These images are from my three-day trip to Varanasi.

This short stint was part of a month-long trip around India with my grandfather. As a former Secretary of Science to the Government of India, my grandfather is often invited to give lectures at Universities around India. On the first night, I arrived in the guesthouse and was notified that a trip to Assi Ghat was arranged for me. I was thrilled. Myself and a PhD student from Banaras Hindu University visited the Ghat and took a boat from Assi to Manikarnika Ghat. The Ghats of Varanasi sit alongside the River Ganga, and at night, they are illuminated by the lights of the cremetoriums that span the length of the riverside.

That evening, I aimed to capture movement in my images. I wanted to illustrate the busy craze of nighttime on the river. Using a slower shutter speed helped to add motion to the images, introducing an element of time.

The next morning, the University had arranged another student to accompany me to witness the sunrise. We arrived back at Assi Ghat at 5am, and had chai by the river. I approached these images with the intent to capture serenity and stillness. I worked to isolate my subject, and invoke a sense of solitude into each image.

This collection showcases a glimpse of life along the Ganga in Varanasi.