Faith restored

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Thankfully our time in Varanasi has restored our faith in India and all things traveling. For Hindu's Varanasi is the holiest of holies, it sits on the bank of the Ganges and is said to posses powerful benefits for body, spirit and mind. I don't know if I am entirely convinced by this especially as the thought of dipping in the Ganges only conjours up thoughts of viles disease and death to me but there is no denying that there certainly is an air of peace and tranquility at Varanasi and when nearly a billion Hindu's believe it, how can they be wrong? The city is constructed with Muslim and Hindu architecture and is set on the side of a hill and strangely has a Mediterranean feel about it.

Pilgrims from all over the world come to visit Varanasi for many reasons, one such cause is that it is said that if a Hindu dies at Varanasi then he or she will achieve moksha (meaning liberation from the cycle of life and death.) So yes many people do come here to die and as a result the cremation industry is thriving. Along the banks are Ghats which are essentially steps that lead into the river, along some of these Ghats are crematories which are basically funeral pyres. Given the popularity of the place these pyres are virtually constantly alight absolving thousands of lifetimes of sin. Our hotel was next door to one such Ghat which we thought could be a potential problem but it wasn't although there was a near constant plume of smoke rising next to our building. I guess the title of this entry must seem strange when much of its content is centered around death. Even before coming to write this I witnessed the demise of a very impressive preying mantis. The mantis was just strolling across the edge of the balcony minding his own business, bobbing and weaving as they do, before a gecko, quick as lightening swallowed it head first. Death certainly is the theme here but for some reason it doesn't seem like a morbid subject as it often does but much more a part of life, as it is. In reality Varanasi is bustling with life and is as alive and colourful as any other city I have visited.

During our time in Varanasi we took things easy taking a stroll along the Ghats one day and then a early morning river cruise the next. Each time we witnessed the locals go about their business; some were washing themselves and their clothes in the river or their cattle while others were simply praying and meditating. I was even treated to a full body massage while laying on a hessian sack with a piece of cloth as a pillow and a cow and goat for company. Despite the unusualness of the situation I was left feeling invigorated and refreshed. While I was being pampered (for 80 rupees-a quid) Helen sat and wrote some letters and watched the world go by. The inevitable street kids came along selling Chai and other wares but for some reason Varanasi prevented this from being an annoyance. Even the sellers were less pushy and at times quite funny. While Helen was writing I could see out of the corner of my eye one of the kids selling Chai, Helen explained she was busy which he replied to with 'yes, yes I can see' and while another 'artist' was trying to draw a pattern on Helen's free hand the tea boy knelt down and put his head right under the peak of Helen's cap and proclaimed 'CHAI' at the top of his voice. Normally this would be an aggravation but on this occasion we found it hilarious. The sun was shining and the breeze was blowing in from the river, nothing could spoil our day and nothing did. If you ever come to India or are in India then visit Varanasi, its like a tonic for the soul.

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Comments

[JO]

more than anything else...this has made me wish I was there
Hello my lovely boy......I want to be there - so amazing...