India Day 11: "The Ganga"

India Day 11: "The Ganga"

The train was smooth. Ben and I slept more or less like babies. Finally we came across someone chatty, a cute newly graduated Indian girl on her way to work at Tommy Hilfiger. This was significant for two reasons, the first is that not many Indians freely chat in English with us and second she appeared to be modernized in dress and manner. It was refreshing to chat with a young person and get their perspective on India. We also became friends with a group of traveling Spaniards. We had chatted with them at our last hotel and we ended up at the same hotel In Varanassi. We arrived 2 hours late but welcome to Indian time. As we stepped off the 80 degree train we were greeted by a balmy 118 degrees and 1 million bustling commuters. There was something magical about navigating through the streets of the oldest (longest inhabited, ~1200 BC)

city in the world. Streets ranging in sizes from 4 lanes to barely wide enough for my shoulders. It was a whirling blender of people, animals, vehicles, sounds, smells, and dust/smoke. It had been described to us as "one of the most blindingly colorful, unrelentingly chaotic and unapologetically indiscreet places on earth."  I don't know how, but we managed to find our hotel through the intricate city labyrinth that would leave even a lab rat scratching his head.

This was by far my most comfortable hotel. It had a very bohemian hostel feeling that overlooked the infamous Ganges River. The spirituality of this place is palpable. For how horrifying it was to see how unclean the river was it was much more gut wrenching to see thousands bathing, washing clothes, and yes, drinking straight from the river! Ben and I were teeming with excitement to get started so we headed out at the hotter portion of the day to walk the Ghats (long stretches of steps leading down to the water. Many are used for bathing and washing clothes but several are "burning Ghats" where bodies are cremated in public*). Pilgrims come to the Ghats to wash away a lifetime of sins of cremate their loved ones. It is a particularly auspicious place to die, since expiring here offers 'moksha', liberation from the cycle of birth and death, making this city the beating heart of the Hindu universe*.  Sadly, nothing was happening and the Ghats were all empty as we walked the main 2 Km stretch. Along the way I dipped my feet in and Ben and I debated swimming.  We were told (of course at the end of our trek) that nothing happens until around sunset which was starting now. We decided to head back towards our hotel which was located near one of the main 'burning Ghats'. What a sight..  Wood venders

with 3 story stacks of split lumber, smoke, and finally as we approached the rivers edge, burning bodies. It is too hard to describe this surreal scene and I didn't feel right photographing it so I ask that you do and internet search because it is jaw dropping. We were told that they burn up to 130 bodies daily. 

Ben and I needed something a little less heavy so we sought out the "best lassi place in town", the Blue Lassi.

Lassis are like fruit milkshakes but made with sour yogurt instead. This place, owned and operated by the same family for 80 years, blew out gustatory minds. 

We then set out for attempt number 2 along the Ghats. Every book, traveler, and Indian who told is to see the city at sunset was right. Magical. The banks transform from baron to a whir of colors, sounds, and incense. Due to the heavy pollution the sun becomes a giant looming globe of yellow to red bathing the city's banks in gold. Ben and I wondered awestruck along the waters edge attempting to ignore the dozens of hawkers, beggars, and the occasional snapping/hissing cobras. Finally as the sun

settled below the hazy horizon and we were admiring the craftsmanship of some boat builders we managed to haggle a neat price to be ferried up and down the

Ganges to see the evenings offerings. This was perhaps one of the best happenstance excursions we stumbled upon. We pushed off from the shore and floated along with hundreds of other boats and floating candles down to one of the main Ghats where a spectacle unlike anything we've seen before was taking place.

10 colorfully decorated priests were main-staged near the rivers edge performing a synchronized fire dance ritual in front of an enormous crowd. There was drumming, bells, chimes, and Hindu chanting saturating the air.  The sensational part was that Ben and I watched this entire production from our boat, tied up with 100s of other boats floating just off the shore filled to the brim with onlookers (because we obtained our boat late Ben and I had a barge-of-a-boat to ourselves). 1000s of onlookers everyone in bright colors ignited by the ritual candles and flames and enveloped in deafening drumming and bells. This whole experience made my head swim and nearly converted me to Hinduism. So beautiful and spiritual. Afterwards we walked back in the dark to our hotel listening the he roar of the city from the quiet banks. We had a cool beer atop our hotel and prepared for our next leg. Speaking of which, I forgot to mention that we are taking a detour up through Nepal!! By the time you read this we will already be crossing the border via 24H chicken buses. Ugh. Wish us luck.