A Glimpse of India: Varanasi

Varanasi is a city situated on the banks of the River Ganges in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The state of Uttar Pradesh is India’s most populous state, with a population of over 200 million people. The city of Varanasi is regarded as a holy city by Hindus, Buddists and Jains. Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges remits sins and that dying in Varanasi ensures release of a person's soul. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabitated cites in the world and the oldest in India.

The morning of Feb 7^th we take a flight from Delhi to Varanasi. We are staying at the Gateway Hotel about 45 minutes from the airport. We have some free time at the hotel before heading out into the city, so Harry and I take a private one hour yoga class. The class is outside on the grass near the pool. It is a relaxing gentle class consisting of seated postures, breathing and a short meditation at the end. We feel refreshed afterward.

In the late afternoon we meet our Varanasi tour guide Ashouk. He is tall and dressed in a simple bright fuchsia tunic with a white scarf draped over his head, under his chin and over his shoulders to his back. A very noticeable man – he has a holy demeanor and over the couple of days we spend with him, he is our guru or spiritual teacher in Varanasi.

Buffalo wandering along the streets

We are transported by mini vans into the old city area. We stop and walk to a small private theatre for a music and dance performance. We are first treated to Hindustani classical music. It begins with a musician playing the sitar. He is then joined by a tabla player.

Sitar musician

Tabla musician

Following their performance the musicians sit off to the side of the room and accompany two Kathak dancers. The dancers have a string of small bells called ghunghru tied around their calves. When dancing they slap their feet on the floor in rhythmical patterns making a percussive sound and the bells mimic their movements. It is a very gestural, dramatic and theatrical performance and we are mesmerized by them as they perform. Their final performance is a traditional love story of Krishna and Radha.

Ghunghru

Kathak dancers

After the performance we go back out into the hubbub of the streets and walk to a place where cycle rickshaws are awaiting us. It is dark now and a full, orange moon is on the horizon. It is a more wild and crazy ride than we had in Old Delhi. The polluted air burns our nostrils and eyes. We are making our way towards the Ganges and the ghats (steps leading down to the holy river). We reach a point where we are stuck in a traffic jam, so we disembark and strike out on foot. We follow our guide through the crush of people. He is easy to follow because he stands out in the crowd. One has to watch out where they are stepping to avoid all sorts of unpleasantries left by the people, cows and dogs.

We eventually wind our way through the streets to the Dashashwamedh Ghat. On a platform midway down the ghat, a number of pandits (Hindu priests) are performing a religious ceremony called the Ganga aarti which is a devotional ritual that uses fire as an offering. It is a fascinating scene with music, chanting, bells, incense, smoke, the priests moving fire lit lamps in circles, marigolds for offerings, locals and tourists watching the ceremony on the ghat as well as from boats along the shore, holy men and pilgrims going down to the river to give offerings. To us, the water of the Ganges is muddy and opaque with a lot of debris floating on the top.

Dashashwamedh Ghat

Shore waters of the Ganges

Ganga aarti

Flowers for sale for offerings

After watching the ceremony, we begin making our way back through the throngs of people which is now more frenzied than before. This is, as we find out later, because of a parade procession for the Ravidas birth anniversary. There are many people dressed in orange or carrying orange flags. Orange, or to be more specific, deep saffron is the most sacred colour of Hinduism. The parade procession comes toward us as we make our way along the street. The music is blaring from speakers on the large decorated trucks which are part of the procession. There is one decorated truck with three Sikh holy men sitting up front. The whole scene is incredibly surreal. When we finally reach the mini vans we are all exhausted. The drive back to the hotel is still in chaos but we are somewhat removed.

Hindu god street shrine

A cow oblivious to street traffic

Street food

Ravidas parade

Sikhs on top of truck in Ravidas parade procession

The next morning, we rise at 5:15 am and drive back into the old city. It is quieter than last night but by no means without action in the streets. Again we leave the vehicles and follow our ‘guru’ down to the ghats on foot. This morning there are many men who have come down to the Ganges to bathe. For many of them they are devoted to doing this every morning. They strip down to their undershorts , soap up and then jump in. Once they are immersed you cannot see them because the water is so dirty. As we walk up river along the ghats, our guide visits with the people along the way. We then board a wooden row boat and proceed up river. Our guide continues to tell us about life along the Ganges in Varanasi. The buildings above the ghats are temples and hotels for the pilgrims. He explains the cremation traditions plus points out an electric crematorium that is less expensive and more environmentally friendly than the traditional way. He says that the majority of people are concerned for the well-being of the environment of the Ganges and there is an effort to reduce pollution using water treatment plants. He has brought us all little offerings that are a small diya (or vessel made from a leaf) with flowers that and a candle that we light and set afloat in the river.

Our guide Ashouk

Ganges at dawn

Hindu devotees

Ashouk talking with devotee


The two men rowing our boat upstream along the Ganges

Smoky haze of dawn

People doing laundry in the Ganges

Electric Crematorium

Our devotional offering

We then turn and go downstream. A large, red sun is rising on the far side of the river. We make our way towards a large traditional cremation site. Stacks of wood are piled up along retaining walls. There is smoke from a cremation drifting out over the Ganges.

Temples along the Ganges

Water treatment plants

Stacks of wood for creation of funeral pyres

At this point, we disembark and walk up the narrow, winding streets. Powerful smells test our stomachs in places, particularly for Harry who is not feeling well this morning.

Early morning street food

Street Vendors

As soon as we are back at the hotel Harry crawls back into bed. He had definitely picked up a bug of some sort. He is the first one to get sick (but not the last!) The two of us decide to rest and forego the late morning activity.