DAY 17 : INDIA : Varanasi

Weather : hot, dry and 35+

 

Today we spent in Varanasi experiencing more of its colourful culture and past.

 

 

We were collected by our guide at 5.30am and headed back to the Dashashwamedha Ghat for the morning rituals. We passed small stalls as the city was waking - here a women breaks small twigs into uniform bundles to sell as teeth cleaners for pilgrims - a new take on dental floss.

 

 

Devotees gathering for morning prayers and ritual bathing at sunrise.

 

 

We set off in a boat to view sunrise and the morning spectacle from the river.

 

 

Brahmin priests sit under these umbrellas and bless worshippers after they have bathed.

 

 

Sunrise

 

 

A Brahmin priest welcoming the sun with prayers and ceremony.

 

 

The ever-present sadhus.

Only men born into the Brahmin caste can be priests. They also can have a professional life in the business world. Sadhus are self- appointed and often begin their ascetic life in their later years, turning from worldly things as they move towards their departure - leaving this life as they came into it without material possessions.

 

 

 

Brahmin boys attend a special school learning Sanskrit, the ancient language of the Vedic texts, and other lessons as they become priests. Even poor Brahmin children are catered for, often taken from their families in rural areas to attend school and are fully financially supported, in major towns in preparation for their future life.

 

 

Bathers wash in the ghats surrounded by various accommodation, some for sadhus, others for pilgrims or as in the case of the building at the left, palaces of maharajas. Maharajas, particularly wealthy ones like those of Udaipur and Jaipur, often built palaces on the sacred Ganges to house their concubines and illegitimate children to ensure a holy passing into their next life.

 

 

A bathing devotee with attitude.

 

 

Bit of ritual cricket on the ghats.

 

 

Hindu dhobis hard at work.

 

 

Washing then put neatly on the bank to dry.

Goodness knows how everything dries so cleanly - with the quality of the water, the dust and cows, goats and dogs at every turn.

 

 

We walked up the galis (narrow lanes) behind the ghats. Here all the wood is stored for the cremations. Cremations can only be organised through the lowest caste, the Untouchables, who ironically are very wealthy as all funeral arrangements have to made through them ( no priest is required) and they have total decretion of fees etc. There are on average about 25 cremations a day. There are 2 small crematoria nearby for those who cannot afford a proper Hindu ceremony.

 

 

Bodies are wrapped in simply manufactured gold material and packets of dung mixed with sandalwood are added to the pyre for a sweet-smelling aroma. (I know most of you are feeling a little queasy as I talk about all this but it's all just part of life and death here.)

 

 

We drove through the very impressive grounds of the Banaras Hindu University. Quite a contrast from the dusty city centre - large faculty buildings and student residences set in attractive gardens. On campus is the Lord Vishwanath Temple - a beautiful marble building, donated by the wealthy Bira family.

 

 

A bit of light relief!

 

 

Mark with our guide, Anil, outside of the Mahabodhi Temple in Sarnath about 20kms from Varanasi. This is the place that Buddha in 234 BC received enlightment and began his ascetic life.

 

 

The golden statue of Buddha in the posture of preaching his first sermon.

 

 

Frescoes of the Buddha's life by Japanese Buddhists.

Here a priest is foretelling of the little prince's great destiny to Buddha's parents.

 

 

Then we visited a silk factory where fabric is made with hand looms.

Here the design is recorded on punched cards and relayed to the craftsmen.

 

 

These two brothers work together to create a pattern, owned and memorised by the family for generations.

 

 

One of the memorised patterns.

 

Wherever we have been in India it is the guide's obligation to introduce you to some of the local textiles, jewellery etc. So the patter goes like this :

 

Guide : Would you like to see some of the special handicrafts of this area by reputable craftsmen? No obligation.

M&M : That would be interesting but we're not sure if we want to buy anything.

Guide : Let me introduce you to Hanif and he will explain the process.

(Leaves..we are taken upstairs and the door is closed)

M&M: We are just looking.

Storekeeper : Just sit down and I will show you a range of our products.

Meg: That's nice - beautiful work.

Storekeeper : I'll put that aside for you which other piece would you like to buy.

(Meg kicks Mark as he sits there mutely and they apply more pressure to her)

 

 

At sunset we walked from our hotel along the ghats to see the Brahmin ritual from another angle.

 

Tomorrow we head for the hills - Darjeeling. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time in Rajasthan, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. We are pleased that we still feel as fascinated by India as we did in 1973 - 40 years ago, can you believe it.

 

Before we left Canberra a friend, who had travelled to India last year with his partner, told me that all he could remember was the rubbish, excreta, decay of India and that was his lasting impression until.....he went home and saw the photos that his partner had taken. There was no rubbish only beautiful images.

 

 I think this is a very revealing summing up of the subcontinent. You can go away just with the view of poverty, dust and mayhem - and we saw a lot of that especially today - but what will be lasting for me is the fun (particularly with bargaining), the enterprise ( there is nothing that can't be done for you),the pride of their country (especially cricket), the professionalism of their tourist sector and the positive response if you show interest and enthusiasm. We've loved the variety of places we've been to, the history, the accommodation, the food..and of course in this heat - the swimming pools.

 

M&M

mm_smith@bigpond.net.au