Varanasi, a holy city to Hindus and Buddhists, is situated at the far eastern tip of Uttar Pradesh, just off the bank of the Ganga (Ganges) River. The “Old City,” the quarter near the banks of Ganga, has crowded and narrow winding lanes flanked by roadside shops and scores of Hindu temples. Varanasi’s labyrinthine Old City is rich with culture, and as confusing as it is beautiful — but getting lost makes for an adventure waiting within. Along the bank where the Ganga river meets the city there are nearly 100 ghats (stairways leading to water). Most are bathing ghats, while others are used as cremation sites; regardless, all are associated with legends or mythologies of some sort. Dashashwamedh Ghat is located close to Vishwanath Temple, and is probably the most spectacular of the ghats. Every night a Hindu ceremony called the Ganga Aarti takes place, during which light from wicks soaked in ghee (purified butter) or camphor is offered to one or more deities.
For a moment I thought all of India was the same, but coming from Delhi, Varanasi’s Old City quarters were a perfect change! However, the busy bluster of traffic in India was here as well. Honking horns at all hours of the day was music in the streets. The best words to describe this would be “harmonized chaos” (thanks, Mel). It’s mayhem that somehow works, but was tiring to watch. From the train station we avoided all the hassle and walked a couple of blocks out to grab our rickshaw. As mentioned above, the old city was a maze of tight streets where it was necessary to squeeze yourself around cows and avoid their dung. To find hotels, shops, and bakeries, we looked for their names painted on the building walls like signs; some were worn so badly it took some deciphering skills to figure them out. The Ganpati Guesthouse was our stop and for 10 bucks a night ($5 a person) we had the best view in the house!
The view out onto the Ganga stretched endlessly like two points in space. I remember leaning out over from the balcony taking in the beauty and closing my eyes, hearing kids playing along the ghats below. This was truly a breath to be taken in and a moment that would never end to enjoy.
Mel and I got ready, geared up, and went out to walk along the ghats. I’ve read about how the Ganga is a site for cremation and has seen dead bodies floating in it, so I asked myself why are people were bathing and cleaning their clothes in it. I hope my hotel sheets didn’t’ get washed in the river! What surprised me were the white sheets; they actually turned out as white as paper after washing. With a strong breeze along the ghats, you can’t help but take notice at all the kites overhead, used by all ages, not just by kids — probably a Varanasi pastime. Along the way I slowly picked up on subtle scam hints, but not before falling for one which all started from a hand shake. It slowly led to a hand massage, then a shoulder rub, and transformed into a two-man body massage. After that, I remembered to avoid all interpersonal contact while in Varanasi.
The two days that I did spend here were very enjoyable nonetheless. It’s a great place to come to relax along the Ganga while having dinner or a morning coffee. Before leaving that night on a train to Agra, I picked up some souvenirs and the ever-so-popular shawl and a green shirt, which you’ll see in a lot of my self-portraits throughout India.
