Even Fellini Couldn’t Have Dreamed This Up!

 

 

 

 

We got up at 4am to catch a flight to Delhi. We then caught a flight to Varanasi, the most holy city in India. We really had no idea what we were to experience there. Boy were we blown away!

We went first to a small city near Varanasi named: Sarnath, the spiritual center of Buddhism (where Buddha gave his first sermon in 500 BC). After he obtained enlightenment he came to this sacred spot. Buddhists from all around the world attempt to make a pilgrimage to this site. Like all religious places in India it is surrounded by beggars. After visiting the site and the architectural ruins we saw the remains of the column of Asoka. Cathy and I were familiar with the story of Asoka who was a ruthless king who eventually renounced all violence and brought Buddhism to India.

On the way back to our hotel, before our evening activities I saw something that gave me great pleasure. Varanasi might be a spiritual center, but it is very poor and dirty. The housing all seemed to be in various phases of disrepair. The houses have flat roofs. From many, many houses, people were on top of their roofs flying kites into battle against other kites. For anyone who has read the book: The Kite Runner, it was great to see the words on the page come to life. I never expected to see this type of kite flying.

We then went to a nearby Buddhist Temple.

We returned to our hotel and prepared for our visit at night to visit Ma Gana (Ganges River). We had no idea what was in store for us! We drove in a bus though ever more congested traffic till we could go no further. We then got off our bus and got into Pedal Rickshaws. These bicycle like carriages could carry 2 people and we were transported what seemed like several miles towards the river. The traffic was crazy. Horns were blaring, people on foot, on bicycles, convoys of police driving through sirens sounding, cows and bulls blocking everyone, motor bikes darting in and out. The street it self was in disrepair. vendors were everywhere hawking, postcards, food, etc. There were mosques along the way with prayers being sung, music playing. The air was thick with smoke, sometimes from the coal fires of the vendors cooking food, from the exhaust of thousands of motorbikes and Tuk-Tuks. The smells varied from Cow Dung, to great smelling food being cooked, to rotting garbage. A small truck came through making a sound like a jet engine creating a giant fog mist over everyone. We quickly realized it was mosquito control and covered our faces. The throngs of people continued through the narrow streets towards the river. We still didn’t know what to expect.

When we reached the river there were steps leading down to the water. We proceeded down the long flight of steps, where a boat had been reserved for us. There must have been a least 100 boats. Most people however remained on the steps waiting and watching.

Our boat had two attendants that rowed us out into the Ganges. We were silently rowed down the river as our guide explained to us the religious significance to Hindus of the River and the city of Varanasi. As our boat moved slowly through the dark, down the river we watched the shoreline and saw the multitude of stairs. It was very dark and we were rowed towards many burning fires. As we neared we could see these were cremation ceremonies. This is one of the most sacred places to cremate the dead. We saw dead bodies being lowered into the Ganges to be washed before they were placed on the funeral pyre. Smoke rose everywhere. We then paddled back to where the priests were beginning the saying of good night to the river. Sacred music was playing over speakers, bells were ringing, fire was raging in the firepots of the priests. The crowd was clapping. The ceremony continued. Then great displays of Fireworks were set off from barges in the river. We watched all of this from our little boat in the river in amazement. These sacred rites were so theatrical and mind-blowing you could understand why pilgrims come from all over the world to experience this. Docking the boat we watched people bath in the polluted water. The crowds then rose from the steps and reversed themselves as they walked away from the river. For those of us who have never experienced anything like this, it was an amazing evening.

Tomorrow we get up at 5:30am for a return to Ganges.