Very Nicey (Varanasi)

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After hearing many rumours about Varanasi both from people and guide books saying it is very dangerous, huge as a culture shock and well known for its tourist scams we were rather apprehensive of visiting. Due to the delay of our train from Gaya we arrived just as it was getting dark and so were not in the best of moods when trying to catch an auto rickshaw to a hotel we knew very little about. Convinced the man would take us to some random hotel we got rather scared as he stopped at the side of a dodgy road and got out. Luckily he only wanted to buy some paan (a mixture of betel nut, coconut and spices that is chewed and spat out) and not rob us of everything.

We got to the edge of the old city and were met with a labyrinth: imagine Venice meets India, it was crazy. Luckily we found two girls, one of which could speak hindi who had some man guide her to the the same hotel as we wanted to go. To our dismay it was full, we tried a number of places until we stumbled upon a perfect place which apparently few are lucky enough to find without being shown or told about.

A very simple, yet very nice guest house with few rooms. The owner is very nice and it is a very sociable place with travellers from around the world staying. The best part of it though is what the owner calls his 'magic rooftop' which overlooks the ganges and is beautiful especially at sunrise.

The next day all our doubts of Varanasi vanished and instead me were met with a truly beautiful city which we have managed to stay at for 5 days. It is the kind of place where you can sit on the bank with some chai (very sweet tea)and a book and just watch people all day without getting bored. There is so much to see from the groups of very holy saddhus getting stoned in their little groups, to the hordes of people washing, the cows roaming freely and not to mention the monkeys which have a tendency to steal your washing. It is so peaceful here that many of the other guests have ended up staying for 2-3 months and i can see why.

Despite our long amount of time here we have done very little and instead have enjoyed soaking up its amazing atmosphere. Notable things to mention though are swimming in the ganges and being given soap by a local boatman to join others in a communal wash, visiting the burning ghat where everyday hundreds are cremated in full view to the public in attempt to achieve moksha or a liberation from the endless cycle of suffering that is birth and rebirth and simply meeting so many people, many of which are locals but also other travellers. There is a definite sense that we are feeling that we know everyone. Both of us are beginning to understand the India which everyone who has visited say they love, a truly remarkable place

Today we visited Sarnath just northeast of Varanasi and one of the major buddhist pilgrimage sights as it is where he gave his first speech after becoming enlightened. Here we experienced a similar atmosphere to Bodhgaya with many monks and a general feeling of tranquility.

Tomorrow we head to Agra to see the Taj Mahal, it will be a shame to leave here after we have met so many people and especially as the Holi festival is on the 21st of March, but it is time we moved on and so we shall.

p.s i added pictures to the Bodhgaya entry and a photo gallery of Calcutta if you can find it...... Enjoy

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Photos

Rooftop
View from the 'magic rooftop'

Sunrise on rooftop
Unfortunately the one day i wake up at 5.30 its a bit cloudy

Goatwash
Its not just humans who wash at the river daily

Monkeys
There are monkeys everywhere jumping from rooftop to rooftop

Massage Man
Paul receiving a head massage on the side of the river

Comments

[Luke]

This looks like that bit in Aladdin where he needs to run over people's houses to get away.

[Miles]

Very Nicey Indeed!
Looks awesome, this is the most Ali-tastic gap year ever, you've certainly chosen well! xxx