Colours of Varanasi
-
The names of all the Ghats are done typically in yellow and black paint standing out against the brown brick walls.
-
The painted steps on the Bhadaini Ghat are an attempt to liven up the space and make it colourful.
-
The vibrantly painted yellow and red steps and temples at Ahilyabai Ghat. Yellow symbolising knowledge and learning, while red depicting purity form a strong contrasting eyecatching, combination.
-
Cerulean blue walls of a curio shop within the narrow lanes of Kashi.
-
Bright sari's and 'sindoor' of married women deep in conversation within one of the lanes. It is traditional for an Indian women to wear a sari, especially a coloured one if she is married.
-
Even these shops that remain closed, draw attention with a palette of pastel colours, that one would not expect here in the inner streets of Varanasi.
-
Apt bright colours of a craft toy shop - challenging people to try and walk by without giving it their full attention. The traditional Benaras toys, are a small handicraft industry in themselves. Carved in wood and painstakingly painted they are taken back as souveniers by all who visit Varanasi.
-
A woman in a bold-patterned blue sari, sitting on a blue bench, against a blue wall, probably feeling blue as well.
-
An image of a pink-painted room - that looks like a painting. On observing its pillars ands niches one can conclude that it seems to be the lasting remains of some ancient palace that might have existed here.
-
Aluminium kettles reflecting the sky blue of the facing wall. Tucked away teashops can be found in every corner and cranny of Varanasi, with the most popular ones being the most well hidden ones, known only to a select few people.
-
Midnight shadows created by the yellow street lights, lighting up the Ghats making them look totally sublime.
-
A young pundit, wearing the saffron colour of fire and purity accompanied by bright green slippers, aptly making this an image true to a tri-coloured India.
Multicultural influences, Hindu colour symbolisms, a dominating art scene, vibrant people or inexpensively available paint that has aged beautifully over time are all responsible for the smatterings of colour that stand out against the contrary brick red's and sandstone shades of Kashi.
The eye meets pleasing tones of a deep sky blue on a wall opposite a pink coloured room, which on observing closely appears to be a small room of a palace that might have existed centuries ago. Names of the Ghats and messages for the River Ganga plead for attention in black and yellow - that are already absorbed into the wall they were painted upon.
North Indian women clad in colourful saris, free spirited tourists in billowing attires, saffron coloured sages, painted steps, dirty narrow lanes that have green, blue, red, yellow and cream walls, colourful kites in the dull sky, bright boats on the grey Ganges, healthy green creepers emerging through an abandoned brown house, related - unrelated graffiti carefully created upon walls - an artistic eye cannot complain about how naturally all colours coexist in the streets of Kashi.
Painted by man and antiquated by nature the colours here are deep, rich and spin tales that have long been forgotten. All colours cease to exist by night reflecting only the tones of black shadows created with the bright yellow lights on the Ghats and streets.
