Crazy Varanasi

We spent one week in Varanasi, which for Hindus is the holiest of all Indian cities. It was both fascinating and exhausting. People come there to bathe, perform prayers and wash away their sins in the sacred river Ganges. Ironically the poor river is dangerously polluted and murky by the time it reaches Varanasi and so travelers are advised not to go in. Hindus also come to cremate their relatives and friends as it is auspicious to do so here. It is thought by them that this breaks the cycle of rebirth as they believe in reincarnation i.e. that your behavior in this life dictates into which form you will be born next life.

The holy river Ganges next to the ghats in Varanasi

Varanasi is unlike any other city I have ever seen. Ghats, or series of steps leading to the water, line the side of the Ganges for a few kilometers and are home to a bustle of Indian life and activity. Behind the ghats are a huge number of narrow, confusing alleyways where traffic cannot go and in which you can get instantly lost giving the place a unique feel. We had a particular incident in which we got stuck behind such a fat cow (they are very well fed and large animals out here) who was blocking the alley reaching the entrance to our guest house. In India cows come first and humans come second so we had to wait until he decided to move on as we have not yet mastered the art of slapping them on the bum as the locals do. Then behind the alleys is the 'real' city of Varanasi which resembles most cities in India - dirty, loud, crowded and in a nutshell crazily hectic.

I have very mixed feelings about my time in Varanasi. Sliding around the alleys in cowshit is somewhat amusing for a while, particularly when I have smugly invested in some decent sandals and could therefore laugh at others in flip flops getting their feet covered in poo. However I think it felt quite peculiar to be back with other travelers and to feel like a tourist again after all those months of rural living. Interacting with local Indians, you're treated as a cashpoint and it's harder to make a personal connection which Lucy and I both found really difficult. It was also very crowded everywhere which I was no longer used to, which was quite overwhelming.

Me getting scared of the cows

Still, our guest house had a rooftop overlooking the city, with a good atmosphere which became our hideaway from the chaotic life below. Here it was nice to sit and chill, watching the monkeys scurry from building to building. At one point I almost had my lonely planet stolen by one that bravely jumped on the table and grabbed it in its hands before realising that it wouldn't be very tasty.

The view from our guest house rooftop overlooking the city

The guest house was situated in Manikarnika Ghat, a bit of an odd choice of location given that it is the main burning ghat (for dead bodies!) however we were far enough away that we couldn't smell the fumes or see the flames. We spent an evening sitting on the steps watching the cremations take place. I actually found it quite relaxing to watch the fires burn but probably more so than others because I really need new contact lenses therefore wasn't able to make out the corpses being cremated. Yet other people described seeing bursting veins, skin melting and feet falling off - lovely! Occasionally you would hear a loud 'pop' which apparently is the head bursting. It may all sound a bit crude, but in all seriousness, for Hindus these are sacred ceremonies and therefore we had to show respect by sitting quietly and not taking pictures. Yes there are many tourists who do wish to take pictures of this. However luckily for those people postcards are readily available. My favourite quote in Varanasi being 'I think I prefer the ones (postcards) in which they are pouring petrol on the dead bodies'. Classy.

Lucy and I with one of the locals (and this one is small!)

We did the typical tourist activity of taking a boat ride along the Ganges before sunrise. With the mist, floating candles and bells ringing all around it felt very magical and surreal. We watched Indians perform poojas (prayers) and bathing in the freezing cold water. Our guide taught us that not all Hindus are cremated as for 'pure' beings (pregnant women, children and holy men to name a few) this is not required, they can simply be thrown in the river. This is all very well until monsoon when they wash up onto the shore and have to be pushed back into the middle to sink.

Yet what I most enjoyed doing in Varanasi was sitting on the steps and people watching for hours. It gives you such an insight into Indian life. You watch people sipping chai, praying, washing their clothes, playing cricket and cards, skipping (perhaps to warm up after the swim?), getting a haircut, an ear clean, a shoe scrub, sweeping the streets - a vast of array of activities that I enjoyed just observing. Getting lost in the back alleys was also fun, stumbling out of the tourist area of cafes and guest houses, back into mental Indian life of fruit and veg stalls, sweet and tobacco shops, horns, animals and delicious street food. Being lost makes me feel more alive in a strange way - I think it's the feeling of having no idea where you are which excites me.

Varanasi is without a doubt a must see. It really portrays a wide spectrum of Indian life which is so interesting, however one week is enough for me. Also, I've never seen so many men publicly urinating as in Varanasi, strange but true and a little off putting. When there is so much beautiful nature close by, city life is just not what Lucy and I want, which is why we knew that it felt right to move on to the next destination. However, I have a feeling that I will be back here and need to give it another chance.