On her first visit to Varanasi, Radhika Tandon navigates the chaos of faith and finds traces of the city that once inspired the famous bard.
FLYING INTO VARANASI, my head filled with magazine-induced images of ash-smeared holy men and diyas floating on the river at dusk, I expect to land in another era. Instead, my first impression is of a dusty, chaotic, largely unremarkable northern town. Bicycles, bulls, and rickshaws jostle in a harrowing stream on narrow roads, accompanied by an almost overwhelming din. This is about as far from nirvana as I can imagine.
Along the riverbank, in the warren of alleys around the ghats, and in the peaceful lanes of Kabir Chaura, I begin to glimpse the Varanasi of my imaginings. In town for a music festival, I embark on a quest to find traces of the poet Kabir, who called this city home. The most outspoken figure of the Bhakti movement, the mystic and bard Kabir lived in Kashi (as Varanasi was once known) 500 years ago. His influence is casually pervasive in the city’s culture and conversation. As I saunter in the by-lanes of the modern Varanasi and learn more about the poet, the Kashi of lore seeps under my skin.
There are contradictory versions of Kabir’s origins. Historians disagree on his year of birth, though consensus is that he taught and wrote in the early 15th century. The story goes that he was born to an unwed Brahmin mother, who abandoned him beside a tank called Lahar Talao, after which he was raised by a Muslim family. Modern scholars dismiss these claims. It is likely that he was born into a Julaha family (one that converted to Islam only a generation or two before), which would explain his lack of knowledge of orthodox Islam and his familiarity with the tenets of Nathism, a Hindu sub-sect. Kabir followed no one religion. He was critical of both Hinduism and Islam, questioned the adherence of both to scripture and rituals, and was reviled for his views in his time. Yet, the various origin myths are believed to be efforts of both communities to claim him after his death.
Denne historien er fra February 2019-utgaven av Travel+Leisure India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra February 2019-utgaven av Travel+Leisure India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Lunching In Leh
Turtuk, the last town of India in Ladakh, is having a culinary and hospitality renaissance, discovers Harsh Surti
The Medieval Charm of Elsinore
Elsinore, in eastern Denmark, is a charming city full of surprises, such as its interesting link to Shakespeare, discovers Ami Bhat
Natural Selection
In other parts of the world, natural wine production can be raw, wild, and a little messy. But a road trip through southeastern Austria reveals that, in a land where order and understatement reign, even the low-intervention bottles are elegant and refined.
Where the Wild Things Are
Uncovering Rwanda's natural treasures-and the gift of multigenerational travel
FROM THE VOICE WITHIN
A hit new season of a cult show, a brand new production venture, and a baby girl-it seems Ali Fazal is on top of the world right now. Amid a new parenting journey, the actor talks to SAMREEN TUNGEKAR about his travel persona, his instincts, and what feeds the artiste within him
MONSOON IN THE WILD
For nature lovers craving the lush serenity of monsoon forests, off-season safaris in national park buffer zones offer rare rewards and vital support to local economies, discovers Chandreyi Bandyopadhyay.
Ray of Sunshine
Getting diagnosed with life-threatening ailments can spell doom, but for actor Lisa Ray, it became a testament to her resilience. Diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2009, the former model maintained a positive outlook, blossomed into a vocal advocate for cancer awareness and support, and turned author with a book chronicling her story. In a chat with Bayar Jain, she gets candid about her journey of hope and healing
Championing Change with Conversations That Matter
Aditi Mayer is a responsible storyteller who likes to look at fashion through a lens of social and environmental justice. She tells Samreen Tungekar about how she manages her own mental health and wellness despite work that promotes positive change and requires mental bandwidth
Travelling Through Conscious Well-Being
In the ever-evolving landscape of wellness, where data meets intuition and science aligns with ancient practices, Deepak Chopra stands as a unique bridge between these worlds. Chopra talks to Dipali Patwa about how travel, when intertwined with wellness, becomes a powerful catalyst for personal transformation.
Transcending The 'Trend'
For Rimzim Dadu, the creation of a collection is about lending the pieces a timeless quality. Samreen Tungekar talks to the designer about her creative process, and how her travels intersperse with her approach to design