Varanasi

This captivating book explores Varanasi, India's spiritual heart, through stunning photography and insightful commentary, revealing its timeless traditions and rich history.

The book Varanasi offers an unforgettable portrayal of India’s holiest city, showcasing its rich history and spiritual significance. Varanasi, also referred to as Kashi and Banaras, is situated in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and dates back to the 11th century B.C.E. Known as the spiritual capital of India, the city attracts countless Hindu pilgrims who seek to bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges River for prayer and ritual. Within the bustling streets of Varanasi, one feels as though they are stepping into a living history, where daily practices and worship have remained largely unchanged for thousands of years, creating a continuous thread that connects the present to the ancient past.

Through the lens of David Scheinbaum, Varanasi takes readers on a remarkable visual journey through the city’s winding streets, where shrines and temples abound at every turn. The narrative guides us to the Ganges, where bathers engage in prayer, and to the funerary Ghats, where cremations occur, filling the air with the scents of incense and burning pyres. The belief among Hindus that cremation along the banks of the Ganges allows one to escape the cycle of death and rebirth, achieving Moksha, underscores the city’s significance as a major pilgrimage center.

Accompanied by the insightful words of B. J. Miller and Diana L. Eck, both respected scholars, Varanasi presents a beautiful and soulful depiction of a city steeped in prayer and tradition. Their contributions illuminate the unique qualities that make Varanasi a revered holy city, inviting readers to appreciate its profound spiritual essence.