On the ghats of Varanasi today, there was nothing of the frenzy of the Abhihek-Aishwarya wedding. Instead, it was business as usual on the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya. The saying goes that on this day of the year you don’t need to consult a priest to set off on something important. Belief has it that the good times never stop afterwards.

But elsewhere, at Chait Singh Ghat, the cameras rolled out for actor Mukesh Tiwari as he delivered his lines for the television serial Upanishad. A short distance away at the Mahanirvani Ghat, young students played cricket on a stone patch, almost miraculously stopping the ball from entering the river.

And inevitably, the dust from the battle for Uttar Pradesh, drifted over to the bustling 84 ghats that form part of Varanasi City South, a BJP stronghold for the last five elections. The party has profited from the unquestioned support of people like Ram Preet, a former BHU employee and now a priest for over 25 years with his own little shack on Anandamayee Ghat. Preet, like in the past couple of years, says he will vote for the BJP.

The scene changes barely 50 metre away from here.

Ask Bhaiyyalal Nishad, a boatman, about his electoral preferences, and he lets out a string of unprintables. Nishad belongs to the Malla community, who have suddenly found political expression as one of their own will now contest from the constituency. Chhotelal Nishad will be contesting on a ticket from Bharatiya Samaj Party of Om Prakash Rajbhar, whom the BJP had tried to ally with for the Uttar Pradesh polls.

... contd.