I'm writing for lots of reasons. Not the least is having a good excuse to experiment with a new-media platform for recording the development of my own interests and perhaps those of others, during a nine-month jaunt (sounds cheerful, and it is) to Varanasi/Benaras/Avimutka/Kashi, the many-lived city of Light, of Shiva, holy to all Hindus. As a newbie blogger, it will probably take a bit of time for me to find my feet, both in the technical operation of the site and in the voice I'm taking on. The topic is an adventure for me, combining long-standing interests in ritual communication associated with both religion and nationalism, and public space as an arena of social and cultural production, and taking these to a non-Western culture where these things are inextricably linked. This picture was taken in July, 2009, by my friend Kyle Cassidy, author of the terrific Armed America: Portraits of Gun Owners in Their Homes. Kudos as well to the excellent Chris Holland, of Annenberg's IT staff, who has helped me learn how to do this.
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