanasi Alive -
Picture of the Day - February 28
People stand in a very long line to enter the Vishwanath temple in the old city of Varanasi. Photo Courtesy of Vikash Sharma.
Picture of the Day - February 29
A man blows a conch shell in the morning at the Ganges river in Varanasi. Photo courtesy of Vikash Sharma.
Picture of the Day - February 27
Children play cricket in a field behind a school in Kamaccha, Varanasi (top photo). Several men enjoy the afternoon sun and watch the boys play cricket (bottom photo).
Picture of the Day - February 26
A sadhu begs for alms at Dashashwamedh ghat on the banks of the Ganges river in Varanasi.
Picture of the Day - February 25
These men are skilled stone cutters working on a memorial for Bal Gangadhar Tilak at Sigra in Varanasi. Tilak was a social activist and freedom fighter in India.
Picture of the Day - February 24
Gudoo monkey trainer travels on his bicycle with "Gaber Singh and Vasunti" sitting on the back (top photo). The monkey "Vasunti" has lipstick applied before her performance (middle and bottom photos). Gudoo lives behind Manduadih train station in Varanasi.
Picture of the Day - February 23
A sadhu smeared with ash walks at the bank of the Ganges river in Varanasi. Photo courtesy of Vikash Sharma.
Picture of the Day - February 22
The owner of Lallan Hotel Restaurant poses for a photo in Maltibag Madanpura in Varanasi. Follow this link to read more about Lallan Hotel.
Picture of the Day - February 21
A young snake charmer poses for a photo in a lane in Varanasi. Leading up to the festival of Maha Shivratri (the great night of Shiva) on February 20, 2012, snake charmers from the sorrounding districts will come to Varanasi to entertain the locals and tourist.
Picture of the Day - February 20
A sweet seller dishes out many varieties of sweets in a lane in the old city of Varanasi. A message written on the left hand wall states, "You must pay ten rupees for a photo."
Picture of the Day - February 18
Several people joke with an old blind beggar at Assi ghat next to the Ganges river in Varanasi. Nomi Tiwari (standing front right) feels embarrassed by the joking and doesn't participate in it. Follow this link to see Nomi's shop Assi International Ashram.
Picture of the Day - February 17
A priest puts a mark of worship called a "tilak" on the forehead of a worshipper at a small temple in Varanasi. Photo courtesy of Vikash Sharma.
Picture of the Day - February 16
The top photo shows the pillars of the bridge being built from Samne ghat to Ramnagar. The second photo shows the pontoon bridge connecting Varanasi with Ramnagar. The pontoon bridge must be removed before monsoon starts, giving it about an eight month usable timespan each year. Once the cement bridge is finished, travel time during monsoon will be greatly reduced as people must use the grand trunk highway south of Samne ghat when the pontoon bridge is removed for monsoon. Pictured third is the grand trunk highway bridge which connects Kolkatta to Kanpur. Below the bridge is the new trash dump. Pictured fourth is the trash dump next to the bridge. Varanasi is doing well in cleaning up its streets. In 2011 the city bought dozens of small dump trucks and large trash trucks. Hundreds of modified bicycle carts are ridden daily by trash collectors in the cities ninety districts. They wear nice green uniforms giving them a respectability previously denied trash collectors. If only the city was "Green" in its method of trash disposal. Unfortunately, the trash is just being moved to the other bank of the Ganges river via the grand trunk bridge road. You know the proverb, "Out of sight out of mind." Very few people know where their trash is going. Not pictured is a new scavenger colony of families (children and women) who sort through the trash after it is dumped. They live in tents next to the dump. I was shocked when I saw the trash dump as I used to go there to watch the sunset over the river. It was a great place to sit and think about life while looking at a beautiful sunset. I can still go there, but I'll have to somehow forget the sound of rumbling trash trucks in the background as well as the site of the trash. During monsoon, chemicals from the trash will be carried by rainwater back into the river thereby polluting it even further. I'm sure that chemicals are being leached into the ground throughout the year without the help of rainwater. For all the talk about cleaning up the Ganges, the city administration, by moving the dump here, seems to just gives it lip service. I don't mean to show negative aspects of Varanasi on Varanasi Alive. However, there is a whole "Alive" section of society in Varanasi which people would rather forget about. I don't mean to depress you with photos that show negative aspects, but after seeing this, I was really depressed and I think you should know where your trash is being taken.
Picture of the Day - February 15
Two milkmen having just washed out their milk cans pose for a photo at the far bank of the Ganges river near Ramnagar fort (top photo). People wash clothes in a makeshift plastic container in the sand near Ramnagar (bottom two photos).
Picture of the Day - February 14
Two men wash clothes at the steps of Ramnagar fort on the opposite bank of the Ganges river in Varanasi (bottom photo). A view of the river entrance to Ramnagar fort from the steps at which the two men are waching clothes (top photo).
Picture of the Day - February 13
A man inspects his fishing net near Ramnagar fort at the far bank of the Ganges river in Varanasi.
Picture of the Day - February 12
Near Ramnagar fort (top photo in the background) on the opposite bank of the Ganges river in Varanasi many people wash clothes setting them out to dry on the river bank.
Picture of the Day - February 11
A men makes small clay cups used for drinking tea at Ramnagar across the Ganges river from Varanasi.
Picture of the Day - February 10
A man takes a bath on a cold afternoon in the first week of February at the Ganges river in Varanasi.
Picture of the Day - February 9
A float containing some of the people who brought democracy to India travels in Maldahiya, Varanasi during the Republic Day Parade January 26, 2021. Photo courtesy of Vikash Sharma.
Picture of the Day - February 8
A milk man poses for a photo after having washed his milk cans in the Ganges river at Varanasi.
Picture of the Day - February 7
Men warm themselves at a fire on the steps next to the the Ganges river in Varanasi.
Picture of the Day - February 6
The sun rises over the Ganges river (at Manikarnika ghat) on the Ganges river in Varanasi. Photo courtesy of Neeru Singh.
Picture of the Day - February 5
Light reflects off of the door of the Nepali temple above Lalita ghat on the Ganges river in Varanasi. Photo courtesy of Neeru Singh.
Picture of the Day - February 4
Women sit at Lalita ghat on the Ganges river in Varanasi. Photo courtesy of Neeru Singh.
Picture of the Day - February 3
A woman roasts peanuts over a coals while a man sells small items at Assi ghat on the Ganges river in Varanasi.
Picture of the Day - February 2
A family watch the activity at Assi ghat on the Ganges river from their home above the ghat in Varanasi.
Picture of the Day - February 1
A flute seller teaches a girl how to play the flute on a ghat at the banks of the Ganges river in Varanasi.
