This post, and a few following, are culled from some writings I did for a group of family and friends via social media in March 2023, when Erin and I spent a month in India. Our travels included Delhi, Amritsar, Varanasi, the Buddhist pilgrimage sites of Sarnath, Lumbini, Kushinagar and Bodh Gaya, and then Tarapith, Dakshineshwar and Kolkata, all sites holy to the goddess Kali. Many of my posts were simply pictures and descriptions, but some were observational and/or longer and those I’ve included here. May they inspire…
March 5, 2023 - We're in Varanasi. Hard to know what to say about this place, there's so much here. It's one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on the planet, likely over 4000 years. It was a holy city even as the Vedas were written, the Hindu equivalent of the Torah / Old Testament, and ~ 1,500 years older. When Europe was full of barbarians (my ancestors, big grunting shout out!) folks here were recording deep spiritual teachings that are still practiced in the hundreds (thousands?) of temples throughout the city.
This is also the most sacred place in India to die and be cremated. People come here for that express purpose, the belief being that it will end the cycle of rebirths. This ain't Disneyland (©®™®© wtf). Below is a picture of the wood set aside for the burning pyres and the metal pyres themselves.
After taking this pic we ascended the stairs and started looking for a coffee. We heard chanting coming towards us, then saw the stretcher carrying a corpse covered in flowers. Puts my search for cappuccino in perspective. I also don't think I could be cremated here. There's a wood shortage after centuries of cremation practice and they charge by how much wood is required to "finish the job." As a big guy, I don't think this would be a good financial decision. Feel free to share your opinion in the comments.
View from our balcony
Rooftop dining. Cage to keep monkeys out, not us in (tho also effective for that)
Morning boat ride, ceremonies abound
Coffee with Camels
Alleyway shrine
I know how much you needed that cage...I vividly remember when cheeky monkeys actually came into our room in Varanasi and stole a whole big bunch of bananas 😂