The Great Mosque of Aurangzeb and adjoining ghats, Benares

The title of the text suggests that it describes the mosque built in 1669 at the command of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (r. 1658–1707); its minarets dominate the landscape in this photograph. Instead, it is a romanticized and poetic account of sights and experiences on the ghats, or stairs leading to the river. The photograph focuses as much on the activities of people on the riverbank as on its architecture. Together, the text and image convey the appeal Benares held for its visitors. The holiest city in India, Benares (now Varanasi), located on the bank of the Ganges river, was one of the key destinations of travelers to India, tourists and artists alike. The many ghats in the city, each with its own name and distinctive temples, afforded inexhaustible subject matter for artists. A particular favorite was the Cremation (Manikarnika) Ghat.