Benares goes Orange

Varanasi - the magical City. Also known as Benares. City of Ghats. City of the Ganges. City of Sadhus. One of the oldest continually inhabited places on earth. The holiest Hindu city in India. The most auspicious place for a Hindu to die... the list of sobriquets could go on and on, for Varanasi is a city of many talents and a rich history. Possibly one of my favourite places on our itinerary. Off the night train, one intense rickshaw ride through city streets that could be anywhere in India, and we are dropped off in the old quarter, close to Dasaswamhed Ghat, the focal point of activity on the Ganges.
Out of the scorching sun, and into the narrow alleys, we set off seeking accommodation. We attracted the ubiquitous guest house tout, who proceeded to trail us (or keep just a step ahead of us) in our wanderings - we asked nicely, we asked not so nicely (and in several languages) for him to desist - we even ducked into a café for ice-cream and iced tea, but he was still there waiting! It was only on the doorstep of the Gangpati Guesthouse that he abandoned us - bounced away at the door by one of the staff!
Free from our backpacks, Aaron and I set off into the afternoon heat with cameras at the ready: Varanasi is teeming with Hindu pilgrims, Sadhus, beggars, cows and picturesque alleys. With Shiva Purana in full swing, Dasaswamhed Ghat was teeming with orange-clad devotees jostling for a chance to dip into the Ganges for the daily Ganga Aarti (river worship) ritual. Varanasi locals wash in the river twice daily, whereas pilgrims carry away flasks of the brown water for use at home (kind of like Catholics at Lourdes) - the waters of the holy river wash away bad Karma you may have accumulated during the day. Beyond the sea of orange, and onto the first steps of the Ghat, we were met with a sight unlike any photo of Varanasi we had beheld. The whole platform had been swallowed by the swollen waters of the Ganges. The mighty river had gone from a placid body of water to a swirling mass of brown - the current was so strong that boat owners were barred from carrying tourists for the mandatory dawn boat ride. The ban didn't stop some boat operators from inflating the prices by 600% (to make up for any baksheesh that may have to be paid to inquisitive police officers) for a ban flouting boat, dangerous boat ride.
On the few steps of the Ghat that were still above the waterline were Hindu holy men and women dispensing Puja boosting flowers and offerings, and Aaron got himself another Tikka on the forehead. Once we'd had our fill of orange-clad devotees dripping in water from the Ganges rubbing against us (maybe we got ourselves some Puja by proxy) we headed into the narrow lanes for some exploration and photography. The Lonely Planet guide book warns you about the "Varanasi shakedown" and how the city is teeming with touts and tricksters, but barring the guest house tout in the morning and a couple of offers to "come into my shop for a look" we weren't hassled. Our explorations took us to a few other Ghats (also flooded) and past many shops with nice trinkets for the folks back home.
Laden with shopping (hand painted t-shirts, window hangings, bags and CDs) and our supply of Rupees considerably whittled down, we made our way past some very angry bulls and back to the guest house. Gangpati guest house deserves a special mention for the friendly atmosphere and awesome balcony rooms overlooking the Ganges. The food from their kitchen is your typical Indian guest house fair - a mix of local dishes with a sprinkling of Indianised Western dishes (everything is flavoured with curry) and some Chinese favourites - also "made from the heart". However the garden courtyard with its fountain, and the rooftop restaurant with fresh breezes and views of the river more than make up for the waiting time.


Manikarnika - The Burning Ghat
When a Hindu dies in Varanasi they are released from the cycle of rebirth. Cremation on the banks of the Ganges and subsequent dispersal of your ashes into the holy waters ensures that you won't come back as a cockroach or a Sadhu, but will attain a blissful state of not-being-but-being-at-the-same-time. Young children and Sadhus are not cremated - the bodies are give up to the currents wrapped in a shroud. They float away if the currents are strong enough. As we came close to the burning Ghat we were accosted by a "priest" (?) who claimed to work in the house of the dying, requesting a hefty donation (he mentioned something about us buying wood for funeral pyres at $13 a kilo!) in order for us to achieve "good karma and appreciate the Hindu culture". When we refused to comply he barred our entry to the Ghat and shooed us away... so we took another alley and approached the Ghat from the opposite direction. Manikarnika Ghat was very different to the Ghat we visited in Agra - there were several cremations going on when we arrived, with more bodies arriving on the shoulders of doms (outcasts who traditionally handle dead bodies) and lots of mourners. A strong feeling of voyeurism overtook us so we beat a respectful retreat. I guess watching the events from a boat at a respectful distance would not have been as uncomfortable.


Kama Sutra - Only for the Flexible!

Away from the Ghats we made our way to the Nepali Kama Sutra temple. This hidden gem is covered in carvings depicting scenes from that oh-so-famous Hindu book, the Kama Sutra. Seeing the sculptures I couldn't help but wonder at the flexibility that some of the poses required! Here we met a friendly Sadhu who gave us some biscuits and told us about his daily routine of prayer and meditation.

The rest of our time in Varanasi was spent wandering the streets, offering alms to beggars and Sadhus (more good Karma!) and sipping cold drinks in our balcony overlooking the Ganges. Our visit coincided with the waters of the Ganges being swollen, so we didn't get the full blown Ghat effect (since most Ghats were underwater); but not many travellers have seen Varanasi in this state. Plus, I've got an ironclad excuse to visit this spiritual city again!