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Kaleidoscope City: A Year in Varanasi
From the acclaimed, prize-winning author of Honey and a captivating memoir of a year spent in the holy city of Varanasi'Moore Ede is highly attuned to the sensory experiences which make travel writing come alive' Giles Foden'Brims with warmth, humility and curiosity … The rhythms of life and death by the river are vividly rendered in Moore Ede's fluid prose' Times Literary SupplementPiers Moore Ede first fell in love with Varanasi when he passed through it on his way to Nepal. In the decade that followed, it continued to exert its pull on him and so he returned there to live – to discoverwhat it is that makes the spiritual capital of India so unique.In this intoxicating city, where funeral pyres smoulder beside the river in which thousands of pilgrims bathe, and holiness and corruption walk side by side, Piers discovers a remarkable interplay between death and life, light and dark.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 26, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 15, 2018
Published: 26/02/2014
Author: Piers Moore Ede
Recommended for: I think pretty much everyone should read this book it would be good for fans of all different genres.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads competitions.
This book is a very beautiful and touching insight into India and what it is like there. This book is an honest account of what it is like to live in India, I will admit there was parts of it that made me tear up which just shows what an amazing author Piers Moore Ede is, the writing style and the way he uses words evokes your emotions and makes you see things from their perspective. This book shows the life of the millions of people that are living a life in poverty and how hard they work to be able to take care of their family and the length's they will go to in order to make sure their family is happy,well and fed. This book will make you look at your life again and make you see just how lucky we are and how different their life is, for there still to be families, baby, old people living in poverty, on the streets in the 21st century isn't right and this book shows just how much they are still struggling now. It is a truly thought provoking book that is sure to bring a tear to your eye. An outstanding book to read!
Author: Piers Moore Ede
Recommended for: I think pretty much everyone should read this book it would be good for fans of all different genres.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads competitions.
This book is a very beautiful and touching insight into India and what it is like there. This book is an honest account of what it is like to live in India, I will admit there was parts of it that made me tear up which just shows what an amazing author Piers Moore Ede is, the writing style and the way he uses words evokes your emotions and makes you see things from their perspective. This book shows the life of the millions of people that are living a life in poverty and how hard they work to be able to take care of their family and the length's they will go to in order to make sure their family is happy,well and fed. This book will make you look at your life again and make you see just how lucky we are and how different their life is, for there still to be families, baby, old people living in poverty, on the streets in the 21st century isn't right and this book shows just how much they are still struggling now. It is a truly thought provoking book that is sure to bring a tear to your eye. An outstanding book to read!
April 7, 2017
Varanasi is one of the cities in the world that has been inhabited for around four thousand years. Situated on the Ganges, it is the focal point for a number of religions; the two patriots of Jains were born there, it is where the Buddha preached his first sermon and for Hindus there is no place more revered. Those four millennia have seen a lot of history too, invasions, colonial rule and independence have all influenced the city.
This is a huge city too, home to 2.5 million people, over the course of a year it will welcome 5 million more. Thousands bathe each day in the sacred, polluted Ganges. It is the destination at the end of people’s lives too; they come here to die, or to be cremated on the pyres alongside the river. On top of all that the city is the centre of a large silk and textile industry. There is a darker side too, not only is corruption endemic, but there is a thriving drug trade and prostitution is rife.
It is this city though, that draws Ede back there to stay for a year. He spends some time with people to bring the city alive to us reading it. The book is intense as I imagine the city must be and Ede’s writing manages to transport you to this madly alive and vivid city. You prickle from the heat, the smells and noise assault your senses, you know that this place is where religion, culture, life and death all come together in one swirling mass of humanity. It is a book that is well worth reading, he has managed to bring a human perspective to a city that is one of the largest on earth. Will definitely be reading his other books.
First book from the #WorldFromMyArmchair too.
This is a huge city too, home to 2.5 million people, over the course of a year it will welcome 5 million more. Thousands bathe each day in the sacred, polluted Ganges. It is the destination at the end of people’s lives too; they come here to die, or to be cremated on the pyres alongside the river. On top of all that the city is the centre of a large silk and textile industry. There is a darker side too, not only is corruption endemic, but there is a thriving drug trade and prostitution is rife.
It is this city though, that draws Ede back there to stay for a year. He spends some time with people to bring the city alive to us reading it. The book is intense as I imagine the city must be and Ede’s writing manages to transport you to this madly alive and vivid city. You prickle from the heat, the smells and noise assault your senses, you know that this place is where religion, culture, life and death all come together in one swirling mass of humanity. It is a book that is well worth reading, he has managed to bring a human perspective to a city that is one of the largest on earth. Will definitely be reading his other books.
First book from the #WorldFromMyArmchair too.
October 18, 2017
Piers Moore Ede is very happy with his chance to live in Varanasi for a year. He fell in love with India on earlier visits and he's excited to live there. For a year he explores the city. He meets with business owners, observes local customs and discovers many things about Varanasi and India. He makes new friends and almost every day he learns something interesting. Varanasi is the spiritual capital of India. Piers Moore Ede tries to find out what makes this city and its inhabitants so special.
Kaleidoscope City is a very well written report of Piers Moore Ede's year in Varanasi. He's met so many interesting people and writes about their encounters. Not all of these meetings are with men and women who have something happy and positive to tell. Even though the lives of some of these people are hard and sometimes miserable they aren't afraid, because they know that death will mean they're ready for something better.
I loved the chapter about the Ganga. The river is so important and it's suffering, because it's polluted. Some people are very worried about that, but so far their battles haven't had much result. Piers Moore Ede talks about it with both the highly educated who are working from an office and those who use the river itself and whatever it has to offer as their main source of income. That's something I like about this book. It's mainly observational and because of the conversations the author has with a great variety of people the reader gets to see many different points of view. Another chapter I loved was the one about the weavers of India's beautiful intricate fabrics. Modern times are making it difficult for some of the weavers to keep earning money, but for others it's a golden opportunity.
Kaleidoscope City is a perfect read for those who like travel stories and who want to know more about India. Because the author stayed there for a year he had the time to get to know Varanasi quite well. I think the report is beautiful and honest and it's certainly interesting. I learned a lot from it and think it's a fascinating read.
Kaleidoscope City is a very well written report of Piers Moore Ede's year in Varanasi. He's met so many interesting people and writes about their encounters. Not all of these meetings are with men and women who have something happy and positive to tell. Even though the lives of some of these people are hard and sometimes miserable they aren't afraid, because they know that death will mean they're ready for something better.
I loved the chapter about the Ganga. The river is so important and it's suffering, because it's polluted. Some people are very worried about that, but so far their battles haven't had much result. Piers Moore Ede talks about it with both the highly educated who are working from an office and those who use the river itself and whatever it has to offer as their main source of income. That's something I like about this book. It's mainly observational and because of the conversations the author has with a great variety of people the reader gets to see many different points of view. Another chapter I loved was the one about the weavers of India's beautiful intricate fabrics. Modern times are making it difficult for some of the weavers to keep earning money, but for others it's a golden opportunity.
Kaleidoscope City is a perfect read for those who like travel stories and who want to know more about India. Because the author stayed there for a year he had the time to get to know Varanasi quite well. I think the report is beautiful and honest and it's certainly interesting. I learned a lot from it and think it's a fascinating read.
June 8, 2020
A poignant and mesmerising work that captures the myriad patois of a city considered by many Indians to be the holiest of places on Earth. Benaras, Varanasi or Kashi is home to the imperial sweep and magnificent scope of the Ganges. Benaras is also home to a whole spectrum of vertiginous culture that both scars as well as soothes an unsuspecting entrant to the city. Piers Moore Ede was drawn to this mystical place and soon succumbed to the riveting pull exercised by its elements. His fascination towards Benaras was such that he spent an entire year in a contradictory environment of warm solace and harsh reality.
This work captures his stay in Benaras alternatively cjaracterised by fervour, faith, fascination, fatigue and futility. Piers Moore Ede strives to illuminate in an uncompromising fashion the complicated fabric of culture that weaves together multiple races, castes and religions. A fabric where the sacred merges seamlessly and shamelessly with the seedy; a setting where the chances of accosting either an enthusiastic Sadhu or an enervated prostitute are mind bogglingly equal. Seekers of salvation jostle and rub shoulders with solicitors of sex, while peddlers of the most exquisite varieties of fruits share space with purveyors of cannabis and marijuana. The various Ghats of the Ganges which teem with people performing ablutions and burning corpses lends an eerie credence to the impermanence of human existence. Benaras is at once temporal and permanent. This fascinating paradox gets a deserving treatment at the hands of this author who seems to have found himself in a strenuous quest to find the soul of a City whose existence is a veritable testimony to a cathartic mankind!
Kaleidoscope City - An unforgettable splash of colour!
This work captures his stay in Benaras alternatively cjaracterised by fervour, faith, fascination, fatigue and futility. Piers Moore Ede strives to illuminate in an uncompromising fashion the complicated fabric of culture that weaves together multiple races, castes and religions. A fabric where the sacred merges seamlessly and shamelessly with the seedy; a setting where the chances of accosting either an enthusiastic Sadhu or an enervated prostitute are mind bogglingly equal. Seekers of salvation jostle and rub shoulders with solicitors of sex, while peddlers of the most exquisite varieties of fruits share space with purveyors of cannabis and marijuana. The various Ghats of the Ganges which teem with people performing ablutions and burning corpses lends an eerie credence to the impermanence of human existence. Benaras is at once temporal and permanent. This fascinating paradox gets a deserving treatment at the hands of this author who seems to have found himself in a strenuous quest to find the soul of a City whose existence is a veritable testimony to a cathartic mankind!
Kaleidoscope City - An unforgettable splash of colour!
February 11, 2017
3.5 stars...
In preparation for my upcoming trip I thought I'd give this book a try. It was a nice primer on Varanasi... As someone born in India and raised in the west, it was interesting to get a western glimpse on this eastern land...
Varanasi has been the spiritual centre of India for thousands of years... It is known as the city of lights and as the city of Lord Shiva....
Many people go to Varanasi to die... To be cremated on the banks of the Ganges river... As with Eastern spiritual thought, it is important to understand death to understand life... Life and death are simply two sides of the same coin...
I am reminded that somewhere I read that all Abrahamic religions are based on 'paradise'... And out of the two major world religions, Judaism and Hinduism - Judaism is based on 'paradise' while Hinduism is based on 'liberation'...
In Hinduism, there is no paradise. Instead, life is but a turning wheel, and to move beyond the wheel (to become liberated of it), we must move to it's centre which does not move....
These different religious views lead to the differences in their cultures and beliefs...
In preparation for my upcoming trip I thought I'd give this book a try. It was a nice primer on Varanasi... As someone born in India and raised in the west, it was interesting to get a western glimpse on this eastern land...
Varanasi has been the spiritual centre of India for thousands of years... It is known as the city of lights and as the city of Lord Shiva....
Many people go to Varanasi to die... To be cremated on the banks of the Ganges river... As with Eastern spiritual thought, it is important to understand death to understand life... Life and death are simply two sides of the same coin...
I am reminded that somewhere I read that all Abrahamic religions are based on 'paradise'... And out of the two major world religions, Judaism and Hinduism - Judaism is based on 'paradise' while Hinduism is based on 'liberation'...
In Hinduism, there is no paradise. Instead, life is but a turning wheel, and to move beyond the wheel (to become liberated of it), we must move to it's centre which does not move....
These different religious views lead to the differences in their cultures and beliefs...
August 27, 2020
This was an e-book that I borrowed using Borrowbox. My interest was primarily because I had visited Varanasi last year on a whistle-stop tour of the 'Golden Triangle' in India and I wanted to try to get a broader perspective. I found Varanasi itself an amazing place when we were there. It's hard to describe, but there are massive paradoxes but the faith that is expressed by so many people is intriguing and quite moving.
I think this book successfully captures that in part, but it also goes behind the visible parts of the city and explores the back stories that tourists (certainly) never see. It's multi-faceted, engaging, convincing and there are interesting stories and people which abound. Obviously India - and Varanasi - is a complex, complicated, and confusing entity, but I think this book helped me to contextualise what I had seen. My only reservation is that the book might not mean as much to someone that had never been to the city. Still, a great read, and if you want some warts and all detail behind what is visible on the surface, this book will fill in part of the jigsaw for sure.
I think this book successfully captures that in part, but it also goes behind the visible parts of the city and explores the back stories that tourists (certainly) never see. It's multi-faceted, engaging, convincing and there are interesting stories and people which abound. Obviously India - and Varanasi - is a complex, complicated, and confusing entity, but I think this book helped me to contextualise what I had seen. My only reservation is that the book might not mean as much to someone that had never been to the city. Still, a great read, and if you want some warts and all detail behind what is visible on the surface, this book will fill in part of the jigsaw for sure.
May 4, 2015
This book caught me by surprise. It is not an epic story but a wonderful tale of discovery...a metaphysical journey while traveling a tactile and tangible city (I could almost smell and taste the ambiance and heart of the city). The book itself is a "bhakti" (devotion) to one of the world's most ancient societies and faith's. I found so many parallels to my own christian traditions. For example, the Ramayan - Lia play, and the passion plays of the christian traditions - "we do not come to see actors, we come to see the gods themselves (page 33), could this not be said of Christians during Easter passions plays?
Mr. Ede, well done! my copy quickly has become one of those I have made mine own through heavy "side of page" annotations, underlining and colored highlights. This was much more that a narrative of travels in India, it was an immersion in the faith, culture and history of a great and noble people.
Mr. Ede, well done! my copy quickly has become one of those I have made mine own through heavy "side of page" annotations, underlining and colored highlights. This was much more that a narrative of travels in India, it was an immersion in the faith, culture and history of a great and noble people.
January 27, 2017
With a trip to India coming up, started with some reading to help plug holes in my serious lack of knowledge.
This was a great little read, written by an author who obviously loves India. He was fortunate enough to be able to spend a year in Varanasi, living sparsely in a room right on the Ganga.
Each chapter covers a different topic in Varanasi, and the author sought out people directly involved with his subject, which made it personal and interesting. The plight of widows and sex workers, sweet makers and musicians, actors, weavers and holy men, and even a chapter on those who look after the sacred cremation grounds.
This was a great little read, written by an author who obviously loves India. He was fortunate enough to be able to spend a year in Varanasi, living sparsely in a room right on the Ganga.
Each chapter covers a different topic in Varanasi, and the author sought out people directly involved with his subject, which made it personal and interesting. The plight of widows and sex workers, sweet makers and musicians, actors, weavers and holy men, and even a chapter on those who look after the sacred cremation grounds.
March 30, 2015
I won this book in a Goodread's giveaway. Its the first time I have read a book about someone's travels. I highly enjoyed this book. I liked seeing the different sides of the city that most people would not see. I also enjoyed learning about the different caste's in India and how they saw themselves in the world. I would recommend this book for everyone
January 14, 2021
I love this book! Despite not being religious myself, it feels almost akin to a holy text. Piers unravels the inner workings of a sacred city, speaking to weavers, widows, holy men, boatmen, funeral parlours, actors, street vendors, students, sweet makers and campaigners. This book will make you yearn for the mystical chaos only India can conjure.
March 23, 2015
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway.
This is a lovely book and recounts the author's year in the ancient Indian city of Varanasi. The story is told through the various people he meets while he is there, some funny and some tragic.
I would definitely recommend this book
This is a lovely book and recounts the author's year in the ancient Indian city of Varanasi. The story is told through the various people he meets while he is there, some funny and some tragic.
I would definitely recommend this book
April 5, 2015
I won this book on a goodread giveaway Great informative book about the customs and people of Varanasi. Loved how the author put off time with the people of this city to learn their day to day lives and culture.
August 29, 2017
It's a great book to take a close look at Varanasi.
Varanasi is one of the most ancient cities in the world, and it's the most holiest place for many.
River Ganga flows through this city where living and dead co-exist.
Author Piers is very keen on atmosphere around him.
The descriptions are vivid and catch my imagination.
Piers spent a year here to immerse into a mystic world.
The time was about 2008, not very long ago.
We have the chance to see how modernization impacts today's India.
In this tradition holy site, lots of traditions were fading into history.
I believe the scene would be very different if I visit it in the future.
I like author's writing style. It's bright and refreshing!
He didn't show arrogance from the perspective of a foreigner.
Instead, he did his best to learn and appreciate this ancient civilization.
Piers introduced Indian religions, cultures, cuisines, music, festivals, and many more to us.
After finishing the book, you will definitely understand India culture much more!
During his stay, he was warmly welcome by locals.
He got rare chance to glimpse into inner circle of Varanasi.
Though Varanasi seems peaceful and religious, there were many dark sides.
From prostitute to group discrepancy, he presented readers some sad stories.
I found myself in bad mood for several hours after learning shocking facts.
Many poor are left behind by globalization. Some are in desperate needs but could turn to no one.
The very unfortunate from other parts of India may come here simply wish to die in Ganga, where it is promised a better life in the next life. Normally I am not an emotional person, I felt some tears in my eyes.
I am taking a post-graduate course on how to 'Do business in India' now.
Those fascinating economic figures are not consistent in real world context.
Though income inequality is common everywhere, I hope some day everything will be better, especially in India.
A great book, high recommended to everyone!
Varanasi is one of the most ancient cities in the world, and it's the most holiest place for many.
River Ganga flows through this city where living and dead co-exist.
Author Piers is very keen on atmosphere around him.
The descriptions are vivid and catch my imagination.
Piers spent a year here to immerse into a mystic world.
The time was about 2008, not very long ago.
We have the chance to see how modernization impacts today's India.
In this tradition holy site, lots of traditions were fading into history.
I believe the scene would be very different if I visit it in the future.
I like author's writing style. It's bright and refreshing!
He didn't show arrogance from the perspective of a foreigner.
Instead, he did his best to learn and appreciate this ancient civilization.
Piers introduced Indian religions, cultures, cuisines, music, festivals, and many more to us.
After finishing the book, you will definitely understand India culture much more!
During his stay, he was warmly welcome by locals.
He got rare chance to glimpse into inner circle of Varanasi.
Though Varanasi seems peaceful and religious, there were many dark sides.
From prostitute to group discrepancy, he presented readers some sad stories.
I found myself in bad mood for several hours after learning shocking facts.
Many poor are left behind by globalization. Some are in desperate needs but could turn to no one.
The very unfortunate from other parts of India may come here simply wish to die in Ganga, where it is promised a better life in the next life. Normally I am not an emotional person, I felt some tears in my eyes.
I am taking a post-graduate course on how to 'Do business in India' now.
Those fascinating economic figures are not consistent in real world context.
Though income inequality is common everywhere, I hope some day everything will be better, especially in India.
A great book, high recommended to everyone!
June 19, 2025
A good selection of themes that make Varanasi unique; both beautiful and challenging: Moksha, Rama, Sex, Sweets, Ganga, weaving, widows and music. It's too much to explain here. I was surprised how much I learned and had not even imagined I didn't know. the glossary helps, but is not needed to read the book. it is in itself a good review of the reading. The book reads like fiction - is very easy to pick up - he got good interviews, does a good analysis, and doesn't judge.
He does a good job of explaining the ambivalence he felt in seeing the extreme poverty and lack of a back-up for citizens facing extreme hardship in moving from rural to more urban survival. the jobs aren't there. certain groups like the women, low caste communities, are not seen or supported. At the same time he shows the beauty, history, and survival of the river, history, music, and the historic spiritual connections within India and the world.
I will say, that building a mosque on top of/or next to a very sacred Hindu temple is very confrontative -- and frankly typical of the Islamist communities - who are currently taking over churches in EU, Israel, Canada, etc. I'm not one to be kept silent if called an Islamophobe, as a strategy to keep citizens uncritical and compliant, as we are more aware of the pattern to infiltrate from within communities and transition them to sharia law, islamic religion and culture in 2025. these jihad and conversions have happened all over the Middle East (syria, Lebanon, Yemen, ++ and now globally) -- so I am glad he resists laying blame on the Indians -- because laying blame for agression on the targeted group is the usual MOD. I want to look into this further ... as although I've seen the Kashmir files (the movie) when I do a quick search - I see a lot of muslim victims laying blame and articles using - both sides are to blame explanation.
He does a good job of explaining the ambivalence he felt in seeing the extreme poverty and lack of a back-up for citizens facing extreme hardship in moving from rural to more urban survival. the jobs aren't there. certain groups like the women, low caste communities, are not seen or supported. At the same time he shows the beauty, history, and survival of the river, history, music, and the historic spiritual connections within India and the world.
I will say, that building a mosque on top of/or next to a very sacred Hindu temple is very confrontative -- and frankly typical of the Islamist communities - who are currently taking over churches in EU, Israel, Canada, etc. I'm not one to be kept silent if called an Islamophobe, as a strategy to keep citizens uncritical and compliant, as we are more aware of the pattern to infiltrate from within communities and transition them to sharia law, islamic religion and culture in 2025. these jihad and conversions have happened all over the Middle East (syria, Lebanon, Yemen, ++ and now globally) -- so I am glad he resists laying blame on the Indians -- because laying blame for agression on the targeted group is the usual MOD. I want to look into this further ... as although I've seen the Kashmir files (the movie) when I do a quick search - I see a lot of muslim victims laying blame and articles using - both sides are to blame explanation.
November 24, 2023
British travel writer Piers Moore Ede grabs a chance to stay in the revered city of Varanasi for a year, and during this time sets out to find out what made Varanasi the way it is in his book “Kaleidoscope City.”
Ede describes Varanasi as "an alchemist's crucible, transmuting all who live there". For most of us, Varanasi is associated with death and rituals honouring the dead. It’s a spiritual place, one filled with sadhus and priests and it has been continuously inhabited for over two thousand years. But religion is only one aspect of Varanasi. A city is like a kaleidoscope - it has many dimensions. So does Varanasi.
So, Ede talks to business owners, politicians, researchers, and other people for whom Varanasi is not just about religion. There’s the chapter on Varanasi’s textiles and the life of weavers. There’s a chapter on the most famous confectionary shop in the city, where he gives us a glimpse into how those sweets are made and perspectives of the business owner. And how Varanasi reverberates with ghazals and strains of the shehnai as it is the home of Hindustani classical music.
Yet, Varanasi has its dark sides, too, like any other city. Prostitution, drugs, corruption, human trafficking. Everything abounds under the strong shimmering moral veneer of the Ganges, as Ede discovers.
Ede does a fantastic job in peeling away and revealing the complex, multiple layers that makes up a city like Varanasi. Layers that are otherwise hidden away from most of us. He takes us into the heart of the city, cracking its bewildering paradoxes, showing us its distressing, as well as, delightful sides.
Truly enjoyed reading this lyrical and incisive travelogue.
Ede describes Varanasi as "an alchemist's crucible, transmuting all who live there". For most of us, Varanasi is associated with death and rituals honouring the dead. It’s a spiritual place, one filled with sadhus and priests and it has been continuously inhabited for over two thousand years. But religion is only one aspect of Varanasi. A city is like a kaleidoscope - it has many dimensions. So does Varanasi.
So, Ede talks to business owners, politicians, researchers, and other people for whom Varanasi is not just about religion. There’s the chapter on Varanasi’s textiles and the life of weavers. There’s a chapter on the most famous confectionary shop in the city, where he gives us a glimpse into how those sweets are made and perspectives of the business owner. And how Varanasi reverberates with ghazals and strains of the shehnai as it is the home of Hindustani classical music.
Yet, Varanasi has its dark sides, too, like any other city. Prostitution, drugs, corruption, human trafficking. Everything abounds under the strong shimmering moral veneer of the Ganges, as Ede discovers.
Ede does a fantastic job in peeling away and revealing the complex, multiple layers that makes up a city like Varanasi. Layers that are otherwise hidden away from most of us. He takes us into the heart of the city, cracking its bewildering paradoxes, showing us its distressing, as well as, delightful sides.
Truly enjoyed reading this lyrical and incisive travelogue.
April 3, 2019
Kaleidoscope city :a year in Varanasi
By Piers Moore Ede
State:Uttar Pradesh
This book was neither written by an Indian author nor in Uttar Pradesh 's language. Thus fulfilling none of my mission's conditions. But the reason for me to select this particular book written by a british man about the city considered holiest in India was, to understand better a place or culture I thought it is necessary to interpret different dimensions, as an outsider would serve the purpose better without any prejudices.
Piers Moore Ede, a British writer who has contributed to a number of travel publications, fell in love with Varanasi(a holy city in Uttar Pradesh) , which made him stay for a year and give birth to this book.There he meets people and observes their statements. His observations, depictions, people's views, his sense of awe for elements of Varanasi all combines to make this book a lovable portrayal.
More than a travelogue, it gives the reader the insights on various aspects of the city.
It doesn't just stop with spiritual view, for which the city is known for , but screens areas like drama, corruption, prostitution, pollution, sweets etc... These view points changed my typecast on Varanasi, giving a justified outlook.
The author has made a successful attempt of writing on Varanasi for the book was too hooking up, coherent, without any unnecessary details and did me justice as it was a fruitful one for I read it breaking the rules.
By Piers Moore Ede
State:Uttar Pradesh
This book was neither written by an Indian author nor in Uttar Pradesh 's language. Thus fulfilling none of my mission's conditions. But the reason for me to select this particular book written by a british man about the city considered holiest in India was, to understand better a place or culture I thought it is necessary to interpret different dimensions, as an outsider would serve the purpose better without any prejudices.
Piers Moore Ede, a British writer who has contributed to a number of travel publications, fell in love with Varanasi(a holy city in Uttar Pradesh) , which made him stay for a year and give birth to this book.There he meets people and observes their statements. His observations, depictions, people's views, his sense of awe for elements of Varanasi all combines to make this book a lovable portrayal.
More than a travelogue, it gives the reader the insights on various aspects of the city.
It doesn't just stop with spiritual view, for which the city is known for , but screens areas like drama, corruption, prostitution, pollution, sweets etc... These view points changed my typecast on Varanasi, giving a justified outlook.
The author has made a successful attempt of writing on Varanasi for the book was too hooking up, coherent, without any unnecessary details and did me justice as it was a fruitful one for I read it breaking the rules.
August 6, 2018
I think one of the biggest reasons that I like this book is because I live in Varanasi. However, I don't think this was written for anyone who knows Banaras. Those who have lived in Varanasi for a few months - let alone a year- would usually know (or at least I hope so).
I'm very happy to see a book do it's darnedest to present the complex city that is Varanasi. I would have liked to see multiple books on the different topics presented instead of a surface level brushes on each of them.
If you want a book that gives you a slight glimpse into Varanasi, pick it up- but also be sure to read more books to fully understand this city.
I'm very happy to see a book do it's darnedest to present the complex city that is Varanasi. I would have liked to see multiple books on the different topics presented instead of a surface level brushes on each of them.
If you want a book that gives you a slight glimpse into Varanasi, pick it up- but also be sure to read more books to fully understand this city.
January 1, 2018
If you are going to Varanasi, I highly recommend this book. Or if you have been there. Or even if you're just interested in India. The author spent a year there and learned so much. He shares it with great description and love. He covers topics as varied as sweet shops and prostitution in Varanasi. And his love for the city and for the Ganges comes through quite clearly, as well as the understanding that no one yet knows what will happen with the modernization of India.
May 7, 2023
Reading this book was an enlightening experience about Varanasi. Religion, the Ganges, music, food, the role of women, and art, among others, were dealt with based on conversations the author had with different people who were experts on these aspects. Having been to Varanasi once, I think that the author made an excellent job at describing Varanasi with all its virtues and flaws. I cannot wait to return to Varanasi and visit the city now that I have read this book.
October 15, 2023
Dejligt med en rejse tilbage til Indien. Jeg er stor beundrer af de temaer, Piers Moore Ede tager op i denne bog om Indien. Ting, jeg ikke selv opdagede i Varanasi, men som jeg nu kan læse om, og glæder mig til at lægge mærke til, når jeg næste gang besøger Varanasi. Også hjerteskærende læsning, fordi Indien er så kontrastfyldt og rummer så meget sorg og ulykke. Tak Piers Moore Ede for at portrættere det gennem ord i dette værk🙏
February 11, 2017
So aptly named! Varanasi has to be one of the most fascinating places I have ever visited. I didn't manage to read all of this, but what I did read gave me an insight into the reverence this city is held in by Hindi. He lived a year in Varanasi while writing this book and has been incredibly thorough in his research.
October 3, 2017
Nice and easy reading with a lot of curiosities, interesting facts and some poetry about an ancient city full of misteries and contradictions.
February 22, 2020
Gorgeous look at a year in Varanasi, from all its grittiness and gore and unpleasantness to the holiness of this mystical, chaotic, fascinating city.
May 2, 2020
"When the world becomes too much there is always Banaras..."
April 12, 2021
Well written. Excellent introduction to the complexities and colour of Indian life for anyone thinking of visiting.
May 26, 2020
Varanasi was always a mystery to me. It always appeared to me as another world that is very far away from me, and the mystery was so extreme that I always thought I could never go there. But the river Ganges is very dear to me, very close to my heart. Every year around May-June my heart longs for river Ganges. Before reading this book, it was only Haridwar and Rishikesh that fulfilled my purpose of 'my kind of pilgrimage' to Ganges. But when you love someone or something from the core of your heart, you tend to know everything about them. Same happened to me. I Googled about the Ganges from its source till it's merging with Ganga-Sagar. Along the whole course, Varanasi excited me most. The oldest city, the cultural hub, the city of widows, the city of ghaats, the city of lights, the city of temples and above all, the city of dead. How cannot one be attracted to such a versatility? Upon researching the material about Varanasi, I came across this book. It's written by a non-Indian. So it was easy to get a totally unbiased account of a place through the words of a foreigner. It is a nice primer on Varanasi. He presented different sides of the city that a tourist can never see. While planning our trip to Varanasi, there are a few ghats, University, Fort, a few temples and Budha Stupa on our to-visit list. But here Piers Moore Ede has taken to a dream land (beware: dreams are not always good). And upon reading this book, I have mentally changed my way from the famous roads of Banaras to the lanes and by-lanes. He spent a year in this city to immerse himself in the mystical world of Kashi. He presented dark sides of the city as well the famous spiritual and cultural ones. After reading the book, I found myself planning for the trip, although I got a chance after 4 years of reading it. And due to shortage of time and the wrong selection of time to visit the city, my trip became disastrous. I couldn't get the real feel of the city. It was only pollution and garbage, that I remember now. But l am in wait of another good time when I can experience the real Varanasi. I'll recommend this book to everyone who is willing to visit Varanasi atleast once. All you need, after reading the book, is planning your trip for more than one week to know the city properly.
October 26, 2016
A heartfelt, though quite short walk through the ancient town of Varanasi. I'd been meaning to read this one after a trip last year, but came to it late. I've read Moore Ede's travel writing before on the web, and there are shades of his signature, thrall-filled prose here too, though the time he spends on the ideas and stories in this book seems rushed. Still, there are quite a few passages of understated, intelligent beauty, like this one, with which the book begins:
I know and understand what Moore Ede is saying. This is Delhi to me, in the winter, where I know and feel incredibly, completely alive. In my nation's capital, under Connaught Place's massive tricolor, in the dusty, crowded Chandni Chowk streets, facing the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort, I feel the weight of the republic on me, its ideas, the why of the world's largest democracy, of which I'm an individual part. This book captures partly that unnameable feeling.
But that is all it does. It is a good book, certainly, but it could have been a great one, and it isn't. It just doesn't go deep enough. It could be read as an accompaniment to Diana Eck's masterpiece on the town, and perhaps a few other books. There are a few mistakes here and there as well, that dampen the reading experience. Example: Moore Ede refers to a Tata motorbike. Tata does not make motorcycles, it never has.
But on the whole, this is a good, enjoyable read. And if you have never read anything about Varanasi, this may be a good book to start before you move on to others.
Perhaps for all of us there is a country, and within that a single place, in which some essential element of the world is illuminated for the first time. Sitting down on a park bench in a beam of sunlight, or lost in the cacophony of a spice market, it comes to us that we have never been this vibrantly, persuasively alive.
I know and understand what Moore Ede is saying. This is Delhi to me, in the winter, where I know and feel incredibly, completely alive. In my nation's capital, under Connaught Place's massive tricolor, in the dusty, crowded Chandni Chowk streets, facing the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort, I feel the weight of the republic on me, its ideas, the why of the world's largest democracy, of which I'm an individual part. This book captures partly that unnameable feeling.
But that is all it does. It is a good book, certainly, but it could have been a great one, and it isn't. It just doesn't go deep enough. It could be read as an accompaniment to Diana Eck's masterpiece on the town, and perhaps a few other books. There are a few mistakes here and there as well, that dampen the reading experience. Example: Moore Ede refers to a Tata motorbike. Tata does not make motorcycles, it never has.
But on the whole, this is a good, enjoyable read. And if you have never read anything about Varanasi, this may be a good book to start before you move on to others.
March 25, 2018
This is an interesting book that give insight into Varanasi. I thought it would be more of a memoir of his year there. It is set up more as each chapter is a different topic of events or situations he encountered there, not a chronological recount of his year there. I read this as part of the PopSugar reading challenge as a book about a country that fascinates you.
February 5, 2024
I don’t travel in my retirement, instead enjoying all the benefits of “virtual travel” through reading, photographs, and videos. Piers Moore Ede’s excellent book on Varanasi (Banares) provided me with a tour of a city / country that I never could have visited even when I was traveling a little - hygiene and digestion issues have always ruled out India for me. I can’t risk getting that sick, plus the tumultuous nature of Indian cities would not be appealing to me to experience, although it is OK to read about. The Hindu religion and culture is also only minimally attracting to me, although again, interesting to read about. (Trying the Ramayana in translation defeated me, I am sorry to say.)
Moore Ede’s account of various strands in the life of Varanasi is necessarily elegiac, because one knows that the unique cultural aspects will have largely if not completely disappeared 50 years from now. There is also frustration, because one also knows that despite the well-meaning efforts of the activists described in the book, nothing will ever really be done to address the MANY social and environmental issues described. All nations are to some degree ungovernable, but India is HOPELESSLY ungovernable.
Moore Ede’s account of various strands in the life of Varanasi is necessarily elegiac, because one knows that the unique cultural aspects will have largely if not completely disappeared 50 years from now. There is also frustration, because one also knows that despite the well-meaning efforts of the activists described in the book, nothing will ever really be done to address the MANY social and environmental issues described. All nations are to some degree ungovernable, but India is HOPELESSLY ungovernable.
August 20, 2015
This was a well-written book about an interesting city in India that I'd like to visit someday-- because of reading this book. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on the role of women in the city, including prostitutes and widows, and was also interested to learn more about Hinduism and the role of Varanasi in life and death. I admit, I skimmed the chapters on weaving and music.
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