A kaleidoscopic view of Banaras, Varanasi charts a narrative that spans from the city’s present day, to its origins as Kashi, and the fin de siècle of the eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries, which witnessed Varanasi’s inclusionary development as a cultural and pilgrimage centre, an opulent trading hub, and a basilica of political power.
Banaras by Vertul Singh captures the early days, the ghats, the famous weavers of Banaras, its mesmerizing artistic editions, its delectable cuisine, its celebration of festivals and many other hidden secrets and aspects of the city.
Weaving facts, interesting anecdotes and untold stories to make a rich tapestry, this book is an insider’s account and an unparalleled portrait of the city.
ADVANCE PRAISE
‘The auteur—both an insider and a detached outsider—tempts the readers to treat Banaras as a film and absorb what the frames depict from multiple perspectives. The pages of this multilayered volume shimmer hypnotically like a rich tapestry woven in the fabulous fabrics the city is renowned for’—Pushpesh Pant, food critic and historian.
‘Banaras, through this book, seems to be asserting its plural identity, mysteries, its past as present and invincibility as an eternal city’—Ashok Vajpeyi, poet and essayist
‘Audacious, adventurous, objective and also impassioned, Vertul Singh’s panoramic reading of Banaras, a city older than history, is a timely academic intervention in this hour of narrow cultural chauvinism.’ – Geetanjali Shree, International Booker Prize-winning author
About The Author:
Vertul Singh holds a postgraduate diploma in journalism and mass communication. He was commissioned in the Indian Army and left as a Captain, when he was selected for the CISF in the 1994 batch of UPSC. Apart from his other assignments, he has also served as a spokesperson for the UN Police in Kosovo and has also been on deputation to the Ministry of Home Affairs. He is currently posted in a senior position with the Government of India.
His compendium of Hindi Literature of the Twentieth Century is under publication. Vertul has keen interest in music, culture and parallel cinema, besides literature.
A hardback priced at INR 699, it is scheduled to hit the stands in June 2024.
