Varanasi and Ganges

Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old  as all of them put together.

 --  Mark Twain --

Varanasi and Ganges cannot be separated in many's point of view. Varanasi is also called Benaras and Kashi. Modernisation doesn't seem to have reach on this holy land. Old, like Mark Twain said. So old that you think you go back in time once you step foot on this magical land. I might have exaggerated a little bit, but forgive me, i was truly touched by city. 

Varanasi is very famous, so just like any other famous places, it attracts many tourists. Unlike any places in Europe or any developped countries, a large amout of tourists in under-developping country will surely lead to booming tourism industry and also annoying touts and scams. When i was there, i was asked so many times whether i would like some drugs. There are many people selling a large variety of drugs, from cocaine to weeds, and many more that i first heard of their names. Why there are so many drug dealers anyway? My guess is they are selling to hipster tourists or may be to those holy men, as drugs may have used to achieve 'higher' mental state.  

Nevertheless, Varanasi is so old that it doesn't lose its charm because of all these side effects of tourism. Varanasi seems like a stubborn, uncorrupted, old-fashioned man, who doesn't give a f**k to these things so called civilisation and modernization. 

You can already feel the holiness of the city once you get off the train at the train station. The train station itself looks like a temple. The station isn't very big but it is surely busy as always. Groups after groups of Hindus and Buddhists, some are led by a guide, some are self-organised, going into and out of trains. Most of them are carrying bottles for the water from Ganges and all of them are here for either pilgrimage or for the funeral of their relatives. 

Varanasi is also where you will see many corpses, carried around on stretcher, covered in colourful fabric. The rich uses silk, the poor uses lower quality of fabric. They are sent here to be cremated into ashes, to be recombined with Ganges and Mother Nature. They all will be burned in either one of the only two burning ghats in Varanasi. Female members of the family cannot attend the ceremony of cremation, since women are commonly thought to be crying during such depressed moment. No tears should be shed during the ceremony because it is considered an honour to be cremated in Varanasi. Everybody should feel lucky and happy for the dead. After the cremation, every member of the family will take bath in the Ganges. 

The burning ghats keep going on 24/24, 7/7, and 365 days every year and never stop.

Burning Ghat

Burning Ghat

The cook in Yogi Lodge. Nice guy and cooks good food.
My mom and I didn't stay in Yogi Lodge but a guest house just opposite Yogi.
We came to eat here very often.

Forget all the famous spots in Varanasi. Varanasi is famous for only three things, its temples, its ghats and its narrow criss-crossing, confusing alleys. There are only two things worth-doing in Varanasi, get a boat ride on Ganges and get lost in the confusing maze of narrow alleys. Enjoy the beauty of Varanasi from outside during the boat ride, and feel the true nature of the city by walking through the alleys.     

Too bad i visited Varanasi during wrong period of time - the week of high tide and monsoon season. So many beauties were submerged under water, and i didn't get to see them. What a shame...