Varanasi, India – Vishwakarma Sahni, aged 29, expresses, “We are creatures of water. Hum paani ke jeev hain.” Sahni is a part of Varanasi’s community of around 8,000 boatmen, known as mallah, whose lives are deeply connected to the Ganges – a revered river in India that they hold in high esteem. The Ganges is not just a river to them; it is their source of life.
Flowing over 2,500 km on its journey from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal in the northeastern Indian Ocean, the Ganges passes through various regions, including the ancient city of Varanasi, also known as Kashi or Banaras. Varanasi has captivated historians, anthropologists, artists, and storytellers as one of the world’s oldest inhabited cities. It is also the constituency of India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who aims to transform Varanasi into a smart city.
Despite Varanasi’s cultural significance, the lives of the boatmen have often been overlooked. In 2018, the Government of India granted permits to three private cruise ships to operate along the ghats of Varanasi, leading to protests from the boatmen who argue that this decision harms their livelihood.