Aimless in Banaras

<p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>About the Book</strong></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>A SENSUOUS PORTRAIT OF INDIA'S HOLIEST CITY AS WELL AS A MEDITATION ON LIFE-AND DEATH</strong></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>While cremating his mother at the famed Manikarnika Ghat Bishwanath Ghosh pretended he was a writer collecting material for a future book rather than a grieving son-his way of dealing with the last rites. A few years later he returns to Banaras to write that book. Plunging into its timeless aura he roams its ghats and galis sails through the cool breeze of the Ganga walks through the heat of funeral pyres.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>One moment he is observing a sadhu show off his penile strength in the next he is on a boat with a young woman who has been prophesied to marry seven times one moment he is in conversation with the celebrated writer Kashinath Singh who is an atheist and in the next he is having tea with a globe-trotting priest and a god-fearing doctor.</span></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Ghosh finds a story in every bend as he engages with quintessential Banarasis-their paan-stuffed mouths spouting expletives and wisdom with equal flair-and discovers why they are among the happiest people on earth. Then one evening at Manikarnika as he emerges from a temple wearing ash from the cremation ground on his forehead he finds a bit of Banaras in himself.</span></p><p><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Aimless in Banaras</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)> is not only a sensuous portrait of India's holiest city but also a meditation on life-and death.</span></p><p></p><p><strong style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>About the Author</strong></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Bishwanath Ghosh born in Kanpur on 26 December 1970 is the author of the hugely popular </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Chai Chai: Travels in Places Where You Stop But Never Get O</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>. He's also a Hindi poet who has two well-received compilations-</span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Jiyo Banaras</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)> and </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Tedhi-Medhi Lakeeren</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>-to his credit. His other books include </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Tamarind City: Where Modern India Began; Longing Belonging: An Outsider at Home in Calcutta</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)> and </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Gazing at Neighbours: Travels Along the Line that Partitioned India</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>. He is an Associate Editor with </span><em style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>The Hindu</em><span style=background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1); color: rgba(15 17 17 1)> newspaper and lives in Calcutta.</span></p>