Varanasi in the Monsoon: A Photographer’s Guide

 Meera Vohra

Varanasi has always been a muse to artists from across the world. The beauty of the ghats, the daily life, and the mysticism of the place seemed to enchant artists, especially photographers. Varanasi occupies an important part in the body of work of ace photographers like Steve McCurry, Joey L, Raghu Rai,  Raghubir Singh, who captured the various facets of the city. The charm of the city has not waned as lensmen across the country continue to freeze moments in their cameras, which Varanasi amply offers them. The biggest challenge for the photographers, however, is the monsoon season, when most of the ghats lose their connectivity and portions of it are submerged by the swollen River Ganga.

Being a media professional and having worked in close proximity with the photographers, the following hands-on tips can give a picture-perfect experience.

Challenges during monsoon

For most of the photographers coming to Varanasi,  their photography is ghat-centric. The architectural splendour of the ghats and the activities around give them the perfect frame, moods and objects to capture. The flooded ghats stand in the way.

Connectivity of the ghats break: During regular times, the camerapersons can stroll from one ghat to the other with their camera working overtime. The monsoon season puts a stop to this.

 The ghat that is most accessible and can be reached via the lanes easily should be focused  by the photographer. For example, Shivala ghat next to the Chet Singh Fort is very approachable from the road. A vehicle can be reached till the proximity of the ghat.

Look out for locations and points on the ghats that give the perfect view of the expanse of the flooded river and a glimpse of other ghats as well. According to Piyush Singh, a photographer from Varanasi, the terrace of buildings on Chausatthi  Ghat and some adjoining ghats give a perfect angle to any photographer.

The curve of the ghats of Varanasi with the swollen River Ganga, a perfect shot for any cameraperson,  can also be attained from any building on the Darbhanga Ghat. Being the centre point of all the ghats in Varanasi, the entire expanse can be viewed from here. The ghat is accessible from the lane leading to Bengali Tola.

Another picture-perfect view is from a hotel building on Meer Ghat. Prior permission from the hotel authorities can make the property accessible for photography of the ghat. The ghat can be reached from the Vishwanath Gali.

Concentrating on the ghats, whose buzz does not completely stop with the rising water, can be a wise decision for any photographer, as they have restrictive options during this season. Anil Dinkar, a local lensman, shares.  One has to have the patience and time to get some memorable shots during monsoon. Once I remember I was waiting on the stairs of Assi ghat as the entire ghat had been inundated with flood water; a sadhu, who regularly offers jal on the shivling at a temple on the ghat, appeared and waded through waist-deep water. He made an offering to the shivling that too was hardly visible as it was covered in flood water. It made a beautiful visual, which remains my prized possession so far.”

The pictures of human faith and survival are ample during this adverse situation. People struggling to keep their daily lives going, devotees taking their daily holy dip make a good subject for any photographer. Children diving into the swollen River Ganga give stunning frames to the photographers.

The famed Ganga arti in Varanasi also shifts with the increasing water level of the River Ganga.  The Ganga arti eventually turns ceremonial, with only a few priests performing on the terrace of a building. The photographers might not be able to capture the grandeur of the Ganga arti, but some close shots of offerings of rose petals and other rituals can make for some wonderful visuals. 

The cremation ghats are also areas that attract a lot of attention from the lensmen, as even during the monsoon the rituals continue.  It depends on the individual choice to capture the sombre moments on the camera, where certain sensitivity is to be maintained.

Going beyond the ghats during monsoon

The spiritual month of sawan is entwined with the monsoon season, which gives a wider thematic frame to photographers. The month holds a special significance for the worship of Lord Shiva, who is the presiding deity of Varanasi. The city is infused with religious activity during this period, which can be vividly captured on the camera. The colourful processions of kanwariyas (devotees) carrying offerings to be made to the deity are a photographer’s delight.

Certain religious traditions being followed only during this time, like a particular community of Hindus being the first one to offer jalabhishek to Lord Shiva, make for interesting clicks. The entire city wears a festive look during this period. The daily life of the people in the old city area can be an interesting subject from the photographer’s angle, shifting the focus from the ghat to the lanes.

Safety measures during the monsoon

The most vital thing for photographers during monsoon is to follow the safety measures:

Starting from the basics, the footwear should be sturdy enough to deal with slippery surfaces. The flood water makes the stairs of the ghats slippery, so caution is essential to avoid any kind of untoward incident.

Don’t walk into the waters in case you want to reach the next ghat even if it appears a stone throw away. You can’t gauge the depth of the waters. Instead, make sure to reach the other ghat via land, whether it is through the lane or another safe way of reaching it.

Follow the official guidelines available on various platforms of information. Don’t be lured by the insisting boatmen to cross the river or reach a certain point if there is any official instruction to ban boat rides due to the weather conditions.

Take the assistance of a local person, preferably one who lives near the ghats, to get the maximum output for the effort made.

Pics by Piyush Singh