A long day to Varanasi
Trip Start
Aug 10, 2008
1
39
59
Trip End
Ongoing
Varanasi,
Uttar Pradesh,
India
Monday, December 29, 2008
I left Lumbini at around 8am and caught the bus to the border area which took about an hour and a half. On the way my water leaked inside my bag, all over my books, papers, laptop and on my lap. No damage done (once dry) but I did look like I'd wet myself for the next part of the trip! From here I took a cycle rickshaw to the border itself, changed a small amount of money, went to Nepali immigration to get stamped out, and then walked across the border and up the road to Indian immigration (two desks on the side of the road). Here I met an Austrian guy, Roland, who was also traveling alone. We were both going to Varanasi and were pleased to have some company to travel with.
We walked up and found a bus to Gorakpur (about 2.5 hours) and there brought our train tickets to Varanasi. We booked on the next train leaving and just had enough time to grabs a few snacks before we left. I can't remember now how long it was supposed to take, but the train took much longer, and we arrived in Varanasi at around 12.30 at night, a little cold, a little bored and with a numb bum from the wooden benches.
View from a rooftop
The station was packed with people, waiting for trains and asleep all over the floor. We stepped carefully through and then had to haggle with the rickshaw drivers outside the station. The rickshaws weren't allowed into the narrow winding alleyways where we wanted to stay so walked though the dark streets with out bags, trying to find a hotel. Out first choice was full, many were closed. Several people tried to guide us to whichever hotel they got commission with. After a few failed attempts we found one and collapsed into bed around 1.30am. I spent around 5 days in Varanasi, the first day mainly getting to know the area. We were right near the main burning ghat on the Ganges and bodies were brought down the streets past the hotel every few minutes. You could identity by the cloth that was used to wrap the body whether it was a man (white), woman (gold), or young woman (red), First they were dunked in the Ganges to clean the body, then the family would go to the office nearby to register the death and to buy wood. There were different types of wood for the different castes. Next the body would be burnt by the riverside - on average taking 3 hours. Men worked at the site to build up the fires and break the skulls as they burnt, but the first flame was provided by a close male family member. Usually the son or brother, they would first be shaved, wash in the Ganges and dressed in white, then they lit a piece of wood from the eternal flame and started the fire. After burning, the ashes and remaining bones (some didn't burn) would be offered to the river.
The ghats
Some bodies were not burnt - children, pregnant women, holy men, and victims of smallpox, leprosy and snake bites were instead tethered to a rock, taken by boat into the centre of the river and dropped in. Sometimes the ropes weren't securely fastened and some bodies float back up to the surface. Women family members were not allowed to attend because it too emotional, but we saw one exception of a mother who had lost her young child. The cremations took place 24 hours a day and it was always busy, many people come to this special place to die.
It was hard to watch, there were viewing areas where you stood in amongst the smells and flying ash, while locals explained the process. Some of the people I was with were excited and curious to see it again and again but I found it all very strange, understanding that it is part of their beliefs and tradition but not quite sure of how it made me feel. At first I was curious, but after seeing it once I didn't want to see it again.
Life along thee Ganges was always busy. Most of the city's sewage goes into the river along with the bodies and ashes, yet many people still use it to bathe and wash their clothes. (Personally I didn't try that myself). Each morning and evening prays are offered to the river. In the morning it is a quiet occasion, where many people take a rowing boat out to watch the sunrise and to see the prayers from the waterside. I managed to meet up with Joel again - one of the two I had been traveling with in China, Tibet and parts of Nepal - it was great to see him again.
River prays in the evening
Joel, Roland and I got up early on several occasions to try and catch the sunrise over the Ganges but it was always foggy. It didn't stop us going out in the boat - even though it was a bit bizarre to only see a few feet in front of us! The evening prayer was much more of an occasion and I watched it once from the river banks and then from a row boat on new years eve. Many people gathered for the daily event where holy men preformed a ritual with bells, candles, flowers, drumming and chanting. The streets of Varanasi were packed with people, cars, rickshaws, motorbikes, cows (which are sacred animals) and goats. The ground, especially in the winding alleyways, are covered with rubbish, bright red spit from the beetle nut, and animal and human faeces. It was the dirtiest place I'd seen so far and I couldn't understand how people could walk around in just bare feet and sandals. It was hard to move anywhere fast and easy to get lost. I got pulled over in the street when a passing rickshaw caught on my backpack, but the only thing I hurt was my pride because I caused a domino effect with 3 scooters as I landed on my backside!
Fortunately, there were places to escape. Little tea shops that were no more than a floor and table tucked in-between shops in the alleys, a German bakery with fantastic bread and breakfasts, and the rooftops where it was easy to spend an afternoon drinking lassi and chai and watching the hustle and bustle below. It was also a good place to watch the wildlife - many monkeys and parrots and the children playing with kites.
A foggy boat ride
We even had a go at this ourselves - they were simple paper kites with 'fighting' string made of glass fibres and the aim was to cross strings with another kite, cut their string and hopefully take the kite - we lost 10 kites very quickly! Another place to escape were the numerous yoga classes - I went along to a 2 hour session with Joel, Roland and Clare - another girl from the hotel who was traveling alone. It was a good change but the first time I had tried the 'laughter' exercises, with the pot-bellied instructor going ha-ha-ha as I giggled...
It was a nice group of people and we spent new years eve together along with another couple from the hotel. We started with a nice meal, where the owner smuggled in a couple of beers for us to share, and then at 11.30pm we made a quick dash to find somewhere for midnight. There were no big parties because everyone was worried about the terrorist threat so soon after the Mumbai bombings but we managed to find a small party on one of the hotel rooftops. There was music, dancing and cake but unfortunately they had run out of beer so we had a dry start to the new year. We managed to get a couple to share at around 1am, and we had a great time but it must have been the most sober new year I've had in years!
It was in Varanasi that I decided to go to Pakistan - it wasn't on my original plan but I'd heard so many good things about it from people on my travels - in particular the two Icelandic guys I'd met in Nepal, so with a sad goodbye to the others (especially Joel) I headed to Delhi to see if I could get a visa....
