Holy Varanasi

Where is the most fascinating place you have ever traveled?  I have found mine. How do you surpass a place embodying life and death?  For me, it is Varanasi. 

Jolted awake as my plane landed in India at 1:40am, I was in for a very long day. I am so happy to arrive in the same country as Greg, even if we are still 1,345 miles apart. For the record-books, New Delhi has the quickest customs ever - at least for those entering with an e-visa. 

With six hours to kill until my flight to Varanasi, I realized you can't do much at the airport without a departure ticket. First I had to show it at the shuttle booth (to get from Terminal 3 to 1), then to get into the terminal, then to get through the women's-only security line (it has a privacy booth), again to get into the lounge I reserved for my layover, then scan it to get to the gates (I'm not sure how you could get this far without one, but hey, I'm all for added security), and of course finally to get onto my flight. Little did I know this was going to be the most peaceful experience of my day. 

My coveted boarding pass

Driving in India, I'm not sure how anyone is alive.  I'm not sure how I am alive?! My driver teetered between lanes while talking on the phone and honking all at the same time. "Are you ok?" he kept checking in on me through the rear view mirror. God I hope so!  I tried to decipher the honking language and it is quite interesting. Honk because you can, honk to let them know you are there, honk to get them out of your way - but don't honk at obvious moments like facing someone head-on. Regardless, no one is listening... so what is the point?!

Streets of Varanasi

There's nowhere to walk but in the streets with the vehicles

Varanasi is an intense, in-your-face-suffocating exposure into life and death. It is hard to fight off the effect the city has on you.  It created havoc on my emotions. One second I felt incredibly euphoric and the next I needed to teleport out of the cacophony of overwhelming sights and sounds. And I was getting the sheltered view, guided by Karan (of Sachan Walking Tours) who shielded me from touts, constantly passing vehicles, potentially dangerous animals (horned cows, wild monkeys, and mad cobras), large piles of fresh feces, and pressuring touts.

The flower market mostly sells flowers for offering

So many pretty colors

"Varanasi is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together." — Mark Twain

Built 3,000 years ago along the banks of the Ganges River, Varanasi is considered the holiest of Hinduism's seven sacred cities, and is a pilgrimage site. The waters of the Ganges will wash away all of the accumulated sins of a lifetime.  God knows I could use a good dousing but due to the ungodly amount of pollution in the river, I am going to need to find a healthier way.

I was hooked instantly when I saw my first picture of Varanasi, and knew I had to figure out a way to get there.

  

The temples and ghats on the banks of the Ganges at Varanasi have a unique beauty. (Ghats are long, shallow sets of stairs and landings built to contain the river's slippery shores.)

The labyrinth of narrow alleys leading to the ghats are just wide enough for two men to walk abreast.  Yet still motorcycles awkwardly try to push past you. 

Narrow alley on the way to my hotel

We stopped for chai along one of the narrow alleyways

For Hindus, Varanasi is the most auspicious place to die.  On our way to the ghats, in the small space of the alley, we had to squeeze to the side so that a chanting funeral procession could pass us on their way with the body to the crematorium ghat known as Manikarnika Ghat. You can watch the process but it is extremely forbidden to take pictures. The cremation process is crucial in achieving release from the cycle of reincarnation, and the ritual's many stages must be completed correctly or the soul will not transition to the afterlife.

Manikarnika Ghat is distinguishable by its smoke and prolific stacks of firewood.

Every log is carefully weighed on giant scales so that the price of cremation can be calculated. 

Today is a very special day for the city. It will be full of many people who have come for the last day of Chhath, the festival related to worshipping the sun.  "Usually it is never so crowded," said Karan.  They arrive in town for the sunset, and then "sleep" along the ghats of the Ganges to worship at sunrise. 

Every evening there are always crowds along the ghats and lining the shore in boats to watch the Aarti - the ceremony to put the river to sleep. A boat in the river is a popular place from which to view the ceremony.

Putting the river to sleep during the nightly Aarti ceremony

It is most popular for tourists to watch from a boat

Making my wish - participating in the common ritual to release a candle votive with marigolds along the river. Hundreds of candles can be seen floating by.

All of a sudden there was an ear-piercing explosion right next to us. These illegal "firecrackers" contain as much explosives as 1/3 stick of dynamite. Being in close proximity of them is frightening. They continued to go off just all night long just outside my hotel room. 

Crowds and crowds of pilgrims setting up camp for Chhath

They celebrated below my balcony all night long.