Street Photography in Varanasi

Dashashwamedh is the main ghat and the center of the action. Every evening priests perform the Ganga aarti here with brass lamps and chanting. Laure Wanders gives the start as about 18:00 in winter and 19:00 in summer, lasting around 45 minutes. SIA Photography advises arriving early to get a spot. For something different, turn around and photograph the faces of the crowd lit by the lamps. f.d. walker calls this ghat the epicenter of hassle, so expect constant offers of boats. It is also the easiest place to hire a rowboat.

Manikarnika is the main cremation ghat, where pyres burn day and night. Photographing cremations is forbidden, and people there may confront you. Kreslavsky notes that some offer paid "special permission", with prices set by how rich you look; many photographers see it as a scam, and the grief of the families is real. Wide, distant frames from a boat, with no identifiable mourners, are the usual compromise. Better yet, put the camera down here and use the time to watch. Woodcutters and porters in the lanes behind are fine to photograph with care.

f.d. walker picks the alleys above Lalita Ghat as one of the best sections to explore. Laure Wanders agrees that the most interesting lanes are northeast of Dashashwamedh. They are narrow and full of tiny shrines, and cows block the way. Sun cuts through in thin shafts, so find a bright slot and wait for someone to walk into it. Work here after 10:00, when the ghats get hot and flat. Expect to get lost, and watch where you step.

Kedar Ghat is easy to spot: its steps are painted in red and white stripes. The temple above draws many pilgrims from Bengal and South India. At sunrise the stripes and the bathers make a strong graphic frame. Stand high on the steps and shoot down, letting the stripes lead to one figure at the water. Kreslavsky advises caution around women bathing. At most ghats women bathe on one side, and he avoids that side. The steps are wet and slippery at the water's edge.

Assi is the southernmost of the main ghats, where many long stay travelers base themselves. f.d. walker notes it is important for pilgrims and ceremonies. Kreslavsky recommends its morning aarti, which is less crowded than the evening one on Dashashwamedh and comes with yoga and music. Arrive before dawn. Shoot the crowd side on as the light comes up across the river. For a change of scene, walker suggests following the path south past Assi for a more village like feel. Touts are fewer here.

Tulsi Ghat is a short walk north of Assi and much quieter. It is known for a traditional akhara, a wrestling ground where men train in the mornings in the old style. Kreslavsky lists the akharas as a subject and reminds you to take off your shoes, because the ground is treated as sacred. Ask first. Most wrestlers are relaxed about photographers who show respect. Morning light is best, and the ghat itself is good for quieter frames of bathers and boats.

Godowlia is the market crossing on the road up from Dashashwamedh. It is noisy and packed with rickshaws and shoppers, with the odd cow standing in the middle of it all. It gives you a break from the river and a look at ordinary city life, where people shop for saris and sweets rather than for rituals. Late afternoon, when the ghats are in shade, is a good time. Stand on a corner and use the traffic flow to layer the frame. Keep your bag in front of you in the crowd.