silk & scams in Varanasi

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days 42-45 ish

This update is very belated as we have been out of range of the www for 22 days, enjoying the beautiful Annapurna region of Nepal.

So, back a couple of weeks... to Varanasi, a city famous for silk and its position on the Ganges.

It is THE place to die according to Hindu religion as if you manage this, you will be freed from the relentless cycle of reincarnation. It is also a good place to wash away your sins. But note, Mother Ganga is better for washing souls than bodies. Lonely Planet stats: 30 sewers discharge into the 7km stretch of river by Varanasi; and 1.5 million faecal coliform bacteria/100ml were found in a Ganges river sample (safe bathing is 500/100ml).

From a boat rowed along this spiritual, placid, murky, septic river, we witnessed hundreds of people having their daily dip. Many taking a quick swig too. In the midst of the bathing ghats (steps leading into the river) is a burning ghat, where bodies are cremated. The bodies of children, the poor and sadhus (religious guys, who have given up all material possessions except a sack dress and begging bucket *) are drowned instead. The top of a temple pokes its roof above the water. Our boatman helpfully explained, "Water up, temple down."

We have a theory that all this cleansing of the soul leaves the citizens of Varanasi (or at least some of them) free to cheat, harrass and extort tourists without damaging their karma. In this city, everyone works on commission. The rickshaw driver earns commssion from your hotel, for taking you there. The hotel covers this cost by charging you more for your room. The hotel will make commission on any silk you buy from the silk factory they take you to. The silk factory will price accordingly. This system isn't reserved for rickshaw drivers and hoteliers - anyone can have a go. Consequently you are constantly cajoled, hassled and followed by men various, to go with them to their brother's/uncle's/father's shop/hotel.

We weren't aware of this on our arrival, and naively went with the flow. We also stupidly didn't check our trusty guidebook before buying some 'silks'. Like idiots, we were wooed by a '7th generation silk-factory owner', who whoosed hundreds of silk scarves under our noses. Half of our purchases turned out to be be 'polyesters'. (Test: light a few threads - silk burns to carbon, polyester melts.) When we learned our mistakes we stopped trusting everyone ( a sad truth). We felt a little better when we met an English couple who'd bought a varnished dried pumpkin shell for 100 quid, believing it was a mandolin.

In contrast to the peaceful mornings on the river, nighttimes were filled with the Durga festival (celebrating the victory of one goddess over a beast*). In true Indian style it was very colourful and noisey. Hardcore drumming and singing went on 'til midnight, and started again at 5am. In the sweltering heat, closing our window was not an option.

Don't get us wrong. Varanasi is a fascinating place, and we are privileged to have been voyeurs of such ancient rituals and traditions, - but we thought you' d prefer the gory bits.

With mixed feelings, we left Varanasi with 12 others, stuffed in a jeep (we were promised a bus), for a 12hr journey (we were told it was 6hrs) to the Nepalese border, where we stayed the night in a mosquito infested, muggy, toilet-en-suite-but-with-no-flush cubby-hole (we'd been told luxury accommodation).

Next morning, we set off for Pokhara...

PS.Motos of our rickshaw driver, that may help you all:
No college, no knowledge.
No money, no honey.
No wife, no life.

* please check your encyclopedias for a more accurate description

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