Holy chants mix with the sound of hammers chiselling stone at the sacred Banganga tank in Walkeshwar. Labourers are busy at work on a Monday morning, in an effort to repair a large portion of the southern and western steps that skirt the tank on four sides. The steps to the ancient tank that even finds a mention in Hindu epic, Ramayana, date back to 1721, and have been repaired repeatedly through the years.

Workers will use lime which is hardier than cement, say conservationists, to prolong the life of the steps