Advertisement
Grand Continental, Allahabad
An interior view of the courtyard and swimming pool. Friday 7 May
The days within the weeks are now blending to become one continuous string of days; weekends we have to remind ourselves are upon us and when others around the world are having a weekend, we too have to realise that our journey, especially the planning of it, is curtailed because there are not the people at the other end of the email or phone to help us plan our way forward. So it is with this coming weekend. But we have had two days on the road to reach this holiest city of India, for Hindus at least, Varanasi, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
We left Agra at just after 6.00am to drive the first 100km of our journey along a road that really brought home to us what India really is like in the countryside, rather than the city or its expressways. We passed through quite green scenery compared to what we have been used to and harvesting of corn, barley and other crops is in full swing. Our first few hours on the road felt as though it was the middle of the day - everyone was up and around, unlike I suggest England
The swimming pool
It was a wonderful opportunity to use the pool after so many days on the road. where many people would only just be starting to think about getting up.
It was a fascinating drive and brought home to us how large this country is in terms of size and its population. Having started so early, we found ourselves at our night stop before reaching Varanasi quite early and as we had by now emerged onto a two lane highway decided to press on to a place called Allahabad that provided us with a night’s stopover before arriving at Varanasi. Our car had several small things wrong with it by now that we needed to rectify. So before leaving for Varanasi, the hotel were able to call in a local mechanic to help us with our fuel system because the day before we actually ground to a halt on the hard shoulder - we had not run out of fuel but the pump had stopped. So after some discussion we switched fuel lines from one tank to another and that worked and got us to the hotel that afternoon. In the morning, the mechanic that turned up came in the most emmaculate white outfit that put our own mechanics to shame! Importantly, he did understand our problem
Siesta again
Mind you, some of us just took the opportunity of sleeping after some liquid refreshments, much needed after our drive. and within half an hour produced another electric fuel pump that enabled us to switch back to use both fuel tanks normally.
We left Allahabad later that morning with only three hours driving to do and indeed we were able to book into the hotel we are now in close to that time, but what a drive we had had on the way down.
Neither of us have seen so many crashes involving lorries as we did on the short trip to Varanasi. We were travelling down the best piece of highway we have so far encountered in India and yet it was strewn with lorries that had had accidents of some sort or another. We were also confronted with lorries coming down our side of the barrier, and evidence of the danger that this represents is in the pictures attached.
Sunday 9 May
Varanasi has been all it has been described in the Lonely Planet. A blindingly colourful, unrelentingly chaotic and unapologetically indiscreet place! That is what it is as we have found out while staying here.
Its set on the River Ganges, the most holy river of all for Hindus, and our immersion into the life of this
Stop over for a drink
I had no sooner left the car to find some cold drinks for us when John found himself surrounded by fascinated onlookers. city, coping with thousands of pilgrims daily, as well as tourists who manage to make it to here, makes this city an entertaining and eye-popping experience. The photos will tell their own story. We have also been able to get the Hillman’s second puncture done, as well as the horn repaired, thank goodness, as it is so important to have one over here. There are few times in the streets or on the highways when you don’t hear a horn from some vehicle!
We have managed to get in two guided tours over the weekend, both of which have been stunning, captivating and moving. We have both been taken by boat from one of the Ghats, holy steps, up and down river to see people praying and washing in the Ganges as the sun rises; we have also been taken by boat at night to see a Hundu ceremony being performed beside the Ganges - another fascinating event that was quite atmospheric to be involved in and neither of us will forget such a life-time experience as these here in Varanasi.
What probably was the most awe-striking moment of our stay here was to be taken by rickshaw to a
Another obstacle!
Water buffalo taking a direct path and in our way! burning Ghat. This is where the Hindus take their dead, suitably covered and prepared for burning. We were given a full, guided tour around the burning Ghat here in Varanasi this morning. No photographs were allowed to be taken for obvious reasons, and to see what we did was quite astounding. A government official in charge of the funeral pyres gave us a full account of what happens; the body, man or women, is brought down to the river and immersed in its holy waters. Prayers are given as the body then is taken to await the preparation of the fire, made of bamboo and then several types of very dry hard wood, such as banyon, which will burn whether it is raining or not. The body is placed on the prepared platform and then the chief mourner, with other mourners from the family circle the body five times to cleanse it from the five elements of Hindu rites, including earth, air, water, fire and wind. During this time the body is set alight. It takes about three hours for a body to burn, using 250 kilos of wood; up to 200/300 bodies are burnt each day at the site;
Hello!
Fascinated by us, this cyclist just stopped and stared and grinned! a person of Brahman caste is burnt separately; once the body has been burnt the remains are put into the river - usually the rib cages of a man and the pelvis of a woman. No jewellery is removed from either woman or man before being burnt, and each morning after the previous day’s burning, the ashes are swept into the river, where searchers using similar techniques to gold miners panning for gold, search for precious metals from the bodies of those burnt the day before. Seeing the actual burning of a woman while we were there was an incredibly intimate moment, but for Hindus, a special ritual to end a person’s life in the most humane and decent way possible. Neither John nor I will forget those scenes.
Setting off tomorrow morning, we hope to know where and when we will be leaving India. The next instalment should provide you with a clue. Enjoy the pictures that I hope are giving a good account of our journey through this fascinating continent.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.059s; Tpl: 0.015s; cc: 8; qc: 28; dbt: 0.0258s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Annie Smith
non-member comment
You still seem to be have an awinspiring trip, India is so different from the top to the bottom it's as if they are different countries. I still can wait each time for your wonderful story I sit at the computer drinking in your wonderful tale. Keep safe , Love Annie