Chhath and Sarnath

From the comfort of my room, I woke up already with frayed nerves. The blasting fireworks, pounding drums, and loud-speaker chanting went on all night long - so even when I was sleeping, they were a part of my subconscious. Trepidly escaping my pitch-dark maze of a hotel (Ganpati Guest House) from the top floor at 5am, I'm lucky I didn't get hurt. Karan was waiting for me at the hotel's gate and the success of our morning plans teetered on Indian fate.  Karan walked determinedly fast to keep control in the chaos. 

"So many people I have never seen at this time.  Maybe you should expect many unexpected things which are not under any control of any Indian," he warned. 

On our rickshaw ride to Assi Ghat, Karan explained, "This only happens once a year. This much crowd you don't see any day."  Of the 80 ghats lining the shores for as far as you can see, all of them are full of people. At 5am. 

There were people lining the shores as far as you could see

The waking up ceremony is identical to last night's putting to sleep ceremony, but this time I had the perspective from the shore. 

Great view from my front row spot of the morning ceremony to wake the river

After the ceremony, the best way to see the morning activity along the ghats - particularly the Chhath - is from a boat. In ours we had to maintain a delicate balance on each side. Forgetting, Karan stood up quickly, causing the boat to shift suddenly to the side. "I was really scared," said Karan. If he hadn't squatted back down, he would've been tossed overboard - maybe taking me too. "You can swim?" I laughed at the timing of his question and its possible message, and sensed he didn't know how. 

Brilliant view of the ghats from the boat

Sun rising over the city of Varanasi

Singing puja to the sun god. You worship with bowls of fruit and half of your body in the water. 

Stunning ladies

Offerings to the sun god

Somberly, one of the pilgrims didn't make it out of the river alive - apparently the silt reacts like quicksand and can trap you under. Her lifeless body was laying on the ghat, waiting for a relative to claim her. 


India's population of children is larger than the entire population of the US.  They are so cute and smile easily. "People are very much attracted by your curly hair," Karan said to me, always catching people staring.

I was wondering how many kids they could get onto the motorcycle.  Mom and the eldest boy, holding all their belongings on his head, had to walk.

Karan chose our breakfast place very well - Aum Cafe is owned by a wonderful, friendly lady from Northern California. Then we headed outside of Varanasi to Sarnath. 

Buddha is believed to have founded Buddhism here around 528 BCE when he gave his first sermon, "The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dharma," at nearby Sarnath. Karan started us in the small temple with a replica of the old Sarnath statue recreating Buddha's first sermon at Sarnath. The temple walls are covered with paintings depicting the life of Buddha. When Karan began with the birth of Buddha, I realized we were going to be here a while - and then was surprised that I was actually interested. 

Sarnath Temple

The spot where Buddha gave his first sermon is marked by the impressive, fully-intact 34m Dhamekh Stupa from 200 BC. The surrounding peaceful monastery grounds are meticulously maintained. 

The massive stupa marks where Buddha gave his first sermon

The jewel of Sarnath is the elegant Buddha statue belonging to the Gupta period (5th century AD), now cared for by the Sarnath Museum.

Buddha from Sarnath belonging to the late 5

th

century CE

Varanasi is emotionally exhausting with its people, worship, rituals, and thousands of years of history.  You can find yourself up close and personal with moments that have the power to alter the way you view the world and your place in it.  My world feels so small. It's not even 3pm but after leaving at 5am for the waking the river ceremony and special Chhath worshipping (giving thanks to the sun god), and spending the rest of our time in Sarnath learning about Buddha, I am drained and done for the day - preferring the quiet of my balcony instead. 

Last couple pictures of Varanasi from my balcony: