A humble try it is to understand the phenomenon called Varanasi, not as an expert but as someone who has visited it just twice.
It is a city full of chaos. Be it the slow paced traffic of cars, cows, rickshaw, cycle and pedestrians all on the same bumpy road with continuous honking from all sides; or the streets and lanes, not even wide enough for 2 people to walk side by side, full of people, cows and even bikes running on them... You can expect anything to come from anywhere and hit you. And mind you, don't expect a sorry. The accused will smile at you and move further.
Inspite of all the chaos hardly did I see anyone getting irritated or shouting at each other. There is a strange calm that drive these people. It's hard to say where it comes from. It can be their faith in the place they live in and the spiritual aura that surrounds it. Or it can be the patience they have developed over time by experiencing the chaos day and night Or have they gotten so use to of all this, it no more feels like a chaos? Whatever it may be, it is exceptional.
Another aspect that attracts my attention is "Thugs of Banraras". I have heard stories about the pandas... how people would give all their belongings to them and get killed at Banaras to attain salvation. I hope it no more exists but till today people are being fooled on the name of salvation. Pandas take huge amounts to perform rituals and collect money. And faith makes them do it all. They get robbed willingly and return happy. Who would decide if they are fooled or they get (bought) what they were looking for - the inner peace, at cost of whatever. Who cares!
The ghats are no less amazing. While one ghat gives you a calm serene feeling with cheerful crowd hanging around and nice book stores and cafes to be at; some other ghat gives you an eerie feeling with strange looking people hanging around as if each one is carrying a secret within.
At some place on the same river they are dumping garbage and at some other place they are taking holy bath.
There are ghats that are cursed and there are ghats that give you salvation.
Every day thousands of dead bodies come here for burning. I am amazed to see how normal it is for the people here, or so it seems. They seem to be unaffected by the presence of dead, mere thought of which shakes us from within. Again in the chaos of burning the dead, there is a peace and calm. There is a silent understanding that what comes has to go one day.
Strange chaos it is, full of calm!
It is a city full of chaos. Be it the slow paced traffic of cars, cows, rickshaw, cycle and pedestrians all on the same bumpy road with continuous honking from all sides; or the streets and lanes, not even wide enough for 2 people to walk side by side, full of people, cows and even bikes running on them... You can expect anything to come from anywhere and hit you. And mind you, don't expect a sorry. The accused will smile at you and move further.
Inspite of all the chaos hardly did I see anyone getting irritated or shouting at each other. There is a strange calm that drive these people. It's hard to say where it comes from. It can be their faith in the place they live in and the spiritual aura that surrounds it. Or it can be the patience they have developed over time by experiencing the chaos day and night Or have they gotten so use to of all this, it no more feels like a chaos? Whatever it may be, it is exceptional.
Another aspect that attracts my attention is "Thugs of Banraras". I have heard stories about the pandas... how people would give all their belongings to them and get killed at Banaras to attain salvation. I hope it no more exists but till today people are being fooled on the name of salvation. Pandas take huge amounts to perform rituals and collect money. And faith makes them do it all. They get robbed willingly and return happy. Who would decide if they are fooled or they get (bought) what they were looking for - the inner peace, at cost of whatever. Who cares!
At some place on the same river they are dumping garbage and at some other place they are taking holy bath.
There are ghats that are cursed and there are ghats that give you salvation.
Every day thousands of dead bodies come here for burning. I am amazed to see how normal it is for the people here, or so it seems. They seem to be unaffected by the presence of dead, mere thought of which shakes us from within. Again in the chaos of burning the dead, there is a peace and calm. There is a silent understanding that what comes has to go one day.
Strange chaos it is, full of calm!
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