On Shiva's fingertip - Varanasi, India

Varanasi is one of the holiest cities in India, directly situated at river Ganges, the artery of the country. Varanasi is not only one of the oldest cities, it is so mystic, that the inhabitants themselves believe, she has not been built on this earth, but would be on the fingertip of Shiva. Therefore many spiritual groups live in the city. They are meditating, washing themselves in the Ganges and many Hindus wish to be cremated directly at the bench of river Ganges. Therefore there are several fires at every time of the day including some celebrations. It's an infatuating feast for all the senses. And it was also hot in Varanasi - 43° when we were there -, therefore I went out photographing very early in the morning (around 4:30 am) or in the evening. Many interesting meetings and talks resulted in inspirational portraits of trader, artists or pilgrims.

Ingo Albrecht is a travel and documentary photographer with a particular focus on cultures and people. As a graduate historian, he’s interested in the political and social background of a country; as a person, in personal encounters, dreams and stories; and as a photographer, in the authentic documentation of places and moments in all of their sparkle and darkness. Ingo Albrecht has lived, studied and worked in Zurich, Moscow, Hamburg and Buenos Aires. He feels most comfortable while on adventurous trips around the world: in the beds of old pickup trucks, in dark, crowded pubs in Tokyo or in a simple wooden hut on the outskirts of a jungle village. In any case, especially together with his wife Nina Needré. Contract work for NGOs has taken him to Asia several times, and his freelance work has appeared in German magazines such as Photographie or Foto Magazin.