Cultural Displacement: Impact of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor Expansion on Cultural Identity in Varanasi

Description

Page: 1060-1066

Aastha Mehrotra (Department of Psychology, Christ University, Bangalore, Karnataka)

The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor has significantly transformed Varanasi, centered around the ancient Kashi Vishwanath Temple. These changes have altered the cultural identities of long-term residents. This study examines the psychological and cultural impacts on those displaced by the development. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants who were displaced due to the construction. Thematic analysis identified seven key themes in participants’ narratives: disrupted community and routine, commercialization and increased tourism, nostalgia and heritage, cultural preservation challenges, adaptations and resilience, emotional impact, and social adjustment. The study unfolds a deep feeling of alienation and disconnection from the community, correlating with a profound sense of loss and nostalgia for cultural identity. Participants experienced emotional suffering but showed spiritual resilience. Finally, the most important conclusion that finds support in the empirical research is duality in urban developmental projects, containing both negative and positive effects on cultural identity. This connects psychological well-being to cultural displacement and expands the need for emotional and cultural concerns in the management of displaced communities in order to achieve well-balanced urban planning in future projects.