23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Drone/Aerial
Varanasi

An aerial view captures the sacred ghats of Varanasi illuminated by the glow of thousands of pilgrims and boats during an evening ritual on the Ganges River. As prayers, lamps, and chants rise into the dusk, devotion and daily life merge into a breathtaking mosaic of light and colour. The image reveals the pulse of one of the world’s oldest living cities—where faith, tradition, and humanity converge on the water’s edge.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 01.2025
Date Uploaded: 10.2025
Photo Location: Varanasi, India
Copyright: © Arun Kumar Nalimela