A monkey was run over on the way to the airport. The plane was delayed for 4 hours due to fog. A cyclist was hit on the way from the airport. In the evening I watched the dead being burned at the stake. As for the rest, beautiful marquise, everything is fine, everything is fine ...
This article is about the Holy River Ganges and what happens on its banks.
Due to a flight delay in Varanasi, I arrived four hours late. He checked into a hotel and in the evening went to the Ganges River to observe the evening prayer of the Brahmins. I rode a veorikshaw across the city:
Over 2 million people live in Varanasi. Even on a cycle rickshaw, squeezing through the narrow streets is very difficult:
There is a cacophony of horns, bicycle bells and screams all around. My cab driver constantly bumped into someone, cut someone off and talked to someone. It was here that the understanding fell upon me: "How many people are here!" I had absolutely no space of my own - I floundered hopelessly in a vast human ocean. At the same time, everyone smiled at me and waved their hands in a friendly manner:
Varansi is located on the banks of the Ganges River and stretches for about 8 kilometers. Along the entire embankment, steps descend to the water - Ghats:
We approached the place where we were preparing for the most famous Brahmin evening prayer in India:
Before it started, we rented a boat and sailed to the place where the dead are burned at the stake, and their ashes are scattered over the Ganges. The guide said that the Ganges river used to flow in Paradise, but the great king Bagirat asked God Shiva to let it flow in our world as well. Shiva went to the meeting and now we have the Ganges river. If the deceased is burned on the banks of the Ganges River and his ashes are thrown into the water, then he will immediately go to heaven. You need to burn on real firewood from trees. Rich people use sandalwood. The human body burns out in about 2 hours. After that, a new one immediately appears in the place of this fire. People are burned around the clock due to the large number of applicants and lack of space:
The next morning I met the dawn on the Ganges. Read the photos and story below:
Filming is not allowed near this place. We swam close to the fires and moored to the boats with other tourists. Everyone watched as the dead were burned at the stake. Several corpses lay on the stairs, ready to be cremated and waiting for their turn.
I was expecting the smell of burning human flesh to be stronger, but near this place it didn't differ much from the smells in the rest of the city.
About 200 meters upstream, the evening prayer has already begun:
The spectators sat on the steps behind the Brahmins and in boats on the water:
The ritual lasted about 40 minutes:
At this time, nimble boys jumped from boat to boat and sold floating wreaths with candles to tourists. We must let them sail on the Ganges and make a wish:
The stairs are full of life.
Pilgrims in yellow robes enjoy dinner:
At 6 am the next day, we again arrived at the ghats to meet the dawn on the water. Despite this early hour, it was crowded here:
We bought wreaths that were to be launched into the Ganges at dawn:
Boats with tourists and onlookers sailed along the shore:
And on the shore people bathed, laughed, prayed, washed, brushed their teeth and burned the dead:
A group of pilgrims from the south:
Religious ritual. Brahmin smeared with human ashes:
People enjoy life. The guide said that laughter cures many diseases, such as stomach disease:
Some just sit and pray or talk:
Many wash on the Ganges. For this, special bridges are arranged along the entire river, on which the Indians beat with linen:
Pay attention to this photo. On the right, a man is washing clothes. To the left is a funeral pyre. A person is burned on it:
I didn't post the next photo here. This is the close-up of the funeral pyre from the previous photo. I STRONGLY DO NOT RECOMMEND see this photo for children, pregnant women and impressionable people. If you still want to see it, then click here.
After that, we swam up to the stairs where people are burned. This is the main place in the city designed for this:
masterok :
Our planet is full of wonderful surprises from nature and ancient civilizations, full of beauty and sights, and you can also find quite unusual, strange, gloomy traditions and rituals on it. Although it should be noted that for us they are strange and scary, and for some - this is their everyday life, this is their culture.
Each of the billion Hindus dreams of dying in Varanasi or burning their body here. The open air crematorium smokes 365 days a year and 24 hours a day. Hundreds of bodies from all over India and abroad come here every day, fly in and burn. The Hindus came up with a good religion - that we, having given up the ends, do not die for good. Vladimir Vysotsky instilled in us these basic knowledge about Hinduism to the chords of his guitar. He sang and enlightened: "you live right - you will be happy in your next life, and if you are stupid like a tree, you will be born a baobab"
Varanasi is an important religious place in the world of Hinduism, a center of pilgrimage for Hindus from all over the world, as ancient as Babylon or Thebes. Here, more than anywhere else, the contradictions of human existence are manifested: life and death, hope and suffering, youth and old age, joy and despair, splendor and poverty. This is a city where there is so much death and life at the same time. It is a city where eternity and existence coexist. This is the best place to understand what India is, its religion and culture.
In the religious geography of Hinduism, Varanasi is the center of the universe. One of the most sacred cities for Hindus serves as a kind of line between physical reality and the eternity of life. Here the gods descend to earth, and a mere mortal achieves bliss. It is a holy place to live and a blessed place to die. This is the best place to achieve bliss.
The fame of Varanasi in Hindu mythology is unparalleled. According to legend, the city was founded by the Hindu god Shiva several thousand years ago, making it one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the country. It is one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus. In many ways, it embodies the best and worst of India, sometimes horrifying to foreign tourists. However, the scene of pilgrims praying in the rays of the rising sun along the Ganges River, with Hindu temples in the background, is one of the most impressive sights in the world. When traveling through northern India, try not to bypass this ancient city.
Founded a thousand years before the birth of Christ, Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world. It has been called by many epithets - "city of temples", "sacred city of India", "religious capital of India", "city of lights", "city of enlightenment" - and only recently its official name was restored, which was first mentioned in the Jataka - an ancient narrative Hindu literature. But many still continue to use the English name Benares, and the pilgrims call it none other than Kashi - that is how the city was called for three thousand years.
The Hindu really believes in the wanderings of the soul, which, after death, moves to other living beings. And he relates to death like and especially, but at the same time ordinary. For the Hindu, death is just one of the stages of samsara, or the endless game of birth and death. And a follower of Hinduism dreams of not being born one day. He strives for moksha - the completion of the very cycle of rebirths, along with which - to liberation and deliverance from the hardships of the material world. Moksha is practically a synonym for Buddhist nirvana: the highest state, the goal of human aspirations, a certain absolute.
ATTENTION!
For millennia, Varanasi has been the center of philosophy and theosophy, medicine and education. The English writer Mark Twain, shocked by his visit to Varanasi, wrote: "Benares (the old name) is older than history, older than tradition, even older than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together." Many famous and most revered Indian philosophers, poets, writers and musicians have lived in Varanasi. In this glorious city, the classic of Hindi literature Kabir lived, the poet and writer Tulsidas wrote the epic poem of Ramacharitamanas, which became one of the most famous works of Hindi literature, and the Buddha delivered his first sermon in Sarnath, just a few kilometers from Varanasi. Sung by myths and legends, consecrated by religion, it has always attracted a large number of pilgrims and believers since time immemorial.
Varanasi is located between Delhi and Kolkata on the west bank of the Ganges. Every Indian child who has listened to their parents' stories knows that the Ganges is the largest and holiest of all rivers in India. The main reason to visit Varanasi is, of course, to see the Ganges River. The significance of the river for the Hindus is beyond description. It is one of the 20 largest rivers in the world. The Ganges river basin is the most densely populated in the world, with over 400 million people. The Ganges is an important source of irrigation and communication for the millions of Indians who live along the river. Since time immemorial, she has been worshiped as the goddess of the Ganges. Historically, a number of capitals of the former principalities were located on its banks.
The largest cremation ghat in the city is Manikarnika. About 200 bodies are cremated here a day, and funeral pyres are lit day and night. Families bring here the dead who died of natural causes.
Hinduism has given those who profess it a method of guaranteed achievement of moksha. It is enough to die in the sacred Varanasi (formerly - Benares, Kashi. - Approx. Aut.) - and samsara ends. Moksha is coming. At the same time, it is important to note that cheating and throwing yourself under a car in this city is not an option. So moksha is definitely not visible. Even if the Indian did not give up in Varanasi, this city is still able to influence its further existence. If a body is cremated on the banks of the sacred river Ganges in this city, then the karma for the next life is cleared. So Hindus from all over India and the world aspire here - to die and burn. 
The Ganges embankment is the most party place in Varanasi. Here are sadhu hermits smeared in soot: real ones pray and meditate, tourist ones pester with offers to take pictures for money. Fastidious Europeans are trying not to enter into sewage, fat Americans take pictures of themselves against the backdrop of everything, frightened Japanese walk around in gauze bandages on their faces - they are saved from infections. It is full of rastamans with dreadlocks, freaks, enlightened and pseudo-enlightened, schizos and beggars, masseurs and hashish dealers, artists and other people of all stripes in the world. The incomparable diversity of the crowd.
There are many interesting places on Earth that travelers seek for various reasons. People go to some cities because of their beauty, to others because of delicious food or museums. And in the city of the dead, Varanasi (India), tourists go to be horrified. Many horror stories are told about him, but the flow of visitors here is only increasing. Why? Let's talk about why Varanasi - the city of the dead in India - is so popular with tourists, what is true in the stories about this place, and what is fiction.
Geographical position
Varanasi, the so-called city of the dead, is located in India, on the western bank of the Ganges River. This river is already surprising in that, unlike all the rivers of the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth, it does not flow from north to south, but vice versa, from south to north. Maybe that's why Hindus consider it sacred. The Ganges is one of the 20 largest water arteries in the world, and its basin is the most densely populated in the world. The river irrigates the fields, gives water to 400 million people, Indians float along it, wash with it, etc. The city is located in the north-east of the country, almost 800 km from the capital of the state - Delhi. The most convenient way to get here is by plane, although the city is connected with other regions by rail and road.
Name
The name of the city of Varanasi, according to experts, comes from the names of two rivers: Assi and Varuna. Both rivers flow into the Ganges - one upstream, the other downstream. But this settlement has several more names. The locals call it Benares (the old name), Avimuktaka ("city that cannot be left"), Anandakanana, Mahasmasana, Surandhana, Brahma Vardha, Sudarshana, Ramya and Kashi ("shining city"). Hindus believe that he was created by Shiva, and sometimes refer to the deity as the Supreme Lord of the Shining City. Locals most often call it Kashi. And they believe that Varanasi is the center of space and time, it stands on the trident of Shiva and is located between heaven and earth.
Story
Varanasi appeared in ancient times, like many ancient cities in India. The hill of the dead, on which the city grew, was inhabited at least 5 thousand years ago. The exact date of foundation of the settlement is unknown. But in the Vedas of the second millennium BC. e. the city is mentioned as the place where the world began, as the center of the universe. It has long been the center of Hinduism, a sacred city. In addition, Varanasi was a center of trade, a major religious and educational center. The city prospered, although more than once it was attacked by Muslims and more than once it was destroyed almost to the ground. But it is not for nothing that he is considered eternal, because he resurrected again and again.
But in the 11th century, Muslim raids brought the city into decline, which intensified from the 13th to the 17th century, when Varanasi was ruled first by the Delhi Sultanate and then by the Mongol Empire. In the 17th century, the strengthening of the Maratha Empire and the gradual revival of the city began. It becomes the capital of the independent state of Kashi. At the end of the 18th century, this country went under the control of the British East India Company. British rule lasted until the middle of the 20th century. This time was quite prosperous for Varanasi. A railway and electricity were built here, many trading and manufacturing enterprises were opened, a university and several institutes appeared here. At the same time, the city remained the center of Hinduism and culture. In the era of independence, Varanasi strengthens its position as the educational and economic center of the region. At the end of the 20th century, there were several conflicts on religious grounds, but gradually everything was settled. Today, the city has temples of several religions, tourism is actively developing, industrial production is growing, new cultural and educational institutions are opening. But for the whole world, the city still remains the most important center of Hinduism.
holy city
Which city is the same age as Babylon, which place is considered one of the most contagious on Earth, where do people come to die? This is all about Varanasi - the city of the dead in India. Photos from the streets and embankments of this city are not recommended for the faint of heart, only local residents can drink water from the river here, and it is better for tourists not to touch anything at all. All this is due to the fact that in Hinduism, Varanasi is the city where it is best to die. According to local legend, Kashi is the city of Shiva. Therefore, one has only to want to come here, and the sins of three lives will be written off from your karma, if a person goes to Varanasi, then he is destined for a good rebirth, and if he has already come to Kashi, then he is practically guaranteed moksha. Whoever dies in Varanasi is forever freed from the pangs of rebirth. Even if a person died somewhere else, but was cremated in Kashi, this will have a positive effect on his karma. Therefore, any true Hindu dreams of being buried here. To cremate a person, you need about 400 kilograms of firewood and 4 hours of time. Therefore, people have to languish for a long time in line next to the corpses.
And Indians rush here, who dream of parting with life in the Holy City. So they sit on the banks of the Ganges or roam the city and wait for death. But, besides the burial, people still go to Varanasi to take a bath in the sacred waters of the Ganges River.
Religious buildings
Any sacred place in the world is usually known for its churches and places of worship, but there are no places famous for their crematoria anywhere. Nowhere but Varanasi is the most unique city in India. The dead are burned in special temples called ghats, but ritual ablutions are also performed here. There are 84 such establishments in the city. Today it is possible to burn bodies only at two sites: in the most famous ghat - Manikarnika, where the fires have not been extinguished for several thousand years, and in Harishchandra. There are huge queues of people who brought their loved ones for burial. Between 400 and 600 bodies are burned daily at each site. But besides the ghats, there are several places in Varanasi where people meditate and pray. The most famous of them is Kashi Vishwanath, the temple of the Lord of existence, or Shiva. Every Hindu dreams of visiting this temple at least once, since this visit, together with a bath in the Ganges, grants moksha. There are several Buddhist temples and the famous Dhamek stupa in the city.
Rites and rituals
Many people know that Varanasi is a city in India where the dead are burned. But cremation is still a relatively harmless rite. After all, there is still a tradition of simply releasing corpses along the Ganges River. Hindus also go to Varanasi to bathe in the Ganges. These three main rituals attract a huge number of pilgrims to the city. And turn this place into something like chaos. Each rite has a strict sequence of actions, its own prayers, but they are all performed in the same places - on the banks of the river. Therefore, here you can see dead bodies floating along the river or already half-decomposed corpses washed ashore, nearby ashes from the bodies, in which burnt hands, feet, heads are visible. And nearby, in the same river, with a happy expression on their faces, people are washing ... The spectacle is really for people with strong nerves.
Myths and truth about the City of the Dead
Varanasi (India) has grown over its unique life with various legends and rumors. If you believe all these stories, then the city appears to be the most terrible place on Earth. But in reality, everything does not quite correspond to stereotypes. Let's deal with the main ones.
It is believed that corpses are burned everywhere in Varanasi, and the dead are everywhere. This is not entirely true. The bodies are burned only in two places on the embankment, in the rest of the city the dead are not visible.
It is believed that the Ganges is the dirtiest river in the world, because corpses float on it. And indeed it is. The corpses float along the river, sink to the bottom, lie along the shore. According to experts, about 45,000 non-cremated bodies remain at the bottom of the Ganges every year. In addition, the ashes from the burnt people are also washed into the river. So any infection can be found in the water of the Ganges, and therefore it is better to stay away from it. Although the Indians themselves not only wash themselves in it, but even drink this water and live peacefully on.
People also think that there is nothing else to see in Varanasi other than cremation rites. It's not like that at all. The city is full of various cultural and sporting events, there are restaurants, discos, shops. Everything, as in any large city.
Attractions
Varanasi is the city of the dead in India, but not only. It is also a large city, in which, in addition to religious rites, life is in full swing, including cultural. Tourists, in addition to the ghats, are advised to look at the university building - this is a wonderful example of colonial architecture. It is worth seeing the red temple of the goddess Durga. Flocks of monkeys live in it, which is why it is sometimes called the Monkey Temple. Another attraction is the Bharat Mata temple, which hosted the inauguration ceremony of M. Gandhi. Also in the city there are several museums and exhibition halls where you can get acquainted with the local history and culture.
city life
The City of the Dead Varanasi (India) is a large population center with more than 1.5 million people and a population density of almost 1,000 people per square kilometer. In addition, there are many pilgrims and tourists here, so the streets are very noisy and crowded. Transport is usually overcrowded, drivers drive according to the rules they know only. So this city does not allow you to relax and unwind.
Varanasi is a major economic center, so there are many shops and markets. The main industry is connected with the manufacture of Benares silk, the best in India. Luxurious saris are sewn from it, which are very expensive, but these outfits also look like real works of art. There are also many handicraft workshops in Varanasi: bone and wood carvers, potters, tanners, blacksmiths. Their products are great souvenirs.
Instructions for use
There are special rules that must be observed when arriving in the city of the dead in India. Photos of people and rituals in Varanasi can only be taken for money. If a tourist starts photographing a cremation or people on the shore, then they immediately demand money or permission from him, which can also be bought. If the tourist refuses to pay, they can take away his camera or phone and even beat him. Another danger is monkeys. There are a lot of them here, and they drag everything they see. Therefore, doors and windows in the hotel must be closed, nothing should be left unattended anywhere. It is better to move around the city by taxi and with a local guide. Since single tourists are immediately surrounded by a crowd of beggars and scammers.
Varanasi is said to be the oldest city on earth.
So we can say that this is the city of the dead.
I don’t know how old it is, but the dirtiest one, that’s for sure.
It does not matter if you do not pay attention to the cow poop under your feet and the smell of urine from the sidewalks, and all at once there is so much beautiful and interesting!
Especially from the side of the Ganges.
In the meantime, taking a taxi from the airport to the booked hotel (I can recommend it: called Ganpati Guesthouse we push our way through the hustle and bustle of Varanasi's urban traffic.
And the place itself - Varanasi - is generally the most sacred: this is the place where Shiva went to nirvana in the form of a pillar of fire.
Tourists (at their request, of course) are shown an unquenchable fire that has been burning in this place for more than 3000 years.
Varanasi sprawled along the river as more and more were gradually built. ghats(steps leading to the water) where important ceremonies for Hindus take place in which not the last, but let's say the most important role is played by the water of the Ganges.
Transfer from Varanasi Airport
A taxi from the airport to the city costs 400 rubles, the ride takes about an hour.
IN Ganpati Guesthouse I booked a room with a balcony and a river view and did not lose: the view is amazing.
There is a restaurant on the roof of the guesthouse: there is meat (chicken), there is beer. The prices are normal.
Room in the guesthouse 55 bucks (air conditioning, shower, toilet). Free internet wi-fi
With the first rays of the morning sun on the banks of the Ganges River, an elderly man stretches out his hands towards the slowly rising fireball and says "namaste" (worship and glorification of the Almighty). Such scenes have been repeated every day for more than three thousand years in Varanasi, the holy city of India. Watching what is happening on the banks of the Ganges River, one gets the impression of a city frozen in time. Varanasi is an important religious place in the world of Hinduism, a center of pilgrimage for Hindus from all over the world, as ancient as Babylon or Thebes. Here, more than anywhere else, the contradictions of human existence are manifested: life and death, hope and suffering, youth and old age, joy and despair, splendor and poverty. This is a city where there is so much death and life at the same time. It is a city where eternity and existence coexist. This is the best place to understand what India is, its religion and culture.
In the religious geography of Hinduism, Varanasi is the center of the universe. One of the most sacred cities for Hindus serves as a kind of line between physical reality and the eternity of life. Here the gods descend to earth, and a mere mortal achieves bliss. It is a holy place to live and a blessed place to die. This is the best place to achieve bliss.
The fame of Varanasi in Hindu mythology is unparalleled. According to legend, the city was founded by the Hindu god Shiva several thousand years ago, making it one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the country. It is one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus. In many ways, it embodies the best and worst of India, sometimes horrifying to foreign tourists. However, the scene of pilgrims praying in the rays of the rising sun along the Ganges River, with Hindu temples in the background, is one of the most impressive sights in the world. When traveling through northern India, try not to bypass this ancient city.
Founded a thousand years before the birth of Christ, Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world. It has been called by many epithets - "city of temples", "sacred city of India", "religious capital of India", "city of lights", "city of enlightenment" - and only recently its official name was restored, which was first mentioned in the Jataka - an ancient narrative Hindu literature. But many still continue to use the English name Benares, and the pilgrims call it none other than Kashi - that is how the city was called for three thousand years.
For millennia, Varanasi has been the center of philosophy and theosophy, medicine and education. The English writer Mark Twain, shocked by his visit to Varanasi, wrote: "Benares (the old name) is older than history, older than tradition, even older than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together." Many famous and most revered Indian philosophers, poets, writers and musicians have lived in Varanasi. In this glorious city, the classic of Hindi literature Kabir lived, the poet and writer Tulsidas wrote the epic poem of Ramacharitamanas, which became one of the most famous works of Hindi literature, and the Buddha delivered his first sermon in Sarnath, just a few kilometers from Varanasi. Sung by myths and legends, consecrated by religion, it has always attracted a large number of pilgrims and believers since time immemorial.
Varanasi is located between Delhi and Kolkata on the west bank of the Ganges. Every Indian child who has listened to their parents' stories knows that the Ganges is the largest and holiest of all rivers in India. The main reason to visit Varanasi is, of course, to see the Ganges River. The significance of the river for the Hindus is beyond description. It is one of the 20 largest rivers in the world. The Ganges river basin is the most densely populated in the world, with over 400 million people. The Ganges is an important source of irrigation and communication for the millions of Indians who live along the river. Since time immemorial, she has been worshiped as the goddess of the Ganges. Historically, a number of capitals of the former principalities were located on its banks.
For devout Hindus, the Ganges River meant the same as the goddess of the earth Gaia for the ancient Greeks: the giver of life, help and salvation. Hindus view the Ganges River as amrita, the elixir of life, which brings purity of life and salvation to the dead. The religious beliefs of the Hindus encourage them to undertake the pilgrimage to Varanasi at least once in their lifetime. Hindus believe that the river Ganges flows to earth from heaven to wash away worldly sins from mere mortals. Therefore, all life in the city is centered around the sacred river. Shortly before dawn, the banks of the Ganges come alive as thousands of pilgrims - men, women and children - descend to the river to meet the rising sun, and then immersion in the sacred river will cleanse them of their suffering and wash away their sins. Every day, more than 60,000 people come to the banks of the river to dip in the sacred waters of the Ganges, offer their prayers to the forces of nature, the rising sun, the dead ancestors, carried away by the waters of the sacred river. People are attracted to the river by the strong belief that water can take away the sins of many generations.
Each person performs his own ritual of contact with the sacred Ganges: some bathe; others drink water, others offer their sacrifices in the form of flowers, fruits to the water, others fill the brought pots with holy water to take them to their homes to perform religious rituals.
Varanasi is best known for its ghats - an endless chain of stone steps descending to the water. Each of the approximately 100 ghats, large and small, has its own lingam (Shiva's male organ), and occupies a special place in the city's religious geography. Some of them have fallen into disrepair over the years, others continue to receive bathers from early morning. Some ghats are covered with legends and myths, some are already privately owned. Most of the ghats are for bathing, and a few are used for cremation.
At all times, pilgrims came to the city from all over India, even several thousand kilometers away, to bathe in the Ganges, cleanse themselves of sins and ... die in order to instantly ascend to heaven. Death is not bad business in Varanasi. The weak, the sick, and the elderly come to the city in anticipation of death. To die in a city on the banks of the river of life means to die with the hope of salvation, with the hope of getting rid of the endless cycle of life and death (reincarnation), and receive moksha, that is, eternal bliss. Thus, for centuries, Hindus have come to Varanasi to die or bring the ashes of the dead to be scattered over the holy waters of the Ganges River.
Devout Hindus view cremation as an important rite that frees the soul from the body, allowing the deceased to ascend to heaven. In traditional Hindu culture, when a person dies, the body of the deceased is ritually washed, the corpse is burned at the stake, then the ashes are scattered over the holy river by family members. In Varanasi, between 200 and 300 bodies are ritually cremated every day in several ghats along the river. Cremation of dead bodies takes place 24 hours a day. The dead are carried on bamboo stretchers through the streets of the old city, then dipped into the river, and only then are they burned. The bodies are shrouded in shiny cloth and covered with garlands of flowers. To hide the smell of burning bodies, incense is thrown into the fire. Tourists can watch the cremation ceremony, while they must be properly dressed. Taking photos is not allowed.
Deceased children under the age of 10, the bodies of pregnant women and those with smallpox are not cremated. A stone is tied to their body and thrown from a boat into the middle of the Ganges River. The same fate awaits those whose relatives cannot afford to buy enough timber. Cremation at the stake costs a lot of money and not everyone can afford it. Sometimes the purchased wood is not always enough for cremation, and then the half-burnt remains of the body are dumped into the river. It is quite common to see the charred remains of the bodies of the dead floating in the river. The city is estimated to bury about 45,000 uncremated bodies at the bottom of the river each year, adding to the toxicity of its already heavily polluted water. What shocks visiting Western tourists seems quite natural for Hindus. Unlike Europe, where everything happens behind closed doors, in India every aspect of life is visible on the streets, whether it's cremation, laundry, bathing or cooking.
The Ganges River has somehow miraculously been able to purify itself for many centuries. Even 100 years ago, germs such as cholera could not survive in its sacred waters. Unfortunately, today the Ganges is one of the five most polluted rivers in the world. First of all, because of the toxic substances discharged by industrial enterprises along the riverbed. The level of contamination by some microbes exceeds the permissible values hundreds of times. Visiting tourists are struck by the complete lack of hygiene. Ashes of the dead, sewerage and donations float past the faithful as they bathe and perform a cleansing ceremony in the water. From a medical point of view, bathing in water in which corpses decompose carries the risk of infections with numerous diseases, including hepatitis. It's kind of a miracle that so many people dip and drink water every day and feel no harm. Some tourists even join the pilgrims.
Ganga arati
One of the most mesmerizing spectacles of Varanasi takes place every evening at the Dashashwamedh Ghat. A group of young Hindu priests - a brahmin performs arati - a kind of ritual in Hinduism with lit candles, during which donations are presented: incense, flowers, fruits, and more. The colorful 45-minute ritual expresses the worship of Shiva, the sacred Mother of the Ganges, Surya (the Sun), Agni (fire), and the entire Universe. The arati ritual is extremely spectacular. Thousands of people attend this ceremony, including numerous tourists.
According to legend, Varanasi was founded by the Hindu god Shiva 5,000 years ago, although modern scholars believe that its age is estimated at about three thousand years. The city was under the control of Hindu rulers for many hundreds of years until the end of the 12th century, when it fell into the hands of a number of Muslim conquerors. The result was the complete destruction of Hindu and Buddhist temples and the construction of Muslim mosques in their place. Therefore, the age of the oldest buildings and temples of Varanasi dates back to the 18th century.
And yet the feeling of ancient history is quite tangible here. The labyrinths of narrow streets are filled with pilgrims buying flowers for puja (prayer), mourning relatives carrying the dead, and the singing of clergy - experiences that cannot be forgotten.
However, getting to know the city has two sides of the coin. The roads are crowded with cars, trucks, buses, rickshaws, bicycles, carts, people, goats, cows and buffaloes. Hot air is incredibly polluted. Narrow streets are in very poor condition, there are often no sidewalks, sacred cows for Hindus rummage through street garbage. Noise and smells can make your head spin. Varanasi is impressive and shocking at the same time.
Varanasi is famous for the manufacture of silk products, which are an integral part of the wedding dowry of every Indian girl. Brocade made in Varanasi is historically considered one of the best in India and is well known throughout the world. Its feature is embroidery of gold and silver threads. Such products are relatively heavy due to the fact that the pattern is decorated with gold and silver threads. Depending on the complexity of the design and models, the production of a sari takes from 15 days to one, and sometimes up to several months. The manufacturing technique is very complex and requires a lot of experience. Entire families are involved in this business, children begin to learn the basics of art from a very young age. Traditionally, for centuries, silk has been made by the city's Muslim community. Silk fabrics produced in Varanasi can be found all over India, and their high quality is generally recognized: it is said that the body of the Buddha was wrapped in a silk shroud made in Varanasi.
Entrepreneurial businessmen and rickshaw drivers are doing their best to drag tourists into shops in order to then receive their commissions. Therefore, shopping in Varanasi may well turn into a real nightmare, but the quality of textiles is worth it.
Sarnath
Take the opportunity and be sure to visit Sarnath. It is located about 10 km from Varanasi and is known as the place where Buda, having achieved enlightenment, gave his first sermon about 2500 years ago. For over 1000 years, Sarnath has attracted numerous pilgrims, about 3000 monks lived here, it was an important center for the study of Buddhism. But the constant Muslim invasions and robberies destroyed the monasteries and their material values at the end of the 12th century. Restored at the end of the 19th century, today it still attracts many pilgrims, but of the ancient buildings, only a pile of bricks from the destroyed monasteries and the Dhamek Stupa have survived here. Built around the year 500, the 31 m high Stupa is said to mark the spot where the Buddha taught his Eightfold Path leading from the end of man's eternal suffering to nirvana.
Varanasi is best visited during the Deepavali period. On the 15th day of Diwali, at dusk, each ghat is lit with lights, thousands of candles float on the river Ganges, accompanied by the singing of Vedic hymns. It is believed that the gods descend from heaven to bathe in the river on this occasion. Between April and October the weather is very hot and humid. It often rains in July and August, thick fog shrouds the city in December and January.
