Varanasi - 2010
Varanasi, also commonly known as Benares, is the holiest Hindu place in the world.
Dating back to 1400BC, Varanasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world,
and almost certainly the oldest in India.
The Ganges River (Ganga) usually flows in a south-east direction,
but at Varanasi it changes its course briefly and flows north through the city,
This is considered very auspicious. Shiva is said to have poured the River Ganga down from the Himalayas.
Varanasi is also a sacred site for Buddhists as Buddha gave his first sermon just outside the city.
Varanasi had the most chaotic traffic on its crowded, narrow streets that I saw anywhere in India.
A big bun-fight with bicycles, tuk-tuks, trishaws and pedestrians.
We had a "ride from hell" in a tuk-tuk through the very bumpy, crowded streets.
There are more than 100 ghats (steps leading to the river) that cover over 6km.
To have your ashes sprinkled into the Ganges here is to receive an instant passport to heaven.
There were lots of wedding parties visiting the Ganges.
This ritual hopefully leads to a propitious relationship.
The groom's waistband and the bride's dupatta (scarf) are tied in a knot called a gath-joda.
Some wedding parties were even accompanied by musicians.
In the evening we went on a cruise on the Ganges.
We were entertained by musicians playing tablas (Indian drums) and a sitar.
As is tradition, we offered a wish with each candle that we floated on the Ganga.
At the end of our cruise we watched a Ganga Aarti Hindu ceremony at Dasaswamedh Ghat from our boat.
We were up early the next morning to see the sun rise over the Ganga.
Piles of wood for funeral pyres on the banks of the Ganges.
We saw a number of cremations in progress.
It is cheaper to have an "electric" cremation (in the building with the 2 chimneys).
Yoga is a cure all !!!!
Benares Hindu University
Founded in 1916, it is the largest residential university in Asia with over 12,000 students living on campus.
It has an enrollment of over 15,000 students, and occupies an area of over 3 km2.
They told me that they were girl guides.
An old mosque in Varanasi.
The beautiful lady at the reception desk at our hotel in Varanasi.
I made a new friend on the train on the 14-hour trip back to Delhi.
Varanasi, also commonly known as Benares, is the holiest Hindu place in the world.
Dating back to 1400BC, Varanasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world,
and almost certainly the oldest in India.
The Ganges River (Ganga) usually flows in a south-east direction,
but at Varanasi it changes its course briefly and flows north through the city,
This is considered very auspicious. Shiva is said to have poured the River Ganga down from the Himalayas.
Varanasi is also a sacred site for Buddhists as Buddha gave his first sermon just outside the city.
Varanasi had the most chaotic traffic on its crowded, narrow streets that I saw anywhere in India.
A big bun-fight with bicycles, tuk-tuks, trishaws and pedestrians.
We had a "ride from hell" in a tuk-tuk through the very bumpy, crowded streets.
There are more than 100 ghats (steps leading to the river) that cover over 6km.
To have your ashes sprinkled into the Ganges here is to receive an instant passport to heaven.
There were lots of wedding parties visiting the Ganges.
This ritual hopefully leads to a propitious relationship.
The groom's waistband and the bride's dupatta (scarf) are tied in a knot called a gath-joda.
Some wedding parties were even accompanied by musicians.
In the evening we went on a cruise on the Ganges.
We were entertained by musicians playing tablas (Indian drums) and a sitar.
As is tradition, we offered a wish with each candle that we floated on the Ganga.
At the end of our cruise we watched a Ganga Aarti Hindu ceremony at Dasaswamedh Ghat from our boat.
We were up early the next morning to see the sun rise over the Ganga.
Piles of wood for funeral pyres on the banks of the Ganges.
We saw a number of cremations in progress.
It is cheaper to have an "electric" cremation (in the building with the 2 chimneys).
Yoga is a cure all !!!!
Benares Hindu University
Founded in 1916, it is the largest residential university in Asia with over 12,000 students living on campus.
It has an enrollment of over 15,000 students, and occupies an area of over 3 km2.
They told me that they were girl guides.
An old mosque in Varanasi.
The beautiful lady at the reception desk at our hotel in Varanasi.
I made a new friend on the train on the 14-hour trip back to Delhi.
