On the eve of Dev Deepavali, the Diwali of the Gods, in November, over a million earthen lamps were lit from Ravidas Ghat to Rajghat. Devotees believe that the gods descend to earth to bathe in the Ganges the next day. So the historic city of Kashi, also known as Varanasi or Banaras, is decked up in their honour. "This tradition of lighting the lamps was started in 1985. This time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi graced the occasion. After its subsequent success, it was being discussed that once the COVID-19 pandemic is over, Kashi would become a tourist hub," says Professor Kaushal Kishore Mishra, dean of the social sciences faculty at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU).

A few weeks later, the varsity announced the launch of a two-year post-graduate course titled Kashi Study. Mishra believes the course will help students decipher the mystique of the heritage city through academia. A seven-member committee headed by him has worked on the course framework, and it will be presented for approval before the academic council in January. "The admission criteria will be decided once the framework is approved. For now, we have decided to allow foreign students to enroll. The first session under the Faculty of Social Sciences will begin in July 2021. The course will span four semesters with a total of 20 papers. Students, both Indian and international, need to pass all tests in order to get the certificate at the end of the course," he adds.