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VietnamNEPAL + INDIA 2011
VARANASI - THE HOLY CITY OF INDIA
After crossing the border
we arrived in India and took this bus to Varanasi. 300km in 13 hours
Moto-taxi, quick and
cheap. We used it very often in India
I never expected to see so
much poverty after reading about how good the Indian economy is doing
Rubbish is everywhere and
animals feed on it, sometimes choking on plastic
Gandhi said: "The central
fact of Hinduism is cow protection"
Many Hindu ceremonies take
place on the banks of the Ganges
Evening is a very exciting
time to walk along the river
Puja
is
performed as an offering to various deities
It was a cold
morning, 10C maximum. Pilgrims were bathing anyway
Professional washermen.
There is religious merit in having clothes washed in the Ganges
We took a morning boat
ride in think fog
Hindu people feed animals
and believe in the presence of a soul in all creatures
Boatman in Varanasi (often
called Benaras in India)
There is always something
going on near the Main Ghat (Dasasvamedha Ghat)
The Ganges is one of the
most polluted rivers in the world
Hindu pilgrims taking a
ritual bath in the holy waters
Shaving the head is a
symbol of purification before bathing
Cows are free to roam the
city (and shit where they like)
Boatmen gathered around
fire to keep warm in the morning
Hindus believe that to die
in Varanasi releases them from the cycle of rebirths
Drying clothes after
washing them in the holy river
One of the streets leading
away from the Ganges
Narrow streets in Varanasi
In the morning not only
people try to keep warm around fires
Masala tea is sold just
about everywhere
Wood gathered for the
purpose of cremation
Manikarnika Ghat. Persons cremated there receive moksha
(liberation from the cycle of rebirths)
Sadhus (holy men) in
Varanasi
Elephant Man Disease is
caused by a gene mutation. Overgrowth of one side of the face is a
common sign
Varanasi is called "the
oldest living city on earth"
In the afternoon we took
another boat ride
Manikarnika Ghat.
Cremation takes place on 3 levels, depending on the caste of the
deceased person
Wood for cremation is
transported by river
We wanted a young boatman
who speaks English, so he could tell us about Varanasi
Instead he was going on
and on about his hard work and poverty
Varanasi made a big
impression on us, but it's not for the faint-hearted