This is the last post on my trip to India in the winter of 2007.
Wednesday, January 31st - It was absolute chaos at the Varanasi train station upon our arrival after our overnight trip from Agra but we managed to get through the throngs of people to our bus which dropped us at our hotel, the Vaibhav. We had brunch (coffee, omelet and toast) then headed out to Sarnath (13 km out of town) which is where Buddha gave his first sermon. We visited Mulgandha Kuti which is on the site where Buddha meditated.
There was a museum on-site with artifacts that were very interesting. Some Chinese monks (I had asked one where they were from) went through security and had to give up their cell phones and digital cameras. They were all giggling like naughty schoolchildren. One lone monk had to sit outside guarding their ‘stash’. It was hilarious as you don’t think of monks as being that technologically advanced and their cheerful giggles made me laugh too. (remember this was back in 2007 - I don't remember if I even had a flip phone then!)
Then it was back to the hotel for dinner and an early night after the previous night of broken sleep.
Thursday, February 1st - We were up early and out by 6 a.m. to have our early morning boat ride on the Ganges. Amazing!!! People come to the Ganges (known as the Ganga in India) to purify themselves as it is a holy river. We Westerners can go on about how dirty the river is and how can they stand it but it was very humbling to see them bathing themselves and see the joy they felt at being there. From a distance we saw a cremation as well - it is said you will go right to Nirvana if you die in Varanasi and your ashes go into the Ganges. Dare I add that on the down to earth side we saw dogs hanging around the area due to the smell of roasting meat. At first we thought they were family dogs and then we realized they were hungry street dogs....(ok sorry if you were grossed out at that...just consider it all part of the Indian experience!)
It was such a humbling experience to be here. The sunrise was beautiful and we were given flowers to put in the Ganges to remember departed loved ones. Very special. Again on the practical gross side I didn't want to look too closely at the water as I'd read of people seeing dead bodies floating. (more on why that happens later)
We got off the boat and walked to the Gold Temple - it is in the area with a very well protected mosque - there have been bombs in the past so we had to go through security. Once again a clash between Muslims & Hindus. Oh religion.... We could not go into the temple as you have to be Hindu to go into that particular one. I have no photos of the outside and I honestly can't remember why but it must have been due to the increased security. We walked through very narrow lanes filled with people, cows & motorbikes back to our minibus.
After breakfast back at the hotel four of us took rickshaws back to the Ghats and walked along observing local life. It was especially interesting seeing the Sadhus - Hindu holy men who travel from one religious site to another. They coat their faces with ash, are naked (though maybe that depends on the weather!) and rely on the kindness of strangers for food. We saw the beginnings of a cremation - firewood is very expensive in India so you have to be quite wealthy to be cremated. Sometimes there is not enough firewood to burn the entire body before it is released into the water. Children are considered pure so are released into the Ganga without being cremated.
Here is a Sadhu.
Back via rickshaw to the hotel where I had a quiet evening in resting. The others were going to a festival on the Ganges where they had a great time. My tummy was burning and I decided that going on a small boat (ahem...no facilities) and negotiating a big crowd probably wasn't such a good idea. That's the only time in India I felt "not quite right" and that was minor.
Friday February 2 - After breakfast, we took off in tuk-tuks to do some shopping. We wandered around but it was so chaotic that we just gave up - we never did find any tourist type shops. We did see the local market which was interesting but not what we wanted at this point. I think we were all feeling a bit overwhelmed by Varanasi at this point - everything is so busy and noisy that it is very exhausting to even walk along the street.
This was a much quieter side street - complete with token cow!
Eyes in the back of your head would definitely be a bonus in India - especially for motorbikes that seem to be everywhere and go everywhere! (which is a common thing in Asia) We took a tuk-tuk out to the local university which was lovely - all green and quiet - we couldn’t get over the fact that we were in the same city!!
We had dinner at the hotel then took a bus to the train station for our return to Delhi. Poor Ann Marie was very sick - she had eaten something dodgy the night before. It wasn't meat as she was vegetarian but we're thinking the paneer (cheese) that she was very fond of. Luckily it was the end of our trip so she didn’t miss much. While the trip was horrid for Ann Marie I slept much better on this journey.
Saturday February 3 - While the train trip was better than the last one it was still a relief to reach Delhi. After breakfast the five of us got into a tuk-tuk to go to Connaught Place - the main "posh" shopping area. The driver gave us a great deal - we soon found out why. We got out at what we thought was Connaught Place only to find he had taken us to a tourist shop where he got a kickback. So we got into another tuk-tuk and when Michael went to sit in the front seat with the driver - something he’d been doing all along - the driver said he would charge us another 20 Rupees. Definitely back in the big city!!! Michael told the driver “You’re in dreamland mate” and crammed into the back seat with us. Ha, I still laugh about that!
Finally, we got to Connaught Place - Judy and Shanna hit the shops and after a foray into a bookshop where we both bought Indian cookbooks (I haven't even used mine; don't even know if I still have it!) Michael and I went to a yuppie coffee shop where we observed how the rich young people in Delhi live. It was quite an interesting contrast after the poverty we had witnessed over the past two weeks. We then boarded the metro (very clean) and both burst out laughing when we were informed by a taped recording to “mind the gap”. We got lost getting out of the metro station but asking people (who were very helpful) did the trick and we were soon back at the Hotel Florence. I was able to go into a regular carriage as I was with a man; if I was on my own I would have gone into a "female only" carriage so as not to get groped. (in my dreams - JOKING..) Ann Marie was feeling better so she was able to join the group for our last meal together. This was my final Indian meal - boohoo. I had a potato and cheese dish and a vegetable curry. (as I mentioned earlier I wasn't vegetarian but avoided meat for the most part just to be on the safe side) I absolutely loved the Indian food and I still rate it the best food I've had on any trip. The Oz mother and daughter team grumbled throughout their meal and left early - yay - so the rest of us were able to sit, relax and visit for a bit. Then it was back to the hotel and time to say goodbye. That is always the sad bit. We planned to have one last breakfast together the next morning though but I am so glad we said our goodbyes then...
Sunday February 4 - I was up early and after breakfast I headed down to the lobby and the car to take me to the airport was there early. I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to the others which upset me - the five of us got along so well and it was sad to realize I would probably never see them again. Mr. Hotty had suggested we leave for the airport early but I got there way too soon and my Virgin Atlantic flight hadn’t even opened up yet. The airport was under renovation and I had to sit in a very boring area divided from the check-in desks by plywood walls! Finally after a boring hour or so I was able to check in and go to the departures area. I spent the rest of my rupees on tea and ceramic elephant coasters. (is that a surprise?) Then it was time to say goodbye to India and board my Virgin Atlantic flight back to London. London seemed soooo quiet after India! I laugh just thinking about it as central London is NOT quiet but compared to the honking cars in India it sure is.
Any regrets? Yes, that I didn't spend more time in Delhi. I didn't see Old Delhi which I have heard is worth visiting. I flew in and out - don't ask me why as I was on a five week trip with plenty of time.
I really think Varanasi should be on everybody's itinerary of India. It can be disturbing and overwhelming but so very interesting and beautiful. I would love to go back and spend a few days there.
I have never felt so alive as I did in India. What can I say about India; amazing, enchanting, disturbing, eye-opening, humbling and life-changing.
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