Benaras/Varanasi

Saturday night on the Ganges

Aarti is a daily puja performed at the Ganges to say good night to Mother Ganga. Since the river is so high, there is much less room on the ghats (steps down to the river) causing the banks to be much more crowded than usual. This is also the reason why we were unable to take a boat ride on the river. So, instead of watching Aarti on the ghats, we got seats on a large platform above the river. Getting there was no simple feat. Traffic along the very narrow paths included cows, goats, motorbikes, bicycles, and loads of people moving in all directions. This is also the place where many Hindus cremate their dead. So we also got a glimpse of the funerary practices. We walked through a lumberyard where wood is sold for the funeral pyres. Our guide pointed out the green bamboo stretchers on which the body is carried and the shiny gold and silver sheets sold to decorate the body. 200 cremations take place here every day. There were no pictures allowed in this area. 

Ritual objects for sale

Through all of this, we definitely stuck out as foreigners. As usual, people looked and pointed, fascinated by our skin color, hair, and bizarre way of dressing (despite our best efforts). But in Varanasi more than any other place, I felt like a participant. The people were welcoming instead of distant and we sat together with locals and pilgrims during the ceremony.

This city is known as the spiritual center of India, not only because of the Ganges but also because of the Golden Temple located along the river. Thousands of pilgrims come here during this time of year to carry Ganges water to a Shiva temple, of which there are many. Those are the people in orange. Because of the festival of Shiva and because Monday is an auspicious day for Shiva, there are many more people here than usual, and all the guys in orange are here getting water from the river and delivering it to a Shiva temple nearby. We saw lots of flower sellers—these flowers are purchased and give as offerings in the temples.

The Varanasi saree

Fried snacks

For all the Israelis here! Just in case you were wondering how to spell Krish in Hebrew...
(I haven't actually seen any Israelis here but I imagine there are loads during high season.)