[750.22]. Adityam, Abhisht and Singh, Rana P.B. (2022), Making of a Dweller Indian Cultural Geographer: In Conversation with Rana P.B. Singh. In: Singh, Ravi S., et al. (eds.) Practising Cultural Geographies: Essays in Honour of Rana P.B. Singh (pp. 59 - 82 ). Springer Nature Pte Ltd., Singapore. (original) (raw)

2022, Singh, Ravi S.; Dahiya, Bharat; Singh, A.K.; and Poudel, P.C. (eds.), 2022, Practising Cultural Geographies: Essays in Honour of Rana P.B. Singh . Springer Nature Pte Ltd., Singapore.

Cities, in the developing Global South, draw people, from their hinterland due to various reasons. Kashi/Varanasi or Banaras a few names by which the same city is still known and addressed across has been drawing hundreds and thousands of people, many of whom stayed back and adopted it as 'their' place. Everyone has her/his own story and experiences to share and narrate. Rana P.B. Singh, in whose felicitation this volume is published, too came as a postgraduate student (1969-70) herein, Banaras Hindu University, and received his higher education. His academic zeal took him to different places in India and overseas, but he returned to this city and adopted it. Searched and researched, sometimes alone, some other times with collaborators and friends, his 'co-pilgrims'. He has made this city his home since the late sixties but for some time when he was abroad in different capacities. And, thus spent almost half a century understanding unfolding meanings of different layers of the city as it is said metaphorically that this city is older than history and maintained the path of succession-sustenance-and-sustainability as to how Rana has narrated in his writings. His committed engagement continues till today when has entered his seventies. This chapter is a little unconventional in the sense that it is based on the narrative put forth by himself describing his journey from the place of his birth, a typical Middle Ganga Valley village, his struggles—psycho-emotional to professional, professional attainments and recognitions, and finally the future he foresees of his adopted home city and the tradition of Varanasi (Banaras) Studies that he has developed through dedicated work and untiring zeal to serve the cause of it at all forums—local, regional, national and international, perceived and projected, visualised and cosmocised. Keywords: Culture, heritage, Sacredscape, Sacred Geometry, Pilgrimage, Literary images, Faithscape.