My DRS location was the spiritual capital of India, Varanasi, also known as Banaras or Kashi in Uttar Pradesh. Varanasi is a city on the banks of the river Ganga. I did not decide before hand what my research would be, but I chose to select my topic around the river.

I read about Varanasi on the internet and got an idea about the city. Also, I read about the Ghats and the art of Varanasi. I decided to find my topic around the arts and the river Ganga.

As I stepped into Varanasi, I could feel the different lifestyles of the people. I spent the whole day observing the ghats and Artis. And during the arti at Dashashwamedh Ghat in the evening, I found many children selling flowers to all, including foreigners and Indians from different states. Those children spoke English and many other foreign languages. I was mesmerised by this. And this is how I found my topic for the design research seminar.