Reimagining [Alleys] in the City of Old Banaras, India

With more than 23,000 temples, 84 ghats (riverfront stepped bathing places) and more than 3,000 years of history, Banaras has imbibed and nurtured every aspect of human life. One can see old and new layers of history scattered everywhere in the city.

The central part of the old city is where the Kashi Vishwanath Temple is located. It is the centre point of the city, welcoming more than six million pilgrims and tourists each year.

Recently, the government has destroyed a large piece of urban heritage to connect the main shrine with the holy river Ganga. The abrupt knockdown of old temples and structures has also led to the discovery of even older temples that were encroached by local people over the course of three to four centuries.

There are many such Indian cities which are facing similar threats to their heritage. Most of these cities were not designed for vehicular movements and other contemporary needs. By taking Banaras as one example and thoroughly analysing it, this project aims to propose some interventions which can be implemented in many equivalent cities.