Day 132, Varanasi [Saturday 12th April 2008]
Previous day: Day 131, Varanasi [Friday 11th April 2008]
Next day: Day 133, Varanasi to Lucknow [Sunday 13th April 2008]
We walk the opposite direction along the ghats today, heading southwards. It's 10.30am and already red hot. The river, again, is virtually empty, the only people in it are the dhobi wallahs and a couple of farmers washing their cows. It's so hot and quiet I'd gladly jump in there with them if I didn't suspect the water to be highly virulent.
We stop for a drink at the Palace on the Ganges hotel. Each of its rooms are named after a different Indian state, and decorated in the style of that state too.
We get a rickshaw to the station and book some tickets for our journey through Rajasthan, then have a delicious, fresh and healthy Lebanese thali at Haifa Hotel. Babaganoush, houmous and pita breads!
We walk back to Manmandir Ghat as the sun goes down. By the river we do a deal with a boatman named 'Moon' to give us a ride out today and tomorrow morning. We glide along the glassy river watching the gently hum of activity on the shore. Men bathe in groups, people offer candles to the river, others sit and watch from the steps.
At Manikarnika ghat the fires are blazing, flames reaching 10 feet high. Moon tells us thet cremation invariably takes 3 hours, no matter how big or small the person. The family will wait and watch during that time. Women generally do not attend, unless they are made of stern stuff. Occasionally, he says, there will be a piece of hip or breastbone left after the cremation, and the family will pick this up with bamboo sticks and throw it in the Ganges.
They generally do not take the ashes with them, nor throw them in the river — to be cremated here is auspicious enough. Large piles of ashes are raked up, though, and will eventually end up in the river anyway. Families from across India will also bring the ashes of their already cremated relative to place in the river. All cremation fires are lit from an 'eternal flame' that has supposedly been burning for over 1000 years!
Music from the Ganga aarti ceremonies drifts across the water as the fires burn brightly, lighting up the buildings surrounding the ghats with an orange glow and sending plumes of yellow smoke skywards.
We end the day with a beer (Fosters!) on the rooftop.
Next day: Day 133, Varanasi to Lucknow [Sunday 13th April 2008]
Previous day: Day 131, Varanasi [Friday 11th April 2008]