Can we turn Varanasi into a music city?

Photo by Srivatsan Balaji on Unsplash

The Nashville metropolitan area has a population of under two million, comparable to Varanasi in India, but gets approximately 16 million visitors annually, driven by its positioning as Music City USA. In 2019, Varanasi, according to government data, had a record number of nearly nine million visitors—most were pilgrims.

Yet music rose to prominence in Varanasi as early as the 14th century, during the Vaishnava Bhakti movement. The poetry and music of mystics such as Kabir, Ravidas and Surdas from the 15th-16th centuries have remained relevant. So why is it that Varanasi hasn’t been able to make the kind of impact Nashville has in a much shorter time?

To read the article in Mint Lounge click here