Book Title: Who Stole My India
Author: Amit Reddy
Pages: 453
Amit Reddy was probably born in the wrong place. Even his mother thinks so when she says, ‘You should go away to America, You are nothing like Indian.’ As Reddy finds it difficult to understand and live a life that his society and surroundings expect him to, and unable to comprehend the diktat of a Hindu Indian society, he decides to fix the problem. The way he decides to do it is by travelling across the country to discover its soul, and perhaps discover his own soul that might fit within an Indian context.
As he puts it, “It’s all so frightfully confusing, but I intend to rectify this situation. The plan is ingenious, and quite simple. I’m going to explore India like few people ever have, by taking an inordinately long journey around the country; 40,750 kilometers long, to be precise… If everything goes accordingly, by the end of this journey I hope to be the complete Indian.”
He begins from Hyderabad on Kaya–a much loved motorcycle that is usually addressed as an animate being–and rides into nearly every Indian state. The journey takes him through wilderness, rugged terrains, temple-towns, remote villages, mountainous landscapes, deserts and the sprawling cities. This book isn’t about those places though, but on people Reddy meets and the way of life in India as witnessed by him.
I have arrived in Varanasi today to witness the visually rich Dev Diwiali festival. I am leading a photography tour and travelling with a small group of enthusiasts who will be here for the next four days.
Tomorrow evening, there will be a dense collection of lamps glittering on the 2km long ghats of Varanasi. From a distance, it is almost as if stars have descended on earth.
I was at the festival last year too, but a broken right hand that was in the process of recuperating did not allow me to make photographs. My fingers barely had the strength to fold and press the shutter button. Nevertheless, I had carried the camera with the hopes of recording a few images of the celebrations. I was unable to take out the camera or make any photographs in the first few days of my stay. However, on the evening of Dev Diwali, unable resist the temptation of this visual feast, I strapped the camera on, endured the pain and made great effort to click a few images. Here is one of them.
I am looking forward to the festival again tomorrow, this time as an active participant than a viewer with limited mobility.
Today’s photo – ghats of Varanasi glittering in high-power street lights.
Come evening, soon after the Ganga Aarti celebrations in Dasaswamedh Ghat ends, the generally busy ghats become quieter. The steps see no more than an occasional stroller and the river sees a drifting boat or two. Walking back after another day of witnessing the Aarti, this is what I saw.
It is time for me to head to Varanasi again, to witness the festivities of Karthika Poornima / Dev Diwali with a group of photography enthusiasts and subsequently work on a few stories.