Photos of one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities are on display in central London right now. This photography exhibition seeks to challenge the familiar image of India’s Banaras (Varanasi) as a city defined by Hindu pilgrimage and the Ganges River’s sacred waters. Sadly, in contemporary India, Mughal history is frequently contested, and many sites are shown as needing police protection from Hindutva extremists who seek to turn India into a single religion state. The exhibition, Mughal Banaras: Forgotten Histories in a Troubled Present, is at the SOAS Gallery until 21st March 2026 and is free to visit. The SOAS Gallery is part of the University of London and is a few minutes’ walk from the British Museum.