Arjun Kamath Instagram – Deep in the heart of this soil, there is a tale as old as time.
It speaks of life, death, and a pyre sublime.
You try to tame it, name it, or even reframe it with all your might.
But the fire keeps burning, and the pages keep turning.
Far down into the night, when the world is fast asleep dreaming of deep blue oceans and shimmering golden cities, the Manikarnika Ghat of Varanasi is wide awake. It burns in sienna embers and saffron pyres and molten fires, consuming bodies and a bit of the heart of any onlooker brushing its grounds.
And upon my recent visit to Varanasi, known famously as the city as old as time, I had the chance to document this ghat through its people. A meagre team of 35, the Majhi Nau Samaj takes the holy responsibility of helping cremate nearly 200 bodies every day like a clockwork at Manikarnika Ghat. Taking home about 300 rupees a day for the toil, they lead an unimaginable life.
Every day, they leave their dainty homes at Raj Ghat at 3 am, walking the crescent-shaped line of the city’s ghats to reach Manikarnika. Then, at 4 in the morning, they start collecting firewood that reaches them by the holy river Ganga in a boat. And one hour after the other, they keep gathering and distributing timber, paving the way to heaven for the deceased.
Witnessing the rituals of the burning ghat up close, I was in utter awe of the vivid colours, vibrant textures, and peculiarly sombre mood of Manikarnika Ghat. As I took this portrait of a handful of the Majhi Nau Samaj members going about their day, I could not help but wonder how the function of this place is much more sacred and profound than what meets the eye.
#CapturedOnCanon with a @canonindia_official EOS R5 with a Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L Lens
#arjunkamathphotography #sunrise #manikarnikaghat #ghat #pyre #fire #firewood #ganges #varanasi #portrait #people #labour #workers #banaras #coloursofindia #india #DoGreatWithCanon #MentorsInFocus #EOSMaestro #instagood #instagram Varanasi, India | Posted on 17/May/2022 21:20:59