Varanasi is a city on the banks of the Ganges and is one of the oldest in India. It is also one of the seven holiest places for Hindus and Jainism. When I first arrived, I felt at peace. This is one of the cities I wanted to see on my first visit to Inida, and I wasn't disappointed.
Some Hindus believe that death at Varanasi brings salvation. I don't know about that, but the ceremonies here to cremate the dead is something to behold. Being at a ghat, you feel uneasy as you are witnessing other people's loved ones being put on beds of wood to be burned and then their ashes cast into the Ganges.1
According to legend, Varanasi was founded by the god Shiva. The Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata are also stated to have visited the city in search of Shiva to atone for their sins of fratricide and Brāhmanahatya that they had committed during the climactic Kurukshetra war.2
The Ghats are embankments made in steps of stone slabs along the river bank where pilgrims perform ritual ablutions. They stretch as far as the eye can see, and on foggy days disappear into the mist. They also represent physical, metaphysical and supernatural elements all combining to create "the divine cosmic road", indicative of "its manifest transcendental dimension".3
The Manikarnika Ghat is the Mahasmasana (meaning: "great cremation ground") and is the primary site for Hindu cremation in the city.4
If you walk up the many steps along the ghats you will come across the varied multitude of temples. There is an estimate of 23,000 temples in Varanasi, which reminds me of Kyoto in Japan. Beyond the Ghats there are mazes of narrow alley ways criss-crossing one another. You could get lost navigating through them. Tucked away in these alley ways is the Blue Lassi that serves a kaleidoscope of delicious lassi concoctions. It is a must visit.
During our visit we took part in a Flower and candle ceremony. The first thing you have to do is track down someone selling the flower and candle creation. This won't be difficult as there are many a child trying to sell you them as you walk the ghats. The second thing you need to do is hire a boat to take you out into the waters just before sunset. You can find row boats and motorized boats. Most smaller vessels are of the rowing kind. Once you are now out in your boat with your candle flowers, you wait until the sun goes down. And wait, and wait, and wait, and if it is a bit cool out it feels like you having been waiting for ever. If there is a breeze out, even longer.
Finally the time has come to light your candle, say a wish to the Ganges and place your little flower boat into the water and let it sail away with the current. I have been told that if your wish comes true, you must return back to Varanasi and perform the ceremony once more and thank the Ganges for making your wish come true.
Of course the Ganges is a very special river in the eyes of all Indians, particularly the Hindus who believe that bathing in the Ganges remits sins, and that dying in Kashi ensures release of a person's soul from the cycle of its transmigration. Thus, many Hindus arrive here for dying, and if they can't die in Varanasi, many have their ashes spread here into the Ganges.
Varanasi is also played an important role in the development of Buddhism.
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1, 2, 3, 4 Excerpts from Wikipedia
