Varanasi Today

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I remember Varanasi clearly from 1965 and there is little resemblance today — except for the eternal Ganges river which is its heart and soul.  

From the Assi Ghat

Urban sprawl has gulped the small commercial areas into a chaotic mix of 4-5 story shopping malls and horrendous traffic.  We heard how Prime Minister Modi, holding the congressional seat for Varanasi although a Gujarati man, has put great effort into helping the city with new development, better infrastructure, and more opportunities for tourism.  The result is mixed, although lauded by some locals, as creation of the new fly-over roads have meant partly demolished buildings along the roads, and the many new commercial projects have meant more cars on streets originally built for pilgrims on foot, carts and bicycles.  The attempt to bring in more tourists has worked:  We understand 3 times more Indian tourists are now visiting the city in the last few years,   But in order to provide boat rides on the Ganges for tourists during the high water monsoon season, an essential part of any journey here, PM Modi arranged for large diesel spewing 3-decker neon-lit boats to be sent to the city, eliminating the livelihood for solo rowers who were the lifeblood of the river. So instead of the sound of chanting and bells in the early morning and night, the main sound while boating on the river now are noisy motors.   

But this is an unusual period of time. I am told there are an unusually large number of people here now due to the nearby Kumbh Mela, with devotees stopping off at this holiest of cities on their way to Prayagraj.    Large vehicles are temporarily not allowed into the central area near the river due to the number of visitors. We were required to leave our car and walk down to the Aasi ghat to our wonderful hotel, the Ganges View.   In the early evening we were taken by noisy boat to one of the many landing spots, or ghats, along the riverbank and then were led by our guide through a great crush of people to be taken up some stairs and seated on a deck above the people below to watch the impressive Aarti ceremony.  This ceremony performed by priests by the river is now a Las-Vegas style show and there are at the moment about 50,000 people who came to watch where as the more normal throng is 15,000.   There are a number of temple groups doing this activity at about the same time, the most impressive one of which we are viewing. There are 7 priests in a row performing identical movements choreographed many centuries ago.  In the past, small rowing boats would pull up to allow tourists to watch the rite but now the great numbers of large boats makes viewing from the water on a small boat impossible.  We are very happy to be seated among the (paying) guests on the terraces of a private home right above the action.

The Aarti Ceremony performed by the Ganga Seva Nidhi NGO to promote peace and prosperity

Getting there entailed walking through huge crowds, up and down narrow high uneven stone steps, with people pushing in both directions and I felt uncomfortable enough to ask our guide to take another route to our destination.  This alternate way involved many stairs.  And getting on and off the boat requires some additional gymnastics, including jumping down onto soggy ground before reaching the steps.  Bill and I have both been waring masks, for the air pollution and contagion from other people and, with Bill coughing a little, from each other.  

The boat experience was so noisome at night that we forgo an early morning boat ride in favor of attempts at more sleep.  Our guide, a very knowledgable fellow, meets us after breakfast and we visit the famous red Durga Temple, dedicated to the female warrior, a consort of Shiva, with many arms who rides a tiger or lion.   Formerly, and the last time I visited, the temple was overrun with very many bothersome monkeys.  But we were told the the temple authority arranged for the temporary occupation of a  large black-faced monkey that scared all his smaller brothers away.  The relocated monkeys are said to have found it easier to get food from the local neighborhood and are now bothering the residents rather than the worshippers.  Unexpected consequences of actions.  Another change is that the temple is now open to non-Hindus which was not the case for period of time when a number of temples were restricted. Maybe it was decided tourism dollars are more important than some people’s concept of purity. But everyone must hand in their mobile phones at the entrance to the Durga Temple as no photos inside are allowed.

Right outside the Durga Temple.

We drive North to the nearby archeological site of Sarnath, where Buddha first began teaching his views about human experience.   Little is left there except the brick remains of buildings and one large stupa left intact by the invading Muslim armies. 

The remains at the Deer Park in Sarnath

The setting is now a beautiful, green and peaceful park, originally known as the deer park, and as we walk around we discover that a special event is happening later that day:  a group chanting of Buddhist priests from around the world.   So we return after lunch, to watch and listen to 32 saffron-robed monks from India, Tibet, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and the U.S. chant Buddhist sutras together for the benefit of humankind. They were introduced as all of the Hinayana tradition except for their Vajryana brethren from Tibet.

International Group of Monks changing from books and phones

The nearby Government Museum at Sarnath contains well-done displays of Buddhist stone sculpture, although the star by far is the top the Ashoka Column, adopted as the symbol of India.

The top of the great Ashoka Column

We were treated in the afternoon by our tour operator to an unexpected visit to the BrigRama Palace Hotel – the only high-end luxury hotel right on the banks of the river.  It has private transport boats carrying guests from the most Northern to the most Southern ghat, stopping off at the hotel about half-way down the densely packed corridor of ancient buildings.  And it has a working elevator!

Inside the main central courtyard of the BrigRama Palace.
The BrigRama Palace Hotel at night as we left.

The most northern ghat, where the boat to the BrigRama hotel begins, is now a newly constructed Modi-supported project called Namo Ghat, the name related to the sculptures of hands dominating the area in the traditional position of greetings, Namaste.  There are children’s rides, cotton candy sellers and other family attractions that compete for attention with this elegant art.

On our trip southwards, we see the two local burning ghats where people are cremated, with fires burning 24 hours a day. The original one, the Manikarnika Ghat is partly under renovation, another Modi project, so there is now a very active second one downriver, on the Harishchandra Ghat.

Harishchandra Cremation Ghat

 

Bill thought it interesting that our guide, a Varanasi native, thought that the lanes in the central part of the city were too encumbered by crowds for us to attempt to visit.  Luckily, both Bill and I had visited the narrow shops and alleyways before on an earlier visit. When we arrive back to our hotel, where we have a dinner with the brown rice I had brought with me and asked the kitchen to cook, and some delicious vegetables, we have our luggage moved to another hotel a few doors away as we were booted out of ours due to an accidental group overbooking but graciously accepted our fate.  The problem I am now facing is that the very strenuous navigation of ghat stairs last night and today around and in and out of boats has seriously impacted one of my knees. I can walk but I am going to be in big trouble if anytime during the rest of this trip, I am forced to use a squat toilet!  Maybe time will heal.

On to the Kumbh Mela!