[Reader-list] Mourning for Varanasi

[shuddha at sarai.net]

Dear All, 

Several years ago, I spent some very intense few days in Varanasi with a
friend, who used to study at the Banaras Hindu University. I had always loved
the city, ever since I read about it in Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay's novel -
Aparajito, and had seen the great film version of the novel by Satyajit Ray.
Growing up, I always thought of Apu's adventures (Apu was the boy hero of
Bibhutibhushan's novel and Satyajit Ray's film trilogy) on the ghats as my own,
vicariously. I also knew Diana Eck's book, Banaras : City of Light, quite well.
It was my first excursus into imagining the geography and life of a city by
reading from a printed page. Varanasi will always remain an incredible example
of the durability of all things human for me. I learnt a few important personal
things, about ephemeral and enduring realities, sitting through a winter night,
warmed by the fires of unending cremations, at the Manikarnika Ghat, several
years ago in Varanasi. 

I am especially saddened to hear that terror struck Varanasi yet again with a
bomb placed in a milk can by the river bank, and that too at a time when the
ghats were full of worshippers. Killing (so far) tragically, an eighteen month
old baby and injuring several others. An email from the shadowy entity calling
itself the Indian Mujahideen  reached several media outlets after the event and
has claimed responsibility for the attack, apparently in order to avenge the
destruction of the Babri Masjid, which took place eighteen years ago on the
sixth of December. 

Regardless of whether or not the Indian Mujahideen is what it is thought to be
- a terror group of home grown jihadis - and regardless of whether or not it
perpetrated this attack - this incident of terrorism  (like all others) is only
worthy of condemnation in the harshest of terms. Terrorism is vile, thoughtless
and has only evil consequences, no matter who plants the bomb and for what
cause. it can never be a force for justice, anywhere. 

An eighteen month old baby's life is far more precious, and sacred, in my
opinion, than the sanctity of any mosque, temple or church, and anything that
claims that life in the name of a place of worship deserved to be condemned by
everybody, regardless of whether or not they are believers or non-believers. 

I mourn for Varanasi, Banaras, Benaras, Kashi 

Shuddha


Shuddhabrata Sengupta