The Colors of Varanasi

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After a much needed nap we headed out to McDonald's for lunch. McDonalds in every country is different. Sure, they serve fries, but the similarities end there. Since a majority of the polulation is Hindu and therefore does not eat beef, it was quite interesting to see the menu. The Big Mac was made with chicken, if I recall. I got the veggie burger and was quite pleased. They even have spicy masala seasoning you can put on your fries. After many heavy meals, it was nice to eat something a little lighter and familiar.

After getting ice cream cones as well (swirled with fruit flavors--something China has but I haven' seen in the US) we negotiated our way to a tuk tuk at a reasonable price and were off to the ghats. Varanasi is a holy site for Hindus and many come here to die or are cremated after they are dead. Cremations happen 24 hours a day here and the ashes are placed in the Ganges (or Ganga, as they call it). People also do everything else in the river: bathe, laundry, swim. The river is sacred.

The ghats were a trek to get to but what a sight awaited us! There weren't as many people as I had expected, but my eyes were greeted with more colors than I had ever imagined in one place. The buildings were all different colors and styles and shapes. There were women wearing saris and doing laundry. There were men bathing. There were priests and other holy men and men who had been blessed--I could tell by the dots and painting on their faces and bodies. Some were decorated with orange and yellow flowered necklaces. Some people were chanting, some praying, some doing yoga. There were many black steers (one of who started charging in our direction) and children trying to sell postcards (many of whom charged in our direction). We even witnessed a body being cremated. The majority are done out of sight, but those who are wealthy can have it done right by the river with ceremony. It was a bit discomforting to see a foot sticking out of the flames. But life is part of death, I suppose.

The river smelled like a toilet. Mind you, that's the only thing people don't do in the river here. The river is sacred.

We stopped at one of the temples toward the south and met aman who took us around to see the other temples (which we most likely would not have easily found on our own). They were beautiful, but not the most impressive we had seen. One was filled with running monkeys and had murals on all of the walls. After Jaipur I'm just not a fan of monkeys running around me.

After that we found an itty bitty over-priced liquor store and bought some beers (including one for our new "friend" who insisted we buy him one and only then invited us back to the temple to drink with him). We declined his generous offer and tuk tuk-ed it back to our hotel, tired after a long day.

The next day we awoke at 5am to meet our driver in the lobby at 530am. It turns out the boat ride our travel agent booked us was not in the afternoon like we had guessed, but rather a sunrise boat tour. We arrived at the ghats and followed our boat guide to one of his boats, only after assuring him multiple times that we didn't want to get tea. It was 6am and pitch black but the streets were filled and there were many people already at the ghats. Throughout the boat ride I saw more people than I saw the day before. Our guide told us Hindi stories and explained how the cremation ghats run 24 hours a day. When you think about how sacred this place is and how many people come here to die, it's really not surprising. What was surprising was that it didtn' smell as badly as I would have expected.

I saw more laundry, chanting, praying, yoga, laughing yoga, bathers, cremations, swimmers, and people selling things on boats on the river. The river looked remarkably clean and Samuel stuck his hand in and proclaimed the water warm. Our guide said he once almost put his hand in and a cow head came up to meet him. I also saw many floating flowers, offerings, spices, trash, soap, and probably ashes.

After the boat ride our guide led us through alleys and streets, around mopeds and cows (please don't let it back up or poop on me!), and then we arrived at the Golden Temple. We were handed off to another tour guide. After going through security where they feel you up, we trekked less than a block down and stood in a shop that was up higher so we could see. The tempple is next to a mosque and as non-believers we could only look at it over a fence. I wasn't impressed with what I could see. It seemed like only the steeple was gold. There wasn't much to see.
And then, after we left and were wondering where our boat guide was, our temple "guide" said we needed to tip him. I, cranky and hungry at this point snapped, "for what??" Really, all he had done was lead us through a doorway and point over a fence. Kent gave him a 10 and the man had the nerve to say that 50 would be better. Now Kent was displeased. "No, 10 is all you're getting." The man stalked off.

After breakfast at our hotel we took our car and driver for the day and headed north 10km to what my map from the India tourism bureau has labeled Sarnath. (see other entry)

After our day trip we journeyed back to the ghats one last time. There was a huge festival starting Sat and Sun (the day we leave) and Friday night was the beginning. I left my camera at the hotel so I wouldnt' have to worry about it the entire night. And then wished I had brought it with me because the ceremony was just amazing.

We got a spot in a coffee shop overlooking it all and watched Hindi priests perform the hour-plus ceremony. Usually only a few do it, but for the holiday there were more than 20. All the men wore bright orange shirts and white pants, flowers, and stood on platforms by the river. They repeated the same rituals over and over while holding 4 various forms of fire, fans, and waht looked like a broom made of hair. They did this to chanting, music, and bells.

Afterward we wandered around the alleys behind the ghats and looked at many of the shops. There was so much to see! We didnt' buy anything but it was fun to look. It wsa like an outdoor market with partial roofs over the walkways and shops.

We were then swarmed by tuk tuk drivers begging for our business--at three times the amount we wanted to pay. One finally agreed quickly to the price we wanted and we headed back. We went to bed early knowing that a 24 hour train ride awaited us the next morning.

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Photos

Along the Ganges River
Taken at the ghats the afternoon we arrived.

Along the Ganges River
Taken at the ghats the afternoon we arrived.

The ghats
Taken at the ghats the afternoon we arrived.

Along the Ganges River
Taken at the ghats the afternoon we arrived.

Along the Ganges River
Taken at the ghats the afternoon we arrived.

Along the Ganges River
Taken at the ghats the afternoon we arrived.

Along the Ganges River
Taken at the ghats the afternoon we arrived.

laundry time
Eveything is done in the Ganges: laundry, bathing, rituals.

laundry drying
Taken at the ghats the afternoon we arrived.

Sunrise boat cruise
They are practicing laughing yoga.