The uniquely divine Banaras By Meera Vohra Religiosity is the most discussed aspect of Banaras, but few are aware of the unique equation the Banarasis have with the divine.  "While in other places people are God-fearing, in Banaras they are God-loving. Here they consider the divine, especially the presiding deity, as someone close to them or perhaps the head of the family. The emotional chord with the divine is more intimate and informal for the Banarasis. It is the underlying premise on which this relationship rests. Most of the festivals and local celebrations are done with this belief, and every event of the Lord is celebrated as a personal celebration. This is supramental romanticism," says Amitabh Bhattacharya, a known scholar and writer. Shiv Bharat is taken out on Mahashivratri, the day when Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati took their nuptial vows, as an extension of this thought process. Most people in Banaras consider themselves part of Lord Shiva’s family, so th...