Kriti Gallery

A contemporary art gallery and international artist residency in a calm garden compound a short ride from Assi Ghat, founded in 2005 by Navneet Raman under the Banaras Cultural Foundation. More than 180 artists from around the world have lived and worked here, and exhibitions of Indian and international art rotate through the rooms. Almost no visitor to Varanasi thinks to look for modern art, which is the only reason the place stays this quiet. Check the current show and the opening hours before you set out.

Evidence that Varanasi is a living arts city, with global artists in a garden compound