Death and Life on the Varanasi Ghats

KEY WORDS: Ghats, Ganga, Cultural Landscape, Natural Archetypes, Spatial Practices, Embodied Perception Death and Life on the Varanasi Ghats Amita Sinha Tekton Volume 4, Issue 2, September 2017 pp. 36 - 53 ABSTRACT The ghats of Varanasi have been sketched, painted and photographed endlessly, especially the panoramic view, popular since the nineteenth century. This ‘way of seeing’ Amita Sinha is a Professor in the reflects the Western picturesque convention and is associated Department of Landscape Architecture with the aesthetic experience residing in the view. I argue at the University of Illinois at Urbana that the idea of the landscape as a picturesque view does Champaign, USA. She is the author of not fully describe the experience in the ghats. Instead the Landscapes In India: Forms and Meanings cultural landscape should be interpreted as a ‘situated event’, (University Press of Colorado, 2006; of text enacted and performed, and experienced through all reprinted by Asia Educational Services, the senses. The sensual engagement of the body with the 2011) and editor of Landscape Perception landscape is the basis of feelings and emotions in embodied (Academic Press, 1995) and Natural perception. The spatial and formal design language of the Heritage of Delhi (USIEF and INTACH, ghats supports a range of spatial practices, some of which are 2009). She recently co-edited a volume spectacular such as aarti to Ganga and cremation rites. The on studies in heritage conservation and management- Cultural Landscapes and spectacles mesmerize but also evoke bhavs (feelings) creating Heritage Conservation in South Asia an aesthetic experience. (Routledge, 2017). [email protected] 36 TEKTON: Volume 4, Issue 2, September 2017 Landscape as a ‘Situated Event’ their cultural landscape should be interpreted The visually arresting unfolding panoramic as a situated event, of text enacted and views of the ghats seen from the river have performed, and experienced through all the dominated representations of Varanasi in senses. Social events centered on the Ganga paintings and photographs. The earliest involve the visitor in varying degrees of picturesque views, romanticizing decay participation in ritual activities. The experience through the passage of time, were captured on the ghats is immersive, consisting of a in James Prinsep’s engravings in the 1830s combination of visual, kinesthetic, haptic, proprioceptive, acoustic, and olfactory I argue that picturesque views of perceptions. The landscape becomes ‘both the ghats do not fully describe their structured perception and situated event, a experience. Instead their cultural way of perceiving action in place’ (Hays and landscape should be interpreted as Maschka, 2014, p.16). The embodied perception a situated event, of text enacted and is responsible for a heightened awareness of the performed, and experienced through environment, inducing (syn)aesthesia, setting all the senses. free the imagination, provoking memories (Kejariwal, 2009). These images influenced and mental associations, and is accompanied subsequent representations of the ghat skyline with altered moods and feelings. While the that is inextricably linked to the city’s identity. picturesque view or its representation is Sky and water frame the ghats in long views The design language consists while in close ups of the river’s edge, details of prototypical forms—bastions, become apparent. Picture maps produced in balconies, aedicules, portals, pavilions the late 19th c. in Varanasi on cloth and in and platforms—in different sizes and print show the ghat panoramas in long scrolls materials, and in many combinations (Gutschow, 2006). The visual order appears to be complex, based upon irregular repetition primarily a visual experience and associated of prototypical design elements, dominance with nostalgia, the idea of the landscape as of saffron, red, and beige colors of religious a situated event communicates the dynamic and historic buildings, and cream white flat- quality of sensation, cognition, and emotion roofed residential buildings of the old city. In merging seamlessly in embodied perception. zoomed-in photographs of ghats and landings The ghats are defined by the quality of the the focus is on people, their activities, and aesthetic experience, an intensified version of religious paraphernalia since distant views can the everyday, making it out-of -ordinary. be framed only at thresholds where streets enter ghats or from the open, airy pavilions Design Language and jharokhas (balconies) on the upper floors of The ghats are a thin sliver of public space, historic buildings. ranging in width from 50’-500’ on the Ganga between its confluence with Assi Nala and I argue that picturesque views of the ghats do Varuna River. The open spaces mediate not fully describe their experience. Instead between the city and the river; temples, historic TEKTON: Volume 4, Issue 2, September 2017 37 Amita Sinha Figure 1: Varanasi Ghats palaces and mansions, and new residential water levels of the Ganga -the upper floors are and commercial buildings stretch out creating porous with windows, balconies, and galleries an impressive skyline (Figure 1). The design for viewing the river while the lower floors language consists of prototypical forms— of palaces are built solidly without openings, bastions, balconies, aedicules, portals, pavilions and with octagonal or circular towers to resist and platforms—in different sizes and materials, the thrust of rising waters when the Ganga and in many combinations (Figure 2). The floods. The formal grammar unites the vertical historic architecture responds to the changing historic facades of riverfront buildings with the 38 TEKTON: Volume 4, Issue 2, September 2017 Death and Life on the Varanasi Ghats Architectural Prototypes Figure 2: TEKTON: Volume 4, Issue 2, September 2017 39 Amita Sinha Visual structure of Dashashwamedh Ghat Figure 3 : 40 TEKTON: Volume 4, Issue 2, September 2017 Death and Life on the Varanasi Ghats Figure 4: Movement from street to ghat horizontal surfaces of steps and landings. The The flat surfaces of steps and landings are towers are aligned with square, rectangular, articulated into volumes through niches octagonal, and circular platforms built over and aedicules whose forms are shared with well foundations that divide the steps to the temple architecture. For example, the walls of river into bays (Hegewald, 2005). Octagonal Panchkroshi Temple consists of hundreds of platforms (marhi) built to strengthen the steps niches that represent shrines visited by pilgrims on the panchkroshi yatra (circumambulatory Movement through the narrow lanes journey) around Varanasi (Gutschow, 2005). of old Varanasi to the wide landings Besides receding niches, temple walls are also is a striking experience of contrasts— articulated by projecting aedicules; the ghats confinement versus spaciousness, similarly have freestanding shrines, occasionally and darkness versus light. In walking, embedded in walls. Make shift places are created visual perception is combined with from lean-tos built from bamboo and jute/canvas kinaesthetic in moving from the housing lingas, aghoris (holy men), or snacks congested lanes of the old city towards sellers. Thus a volume is created with the use of the open riverfront. found materials on the planar surface of steps can be hollow or solid. Trees also have circular and landings. and rectangular platforms built at their base for shrines, and landings are dotted with movable The prototypical architectural elements are wooden platforms used for a variety of activities. repeated erratically, setting up a syncopated TEKTON: Volume 4, Issue 2, September 2017 41 Amita Sinha rhythm and unifying the complex visual structure Spatial Practices (Figure 3). Their layering, i.e. occurrence at The formal and spatial language of the ghats different heights on the sloping embankment, is activated in everyday spatial practices adds depth. Stairs set up an interesting rhythm bringing vitality to the riverfront. The design especially when they cascade down the streets vocabulary of the ghats is similar everywhere and from buildings located at higher levels. The yet the landscapes as constituted by events are spatial grammar is composed of volumetric different and carry profound meanings about enclosure created by buildings, colonnades, the role of Ganga in sustaining life, removing pavilions, and niches, situated at irregular intervals pollution, and promising liberation from the on the ghats, and experienced in movement cycle of death and life. According to Michel De Certeau (1984), cultural practices are spatial The ghats are an urban mise-en-scene in that they are defined by places; built forms where not only the drama of everyday and practices mutually constitute the cultural life but also death and celebration of landscape, each impacting the other. Steps life plays out. Aarti, i.e. daily felicitation and landings, pavilions, platforms, shrines, to the Ganga and cremation occur and niches become behavior settings, loci on the riverfront, most spectacularly of activities that are congruent with formal at Dashashwamedh and Manikarnika language of the ghats. Steps to the river Ghats, attracting large crowds. facilitate bathing and other rituals centered and rest. Movement through the narrow lanes on the holy waters and washing clothes, while of old Varanasi to the wide landings is a striking those above the landings are used as sitting experience of contrasts—confinement versus spaces

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