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Published: March 3rd 2009
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Tonight my friend Ashish and I took a boat across the Ganga to the flat, wide sandbank on the other side to watch the sunset over the city and the ghats. About 20 minutes or so after the sun disappeared behind the ancient buildings on the other side of the river, the pink sky ebbed away leaving behind a pale glow that made the entire scene appear delicately soft, like a pale unearthly watercolour from a past century, or the dove grey underbelly of an iridescent bird. It was an indelibly beautiful scene.
The softness of the colours, impossible to describe, rendered the physical world - the palaces, temples, ghats, river - a ghostly mirage. Nothing seemed concrete; everything seemed to be gently pulsing with its spiritual, energetic essence. The veil between the worlds was obviously very thin at that moment, and I began to understand why this spot is considered so very sacred
Lights began to appear and shimmer gently on the crystal surface of the sacred river and soon after the aarti began, way down the river at the main ghat. But we could hear the powerful chants and see the huge flames of the diyas from
where we were seated on the sand, across from Assi Ghat. I felt in that moment in harmony with the rhythm of Benares. It is so peaceful across the river, yet very few people go over to that side.
I lit two diyas that I had purchased from the urchins on the ghats, and spoke the words “Jai Ganga Mata: and set them afloat on the river in the twilight as our boatman rowed us back to shore. The same urchins greeted us - they wanted their matches back - and tried to sell me more diyas. I didn’t need more diyas, but I asked Ashish if I could buy them all ice cream (there were five boys). So he said it was a good idea and I made the offer. Their main concern was that they wanted to make sure the ice cream would just be for the five of them, and not the other urchins they knew would crowd around us. I agreed and away we all trooped to the ice cream-wallah on the ghat. The tallest boy handed out the bars, which were Rs 10 each, so for Rs 50 (about $1.25) I made several young
Benares boys very happy. (I also watched Ashsih very capably discipline two of the boys for using bad language. He is a teacher, as well as a cafe owner, and obviously very good at it. Ashish is a remarkable young man!)
My day also started very peacefully, with my second yoga class with Guru Rajindra, who teaches on a temple platform only a 10-minute walk from my hotel. I went for the second time today, and I am very impressed with his teaching. He teaches each student individually, as yoga should be taught, and balances gentle compassion with rigorous discipline and attention to detail. I felt very inspired by him, and went beyond my usual physical limitations during only my second class with him! It is also inspiring to do yoga on a temple platform in sacred Benares as the sun rises and warms the body. About 6-8 other foreigners came, from several western countries, and they ranged from complete beginner to extremely advanced. Rajindra taught each one according to his or her ability, age and familiarity with yoga. I was also impressed by the fact that he asked me what I wanted from my practice. “Peace,” I said,
a one word answer.
Even though I have only been here about five or six days, I am starting to get the sense of this place, and what living here as a foreign student or volunteer might be like. I spent the first two days or so doing “touristy” things such as a guided sunrise boat tour, but the past two days or so I feel I am just living here, visiting new-found friends, going to yoga class, hanging out in cafes, etc. I have met several Canadians, all of them exceptional.
One, Krystina from Toronto, is a nurse at a local community clinic started by a Dutch priest, Father Frances. Yesterday she invited me to the opening of “Disha,” a new home for the children of sex trade workers who live at the train station. Many people gathered for the opening ceremony. The house is a big, spacious building outside of the ghats area, but situated right on the river - almost across from Ramnagar Fort. The project was started by another Canadian, Sara, from Montreal. She has done an amazing job of bringing together all kinds of resources, including funding from Elle Magazine and the help
of people like Father Frances, to open this home. It is hard to imagine how life is going to change for about 15 children, who have so far lived their entire lives at the train station. At Disha, they will have a safe place to sleep, good food, education, health care - and the prospect of a better future. There is so much need in India, and so many amazing people, Indian and foreign, who are dedicated to helping others.
Today, I visited Benares Hindu University, which is not far from where I am staying in Assi Ghat (and which explains why I have met quite a few students around here). It is a very large campus, very spaciously designed with wide, tree-lined boulevards and lots of space around each building. The buildings each had a similar gracious feeling, though some were more dilapidated than others. The entire campus wore a genteel shabbiness that I found very appealing. It was a peaceful and slow-moving place, and I felt I had stepped back in time. I stopped at the gorgeous Vishwanath Temple, and bought some bangles and silk scarves at a campus store, and then went to see Professor A.K.
Rai, head of the department of Indian Philosophy and Religion. He told me about the structure of the program and the requirements and gave me a copy of the curriculum. The one-year diploma program I would have to take before being admitted into the masters program included several juicy yoga topics, so I am now thinking that it might be the right fit for me and my interests. Also the price is right: tuition for the program is about Rs 10,000 (approximately $250.00 CDN. Unbelievably. The cost of staying at the student hostel is Rs 8,000 for the eight months of the program. Unbelievably.)
Overall, I feel Benares is an exceptional place, full of joyful energy and also the raw truths of life. There are people everywhere, mounds of garbage in the street, the river is polluted, smoke rises from the cremations, dirty street urchins roam the ghats, beggars plead at every corner, skinny dogs bark and fight, cows and buffaloes lounge around, shit, flies, and urine abound. India seems well represented here in all of varied aspects. But there is also music in the streets - this is a very cultured city - and loads of happy, well-dressed
pilgrims, BHU students, tourists, volunteers, NGOs, worship, shopping, temples, clanging bells, incense and devotional chanting. So much light and dark, and so well-balanced that it is bearable. I definitely find this city intense (I long for the peace of Jaisalmer or Rishikesh), but I am enjoying the cleansing energy. In fact, yesterday I thought I was getting sick: I had a very sore throat, headache and low energy. Today I feel fantastic. I think the city and the yoga and the veg food and the ginger tea and the powerful Ganga Mata is detoxifying me.
I think Ganga is also helping along the heart journey I have been on since Jaisalmer. I have been through periods of profound sadness and heartache since I have been here, and I poured my feelings into the river. Now, after five or six days, several poojas, and lots of time sitting and watching and meditating on the river, I am feeling much more positive. My faith has been restored: whatever happens is meant to happen, and it is for the best. "Have faith," said the warm and compassionate panditji at the temple in the park in Delhi. I keep picturing his face, so
full of love and compassion. Om Nama Shivaya.
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Sister Tinh Quang
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THANK YOU
Mariellen, I've enjoyed reading all of the entries to your blog, but for some reason this one really resonated with me. I felt like I was there with you. Thanks so much for the experience.