Pockets of Peace.

Varanasi / India

Varanasi is a city of intensity — layered, alive, and unrelenting. It's a place where life and death exist side by side: from the crematoriums lining the riverbanks to the pilgrims who come to worship, witness, and mourn. Every corner feels steeped in meaning.

During my visit, I often felt overwhelmed by the sheer density of emotion and activity. But one morning, well before sunrise, I walked along the quiet banks of the Ganges and hired a local fisherman to take me out on the river. Not long into the ride, I noticed a group of around 40 young men gathered on the steps — students from a nearby yoga school, beginning their morning ritual.

There was a calm there I hadn’t yet experienced in the city. I asked the fisherman to drop me off early so I could stay and photograph the scene. For the next hour, I quietly observed their meditation and movement, the soft light breaking across the river as the city slowly came to life behind them. It was a moment of stillness in a place that rarely stops — and a reminder that even in the most chaotic settings, presence and peace can still find a way.

Below are a collection of images that show the most intense places and pockets of peace.

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A group of children dressed in red robes lying on mats outdoors, resting on the ground.
Group of Indian boys and men dressed in traditional red clothing sitting on steps, with some using face paint, in a large open space, possibly during a religious or cultural ceremony.
Young monks dressed in red robes sitting on a step outside, with their eyes closed and meditating, framed by a rusty metal structure.
A group of people lying on mats on the floor, participating in a yoga or meditation session, with their eyes closed in a relaxed position.
Group of people in red clothing lying on prayer mats outside near steps, with one person standing.
Men working and washing in a river with several boats docked along the edge, some filled with firewood, while others are empty or tied to the shore, with additional boats visible in the background.
An elderly woman sitting on the floor in front of a yellow wall with red Hindi script painted on it, wearing traditional Indian sari and jewelry.
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People standing in front of a burning barricade with a fire burning and smoke rising, while others are on top of a building.
An elderly woman with dark skin, wearing a gray headscarf and a patterned shawl, is sitting indoors, looking down and holding a piece of orange fabric.
A man is lying on a wooden platform surrounded by bags of plastic bottles at a crowded riverside scene with people walking, sitting, and standing, colorful umbrellas, and flags in the background.
A man selling colorful plastic toys and water guns on a busy street near a temple, with people walking around, some climbing stairs, and temples in the background.
Two men giving a shave to an older man with a beard, while another man stands nearby. They are sitting outdoors against a rough wall with a phone number and the words 'Massage Man' written on it. The scene appears to be a street barber shop.
A man in white shirt and brown pants sitting cross-legged on pink concrete steps in an abandoned, partially demolished building with an empty rectangular water reservoir in the foreground. Torn white cloth and some green fabric are hanging above.
Group of women dressed in traditional sarees standing and sitting at the edge of a river or lake, with one woman praying and others helping each other, and boats in the background during sunset or dawn.