Varanasi

We took a late night train from Khajuraho to go to Varanasi. The trains are ok, not too bad, not too clean, not too quiet, but not very exotic either - maybe they would be more so in economy classes, but I am not ready for that level of discomfort. It seems that they are just incredibly slow.

We were staying in a hotel overlooking a quiet strech of the Ganga river, near Khedar Ghat, and we immediatly plunged into Varanasi ghats life. The ghats are a series of steps leading down to the water. In Varanasi, there are nearly 100 of them.
 

In Varanasi, there are amazing life scenes, vivid colours, cows, monkeys, garbage on the streets, a strong stench in the air, much beauty and decay everywhere. And as we walked upstream along the river, we passed Harishchandra Ghat, which is a small cremation ghat. Hugh.

We stumbled onto a ceremony on Tulsi ghat. There was a big, really big crowd, both on the ground and on the river and one idol was floated on the water.

In the late afternoon, we took a boat ride to watch the ritual at Dasaswamedh Ghat. The ceremony takes place daily, and twelwe brahmins perform it simulatenously along the riverside so that everybody can see it.

In the early morning the following day, we took another, beautiful boat ride and saw Varanasi rise and splash. Even at 6 am many people were already up and bathing in the Ganga. How could they even manage to do this?

On the other side of the river, a big, quiet, empty flood plain.

Watching the scenes of life and death along the river bank was quite amazing,  truly. People bathing, yes, and also making offerings to the river, sadhus resting, youngsters plapying cricket or badmington at the back, people strolling, beautiful ruined old palaces overlooking the ghats, the cows of course, one man on a boat putting a small bundle to the river, his dead child, the piles of wood stored by Manikarnika Ghat, buildings smeared with smoke, and a few cremations going on, a whole mourning family, men and women, getting their head shaved, men washing clothes and putting colourful saris to dry on the steeper steps...

A small temple, which is underwater during the monsoon. The lower parts of the ghats are getting cleaned as the water is receding.

The colours of the city became more vivid as the day grew.
Dasaswamedh Ghat and other Ghats in the morning.

We went for a walk through the back streets of the city. Here also there are people, old buildings, temples, streets scenes to discover, but one also has to look carefully where one steps and it feels more overwhelming at times.

Looking at tablas.

Eric dared to touch the water. We brought a bottle of the sacred (and very brownish) water and gave it to Shalini's mother in law. But not before it had spilled in my bag, making it possibly blessed but also definitely dirtier.

We had lunch in a laid-back japanese cafe full of japanese backpackers in the middle of the city, a  nice and unexpected place.

In the afternoon, we went to Sarnath, one of most revered Budhist sites, where Budha gave his first sermon, the famous Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta teaching the path to enlightement.

Sarnath is a peaceful place, particularly after Varanasi's chaos, and pilgrims from all over the world come here to pray.

There is also a nice museum with historical finds, in particular the famous Ashokan pillar surmounted with a Lion capital which has now become India's national emblem. The wheel "Ashoka Chakra" from its base is reproduced at the center of the national flag.
Ashoka was an mighty emperor in 3rd century BC who converted to Budhism and was responsible for the spread of Budhism in India. He had pillars erected in different parts of his empire and bearing his edicts. One of the pillars was moved by Firoz Shah in the 14th century to his citadel in Delhi - I had actually become well acquainted with this pillar and with Firoz Shah as I had organized a tour of his citadel in October.