Curator's tour: Mughal Banaras

Join photographer and curator Jateen Lad for an exclusive tour of the exhibition Mughal Banaras: Forgotten Histories in a Troubled Present.

While Banaras (Varanasi) is widely recognised as a Hindu pilgrimage city, this exhibition uncovers its often-overlooked Mughal heritage and the diverse communities that have shaped its history and urban fabric. Through photography, archival research, and careful observation of everyday life, the exhibition highlights hidden lanes, neighbourhoods, monuments, and festivals connected to the later Mughals, particularly Crown Prince Jahandar Shah and his descendants.

Explore the sites and stories that remain marginalised in public narratives, including imperial mosques, pleasure gardens, cemeteries, and Sufi shrines. Discover how these spaces continue to thrive amid social and political challenges, offering a nuanced understanding of Banaras’s complex past and present.

Attending

Please meet Jateen in the Gallery Foyer (near the reception desk) five minutes before the tour starts.