The Great Driving Challenge

Follow the road

208

440

10:35 PM

12 August 2009

like it

Comment(s)

(14) Comment(s) (21) like it

The Ganges View

Posted By radhika

What makes for an interesting place to stay at? For me, a place works well when the interiors are in sync with the feel that the city wants to convey. In Benares this place is the Ganges view.

Built on the banks of the river Ganges on Assi ghat, this family home was revamped into the Hotel Ganges View in 1990. Coming from a family of scholars keenly interested in art and literature, the owner Shashank Singh is artist himself(specialized in painting and print making) and is still associated with the Benares University.

The interiors are extremely tastefully done while simplicity resonates through every nook. The walls and niches are filled with paintings, masks and statues from Varanasi. There is art from other parts of North India as well but Shashank is very keen on promoting art from Varanasi.

Aspects of Benares, a lecture series, was started by him in 1999 to re-interpret the culture of the city, its many diverse shades and traditions. His hotel is home to many artists and thinkers like Devika Daulat-Singh, Raghu Rai and Arundhati Roy etc. Shashank Singh, an extremely soft spoken man sat with me and as we spoke about the Ram Lila masks that adorn his walls, he told me about how every year he tries to redecorate the interiors to bring in a different aspect of art into his home/hotel.

With impeccable service and absolutely invisible waiters this place is a haven for peace and quiet. The Indian vegetarian food made without garlic and onions is very home-style and full of subtle tastes. I would highly recommend the gooseberry curry and the orange juice with ginger. A couple of artists sit on balconies and paint while scholars from Fulbright have a music concert that is arranged for them in the hotel.

With the 2 dachshunds sitting at my feet, overlooking the Ganges and sipping my masala tea( yes, we still do have our masala tea) I realize that for Shashank Singh his hotel is his canvas.

Posted by ram 12 August 2009	You seem to be in love with B/W photography. Almost every post has one shot if not all. :o)
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) 12 August 2009	Gr8 photography .All the best ,Good Luck
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) 12 August 2009	@ram…this is the real photography boss.. B/W is always in… personally speaking I’m a true fan of B/W…. Good work guys!! Keep it up…. Hey will you guys be crossing Delhi by any chance? CHeers!!
Posted by Gaurav Deshmukh 12 August 2009	Thoroughly enjoying your stay i see Important Note: Anyone planning on taking a vacation abroad, please enjoy treasures like these in our own backyard, before hitting the Swiss Alps! Me for sure, would rather sweat it out in the by-lanes of India seeking such goodies, than go out and take a few self images with the Alps (or for that matter, the Eiffel Tower, for all i care!!).No, thank You! Keep Wanderin’ Gaurav
Posted by Maya Matthew 13 August 2009	What a gem The Hotel Ganges View is. Thanks for sharing. Benares wasn’t high on my list of places to visit again but its changed now. I can see why its one of your favourite places in the country.
Posted by Leena 13 August 2009	thanks for telling us about this gem of a place…...definetly staying there when we go to benaras!!
Posted by Vamsee 13 August 2009	Guys, This is totally not what I expected in a place like Benaras!! What a charming place to stay. Did you always know about it, or you chanced upon it? Beautiful beautiful pictures!!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) 13 August 2009	What a variety!....and How!!....To think there are still 4 more days of blogging left….....I am drooling. While you are about it, could you do a coverage on the Cedia?.......sometime…....may be a grand finale?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) 13 August 2009	Another Beautiful Piece of Work…. Another Place well covered… I really love the way you bring out the essence of the place in your Blogs… I really wish you would also put up the other pictures you have taken on the trip so far
Posted by Dilip D'Souza 13 August 2009	Please keep daring to be different. Please no coverage of the Cedia. cheers, dilip.
Posted by Sangita Passey 13 August 2009	Sepia, b/w, colour…all hues in ur collection. makes the presentation very attractive and pleasing. Keep it up.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) 13 August 2009	Very readable text and lovely pics….not that we can expect anything else from you! A very pleasant surprise to see such a place in Varanasi muted luxury is what came to mind. Looking forward to more.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) 14 August 2009	Radhika if possible pse post photos of the 2 Dashchunds .. I too have one and its adorable beyond imagination .. brings a smile on my face whenever I see her
Posted by Manu 14 August 2009	Wow this place looks fantastic. If I end up going to Varanasi I will stop here. Looks sophisticated, comfortable and not too loud. I think it is modern and yet respectful to its surroundings: the ancient city of Varanasi. Your pictures as usual.. are coffee table book material.
Page 1 of 1 pages