El ritual escalonado. Espacio y tiempo en los ghats de Benarés

The city of Varanasi rises on the western bank of the Ganga River, greeting the sun every morning from the ghats. Stepped constructions with independent character contribute to the identity of this city. Steps that remain alive throughout the day, even if some are in direct contact with death. These spaces are where different rituals take place, ranging from the most mundane to the most transcendental activities. Thanks to the ritual, a sense of community is generated, and the space becomes timeless. Understanding the origin is essential for the comprehension of this matter, an origin that dates back 3500 years ago. The sacredness of this city and the Hindu culture’s respect for its heritage and history ensure the continuity of Varanasi over time. As Hindus would say, it’s not about living in time but believing that nothing exists outside of that time. Living immersed in the reality of our time makes us disregard eternity. Through an expedition journey, one becomes aware of this phenomenon in person, living the ritual and participating in it, experiencing firsthand how it coexists with the architecture. The step becomes a building, extends, breaks, extrudes, is inhabited… It is a unique architecture, in this city and the entire world. It is impossible to think of ghats without rituals, an additional layer of architecture that leads to the consolidation of these spaces over time.