I wanted a taste of the “real” India and hence decided to go to the most holy place of them all: Varanasi.
Varanasi is 680 km south-east of Delhi and I would go by night-train.
After a horrendous car drive through old Delhi and 14 long hours later I arrived in Varanasi. Tired and hungry. On the train – which was 2 class sleeper with aircondition, we were 4 sharing a “coupe”. The only thing separating us from the other passengers was a curtain. And the guy next to me spoke mobile, late and early… It rang 23.00 and 5.30.
When I arrived, I had to drag my bag almost a mile. Wow. Was I glad that I didn’t bring 2×23 kg, but only 1×21 kg.
VARANASI
Well. When checked in at the hotel, things looked more bright. It was a great hotel, 4 star and with view to the holy Ganges. Or at least, thats what I thought for a while. It was the Yamuna, which is also holy. It seems like everything is holy in this the holy of holy cities within India.
SARNATH
I fell asleep and woke up just before my pickup for the half-day tour with driver. It was a trip to Sarnath – the place where Buddhism was borne, as this was the place the Buddha himself gave his first lecture after enlightenment. Since then many great Buddhist teachers have given their first lecture here.
The place it nothing in itself, but the history ooosed…
As I did not want to see old archelogical relics this ended my trip and well back at the nice hotel I decided for an Arudvedic massage. When I came into the “spa” three women greeted me, and said that of course I could get a massage. But I had to wait half an hour, because the only male therapist was out for lunch (at 16.00)! I suggested that one of them would give me a massage… But no.
In India it is not at all common for women to massage men – or vice versa. I had to wait…
The massage
The massage was aurvedic in deed and the therapist was very good and used special oils. But is was no pleasure at all – however, I did the trick and soothened my sour muscles after all the walking…
Restaurants…
At night time I went – on my own – for dinner in another part of the city. But alas, I found it almost impossible to find restaurants. Eihter I am blind, or they do not show any signs outside. Or perhaps the Indians do not eat out often enough for restaurants to survive?
A couple of hours and tuk-tuk trips later I was back at the hotel, and had to eat there. The food was good – but as you know: I am a carnivore, and the Indians are primarily vegetarians…. So I had chicken. Again.
I fell asleep immidiately after the meal in my room. Which was good, as I had to get up at 05.00 for a sunrise trip.
Ganges at sunrise
Well seated in a small row boat we passed the primary Ghat where people bathed and prayed for a long and healthy life. The banks of the river was boasting hundreds and yet hundreds of pilgrims and locals who took morning prayers and bathed in the very polluted Ganges. The holy river.
I also spotted several funerals, i.e. cremations there and then on a bonfire on the bank of the river. This is the Hindu way: Burn the dead, and put the ashes in a basked and release it on the Ganges… Other “workers” then clean up the other remains of the bonfire in the hope that they will find gold from jewelry and teeth.
Welcome to the real India.
After a couple of hours rest at the hotel – reading Rex Deus as a mad-man, I felt it was again time to go out into the scorcing heat. 35C.
I went to a nearby fort called Ram Charan.
THE FORT
Was nothing like the red fort in Delhi, but still a good experience. I visited two temples there and got blessed – and learned, that they worship the Lingam (the penis) – inside the temple there was three Lingams – the big, the small and the Stupa. The Brahmin explained the it was good luck to pray there, and I got the mandatory Diluk in my forehead (third eye)..
Arti ceremoni or Ganges at sunset
I was lured into again sailing the Ganges in order to get a good view of the ceremony. It worked: I had a great seat…
The ceremony is of light and with lots of candles, bells and sanskrit words sung… Beautiful and mindboggling….
I felt overwhelmed by all the artefacts, gestures, music, insense, fire, lights etc. – it this REALLY nescessary in order to believe or practice your religion?
Recently I read in the book GRAL by Lars Muhl – And I agree with him – that there is no place on earth which are more special or spiritual than another. The only thing, which makes it special is YOUR DESIRE that it is. The pilgrimage is therefore only because YOU place importance on a place…
This made me think again about my trip. I want to experience the world – and learn about cultures. Similarities and differences. And I began to think about my own path – quest – to travel around the world….
