| There are many hotels and lodges in
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| | Ganges to as to give them another chance
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| Varanasi but the better ones are situated
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| | to come back to this world. Researchers
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| in the cantonment area, which is 20
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| | reveal that on an average, 45,000 bodies
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| minutes away from the ghats. If you don't
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| | are deposited in the river every year.
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| mind compromising on luxury, it's best to
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| | The government has apparently tried many
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| stay at a small cheap lodge on the ghats
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| | remedial measures to counter water
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| to be close to all the action. We decided
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| | pollution, many of which failed. An
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| to stay at Hotel Riverview, a family run
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| | organisation even introduced turtles into
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| lodge, near Brahma Ghat. Apart from great
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| | the river to take care of the bodies but
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| food, our room overlooked the Ganges and
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| | strangely the creatures disappeared.
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| had a magnificent view of the entire
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| | However, scientists have come to
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| stretch of the ghats. Varanasi, at first
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| | understand that like most mountain
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| sight, comes across as a rather filthy
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| | rivers, the Ganges does have a miraculous
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| and dirty town. The narrow gullies in the
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| | property of cleansing itself. Little
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| old city are littered with animal and
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| | wonder that it is considered holy by the
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| human waste, trash and slush. You have
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| | Hindus.
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| two choices: Either shake your head in
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| | But Varanasi's huge population does seem
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| disgust or get used to the litter. Choose
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| | to push things a bit too far. The river
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| the latter and your experience starts.
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| | is used for almost everything, from
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| Quaint shops selling eatables, paan shops
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| | washing clothes to bathing buffaloes. And
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| in every corner, small temples, priests
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| | that doesn't deter people from taking
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| saying their prayers, masseurs,
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| | their holy dip which is an experience in
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| barbers…every nook and corner of these
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| | itself. We spent an hour swimming in the
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| gullies holds a surprise for you.
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| | river at Scindia ghat which is probably
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| We spent the first day walking across the
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| | the cleanest and came out rejuvenated and
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| ghats and understanding them. Manikarnika
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| | clean of all sins. If you are in
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| and Harishchandra ghats are where the
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| | Varanasi for that spiritual experience,
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| dead are cremated. Dasashwamedha ghat is
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| | you have to visit the Kashi Vishwanath
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| the most sacred and sadly also the most
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| | temple but remember, only Hindus are
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| commercially exploited. Boatmen vie with
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| | allowed. While offering prayers, you will
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| each other to grab on to tourists,
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| | be accosted by many priests who will pull
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| masseurs will beg you to oblige them and
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| | you to their corner and chant mantras.
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| beggars will hound you. But things change
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| | This again means donations. Apart from
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| as the sun sets and the prayer session
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| | being spiritual, a trip to Varanasi can
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| starts. The place becomes choc-a-bloc
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| | also be a great gastronomic experience.
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| with pilgrims and tourists who come to
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| | The town is famous for its aloo puri and
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| watch the puja and the river, by then
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| | lassi. Shops in every nook and corner
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| spectacular with hundreds of little
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| | serve these and many other milk products.
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| floating diyas. We decided to watch the
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| | A great culmination to a heavy meal would
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| "show" from the river and hired boat for
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| | obviously be the special Benarsi pan.
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| Rs. 200. The entire stretch of the river
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| | Another trademark is the silk saree. You
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| along the ghats takes one and a half
| |
| | will find many shops lined across the
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| hours and you can even stop at Karnataka
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| | main market selling the gorgeous six
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| ghat for some chai served in clay cups.
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| | yards. In all probability, you will be
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| Manikarnika ghat is where the dead get
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| | frequently accosted by "friendly" locals
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| their ticket to heaven. There are many
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| | who will have a long chat with you by the
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| dharamshalas along these ghats where the
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| | end of which they will "invite" you to
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| old and aged come to spend their last
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| | their homes. These are saree sellers and
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| days. It is slightly disturbing to enter
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| | in most cases they "pressurise" their
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| these shelters and watch the old, waiting
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| | "guests" to buy from them. The best bet
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| for their death without the slightest
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| | would be to shop at the state government
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| hint of despair on their faces.
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| | run shops.
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| On an average, three bodies are cremated
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| | Entertainment at night could be a visit
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| at Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats at
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| | to the government-run bhang shops in the
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| any given point of time. According to
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| | city. But nothing can be more elevating
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| belief, these rituals save the dead from
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| | than sailing down the Ganges watching the
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| being reborn in this cruel world. Dead
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| | lights of the old city shimmer in the
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| children, pregnant women, holy men and
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| | darkness of the night.
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| the diseased are simply immersed into the
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| |
|
