MARVELS ALL: The exhibition at the Asia Society

Picture yourself navigating a traditional cycle rickshaw in the lanes of Banares, dextrously manoeuvring the handlebars to enjoy a ride through the city. Now picture the scene at an exhibition. And replace yourself with technology.

"It's a new paradigm that pushes computing through animation. The underlying notion is that the world is your interface and not the keyboard or mouse," says Ranjit Makkuni, 42-year-old director of the Crossing Project which has opened a two-part exhibition at the Asia Society, Manhattan, documenting this effort which began on June 11. Titled "Banaras: The Luminous City", the first part is a collection of exquisite photographs dating back to the 19th and 20th centuries from the private collection of theatre doyen Ebrahim Alkazi. The pictures provide a dramatic backdrop to the second leg of the exhibition-"The Crossing: Living, Dying and Transformation in Banaras", put together by the Delhi-based non-profit organisation Sacred World Foundation.

Devoid of the keyboard and mouse, the exhibits are interactive in nature. Hi-tech components embedded in religious icons and decorative objects made by Indian craftsmen provide visitors with a different way of interacting with technology.

"The arts are an instrument of communicating the highest aspirations of man. The myths, symbols, rituals, meditational practices, pilgrimages and celebrations bring meaning and purpose to life, and provide the setting for transformation and learning," says Makkuni. "These stem not from a nostalgia of the past, but a commitment to preserve a value-based perspective of life in the remembered history of man."

Adds Vishakha N. Desai, director of the museum and senior vice-president of the Asia Society, "It is another face of contemporary art developed by Indians in India. And it brings the experience of Banares closer to the American audiences."

This is only a stepping stone to what Makkuni defines as a "very exciting" next tech stop-he hints that it will create a language of computing using the sensors in the human body. The hand-friendly interfaces on display at the exhibition will, of course, be the building blocks.