economics.

man, lali ghat, varanasi, march 2012

Tourism is a funny thing. If there is no tourism people aspire it, if there is too much people they hate it and if tourism goes, they cry after and tell everybody how good where the times.

seller, halishandra ghat, varanasi, march 2012

tourists, lali ghat, varanasi, march 2012

I come from a touristic area. In the 60s established and recognized by tourist in the 80s and a bit in the 90s it was the melting point. People came and over floated all our tiny village, all the restaurant were open, people who used to have a fame built for them big hotels and gave up there farm and a big indoor swimming pool was build for entertainment reasons. Now in the 21^st century people are not coming anymore. The streets are empty, shops are closing down and my dad, who used to ran around 24 hours is getting quiet and sometimes a bit restless.

phoning, near harishandra ghat, varanasi, march 2012

legs, varanasi, march 2012

I know how much tourism is important. Our area was one of the poorest in germany, it was a farm area, but we do not have the best soil, and the forest is too small. The mountains not so high. So tourism was for us to bring us out of the situation.

I love my area, it is my home and as much as I love it I love my family. And for them work does not just mean money, but identity, pride. So I understand.

seller, sigra, varanasi, march 2012