Festivals7 min read
Dev Deepawali on the Ghats
A night-long walk along the Ganga on Kartik Poornima, as lamps, rituals, and crowds transform the stone steps into a shared public stage.
Anjali Rai·
2 stories
Festivals
Festivals in Purvanchal are not single-day events — they are extended rhythms of fasting, cooking, gathering, and returning to water and earth. This pillar documents the major and lesser-known festivals of the region, their regional variations, and the families who keep them alive.
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The opening essay on festivals
On Kartik Poornima, the ghats of Varanasi are lit with tens of thousands of clay lamps. A night-long walk from Assi to Raj Ghat, with the families who keep the tradition.
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In Festivals
Festivals7 min read
Dev Deepawali on the Ghats
A night-long walk along the Ganga on Kartik Poornima, as lamps, rituals, and crowds transform the stone steps into a shared public stage.
Anjali Rai·
Festivals8 min read
Chhath at the Waterline
Chhath draws whole streets to the water at sunrise and sunset. A report from two neighbourhoods — one in Varanasi, one in Ballia — and the women who keep the vow.
Anjali Rai·
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