The holy river Ganga is joined by many tributaries along its path. Two of the hundreds of rivers that merge into the Ganga and are responsible for bringing it to its glorious might are the rivers Varuna and Assi. Between these two rivers is inhabited the oldest living city in history, the city that is known by many names, the city that is believed to be taking one to salvation or Moksha, the city of the Gods, the city that birthed culture, nurtured it and is keeping it alive. This holiest of the holy cities was christened Varanasi, yes, a name derived by combining the names of Varuna and Assi rivers. Also known as Kashi, Varanasi is one city that calls you; you don't visit; you are simply summoned, and you abide. Why I say this, is because I have wanted to visit the ghats of Benaras for many, many years, and yet was unable to bring the plan to fruition when all of a sudden, an unplanned trip came my way out of nowhere, an unplanned sojourn to Kashi!
I have designed a few itineraries for visitors to Kashi, totally based on second-hand gyan, either from Google or by just asking around. And I must thank these travellers for not complaining about my trip-planning skills because the sightseeing that I suggested is simply not feasible. My naïveté can be understood by knowing that I planned to witness the Ganga Aarti and return to my hotel in just half an hour! Ganga Aarti, those who have witnessed it, is not even close to a half-hour affair. The spectacle lasts a couple of hours, from building up of the crowd, preparation by the pandits (monks), lining up of the boats and spectators in neat rows upon these boats, safety announcements by the city administration and the city Police and then finally the start of the rituals, followed by the melodious and harmoniously sung Ganga Aarti, an experience that can not be expressed in words.
Am I drifting too quickly? Yes, there's so much to talk about and tell that I need a little session of guided meditation on the Ganga Ghats to centre my thoughts. Yes, that also is an experience that one must not miss: a yoga and meditation session on the ghats. I am told there are 84 ghats in all, and all the ghats are in one line on one side of the river. The other bank is untamed, wild and free. River beaches, too, are sandy like the sea beaches. On the other side of the Ganges, one can see a large expanse of sandy beach, and on the river, there are many small and large boats bobbing in the sea of guaranteed business brought in by pilgrims and tourists.
So, let's begin at the beginning. I arrived in the city of Moksha, filled with anticipation, enthusiasm and hope. My excitement was palpable, and I am sure it was easily picked up by the observers around me. I wanted to see and feel as much as I could during my two days in Varanasi. I asked the driver for advice on what was possible to visit in the short duration of the evening I arrived. He suggested that we (my Gen-Z teenager accompanied me) start with the Sankatmochan temple, followed by Durga Kund. We arrived on a Saturday, which is the day of Lord Hanuman, and one can't even begin to imagine the crowd at this very famous temple. We reached the temple by 9:15 pm and were informed that Darshan closes by 10:00 pm. Well, first, the experience of reaching the temple itself was something which really wasn't required. In the mad rush of the unorganised Benaras traffic, we made our way through the sea of bicycles, rickshaws, e-rickshaws and pedestrians and somehow managed to squeeze our way to the destination. On the way, we witnessed one hot-headed UP scuffle, too, which was totally understandable given the sultry weather and the crazy traffic. Anyhow, just as we were looking for the tail of the Darshan queue, we observed that the queue was snaking a bit too long, and my Indian andaaza told me that there was no way we could make it before the closing time of the temple. Another Indian "Bhagwan sab jaante hain" statement came to my rescue, and we bowed in front of the main entrance to the temple and returned to where our driver had asked us to reach. Poor thing had just settled with an ice cream cup, and we surprised him by reaching a bit too quickly to be transported back to our hotel.
Back in the hotel, we both were a bit overwhelmed, and it's no secret that food is the answer, whatever the question may be. We gorged on some very delicious food at the hotel coffee shop and quietly (I talk of me here, gen-Z teenagers function differently), retired for the night with a little anxiety that the first impression hadn't gone too well, wondering what was in store for us ahead.
Day 2
The day began with a sumptuous Benarasi breakfast, which I shall write about in a separate paragraph. With a spring in our step, we left for the sightseeing of the Buddhist pilgrimage site of Sarnath, the place where Buddha delivered his first sermon. Barely 20 km from Varanasi, this is a must-include site in every itinerary. We were accompanied by the most generous and humble soul, the senior-most tourism professional in all of Varanasi, someone who has taken celebrities, state guests and dignitaries for sightseeing in Varanasi, someone who himself is an express ticket to everywhere in Varanasi. Privileges of having connections in the right places (a bit of showing off is allowed sometimes)!
Sarnath
The first site one visits in Sarnath is the Buddhist temple. The air is serene and soaked in peaceful energies. Sarnath brings a certain calm over your being. The temple complex is immaculately clean and immensely peaceful. Beautiful frescos inside the temple depict the story of Gautam Buddha, painted by the famous Japanese artist Kosetsu Nosu. The paintings take you through the birth, life and enlightenment journey of Lord Buddha, also known as Gautam Buddha, after the name of his second mother, Gautami, who brought him up.
Here's the story of the prince who renounced all comfort and luxury to walk the path of austerity and became the enlightened one - The Buddha.
The birth of the divine chosen one was no less than a miracle. Conceived in a dream and delivered in a garden among the lotus flowers, the baby was always miraculous and gifted with divine light. After the passing of his birth mother, he was brought up by the second queen, also the sister of his birth mother. The prophecies foretold that he would renounce the life of comfort, and so the king, his father, kept him away from all realities and miseries of life in order to protect his son. He once, on his outings, which usually were staged to portray only happiness and pleasant sights to him, saw an old and suffering man and discovered death. This led to him going into deep thinking, and one day, while his wife and son were fast asleep, he mounted his steed and galloped away to a faraway land. Accompanied by his five friends, he wandered and wandered and decided to meditate upon a place he felt gave him the energy for his meditation. As he meditated and overcame all the distractions and desires of the material world, he became enlightened and understood the deeper meaning of life. Thus came the transformation from Siddhartha to Gautam Buddha. After this, he came to Sarnath, where he met his five friends who had abandoned him earlier, and they became his first disciples to whom he delivered his first sermon. The holy land of Sarnath is a pilgrimage for the followers of Buddhism. We also saw many devotees chanting around here. There were pilgrims from Japan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Thailand when we visited.
Later, we walked to the main site, which is the Stupa of Sarnath, Dhamek Stupa. This trip will forever remain etched on my mind and my heart. We were walking on the land where Buddha once walked, and the realisation was indeed emotionally charged. I thought the main attraction would be the Stupa, but how wrong I was and how naive, too! A site where Buddha himself resided and blessed those who came for his audience houses a monastery with residential quarters, a boarding, a temple, the Stupa indeed, and the home of Buddha- Mulgandha Kuti. The broken pieces of the famous Ashoka Stambh are neatly arranged and kept safely in a glass case. It is sad to see the devastation the Mughal invaders caused to this beautiful temple of peace. One can imagine the glory of the place by just looking at the various plinths that remain steadfast and as remnants of what once was after the brutal Mughal invasion. The story of the discovery of this site is also very fascinating, but let's leave it for the guide to share when you visit Sarnath.
As we walked slowly, navigating our way from one monument to another, keeping the Stupa always in our range of vision and anticipating reaching its proximity, a sense of peace and calm overtook us. Monument by monument and being shown around by none other than the legendary Shri Ajay Singh Ji, we made our way to the Stupa. There, we saw another group calmly sitting in an orderly formation and peacefully chanting the mantras together. Under the shade of various trees, we could see many devotees sitting and chanting. The atmosphere is so invigorating that I wanted to join them in their chants. With a prayer in my heart, "Buddham Sharanam Gachhami, Dhammam Sharanam Gachhami, Sangham Sharanam Gachhami", I too finished a parikrama of the Stupa.
Towards the exit are the neatly laid out living quarters of the young monks. And just near the exit (or entry, as there is only one gate), is a small AV room where a documentary on Sarnath is played all through the day.
Next was the Archaeological Museum of Sarnath. My children and I are very fond of visiting museums. We are a bit extra enthusiastic when it comes to visiting any museum, and The Sarnath Museum was not just any museum; we were about to see some iconic exhibits that mean so much to the Indian nation and to Buddhism, per se, too. There in the main hall of the museum, just as you enter, stands tall, shining in all its resplendent glory, the Lion Capital of Ashoka, the one with the four lions and other symbols, the one we all grew up seeing all around as our national emblem! Yes, the OG emblem stood right there in front of us! This museum is not one of those museums that you can quickly walk through and reach the exit to buy a can of your favourite cola; this museum deserves time and curiosity to absorb the information and history of each and every exhibit. This is where you will come face to face with the original statue of Buddha, whose face is seen everywhere, the face we all know as being of Buddha! Dedicated to Buddha, you will see many statues or fragments from the destroyed temples that depict the life and times of Buddha, his teachings, and other aspects of the craftsmanship of that era.
Outside the museum, I wanted to buy a souvenir from Sarnath. What could it be, a replica of the Stupa, or one of the many statues of Buddha, or a replica of the Ashoka Stambh? What could I take from here to remind me of this memorable visit? I thought I would carry a prayer wheel with me, but unfortunately, I couldn't find one at all. Returned empty-handed from Sarnath but with a heart full of an overwhelming feeling of joy.
Sarnath has my heart, and I am sure to return soon, for I want to sit there under the big tree's shade and chant the Buddhist hymns and prayers with the many devotees sitting around the Stupa.
Banarasi Saree - The must-have
Next on our itinerary was a visit to a silk weaving unit. Banarasi saree, the quintessential bridal wear for all of India, or at least most parts of India, till where the equally influential Kanchipuram weave takes over, must be explored a bit closely. Before we delve into this experience, I must mention that I have taken a vow not to shop for clothes for myself till some of the clothes I already own reach their full life cycle and are respectfully discarded, or should I say, retired. But since I was going to visit a silk weaving unit, I thought maybe just one more saree and that too a Banarasi, would be a good idea to add to the heirloom I am creating for my daughter (whether she desires to inherit it or not is another question altogether). And then, since I would be picking one for myself, I might as well pick a few more for moms and sisters in the family. So maybe around five sarees in the range of 7-10K should be alright (do not laugh already; wait till you read this experience through).
As we entered this beautifully curated Banarasi silk museum, where we could see the vintage as well as modern-day hand looms and learn the technique of creating punch cards and creating patterns using those cards, I was more and more confirmed in my thought that a few Banarasi sarees were indeed a great idea. The tour led us from the looms to the showroom, and there, I enquired about the lovely sarees. They did show me a few irresistible pieces, and I mentally prepared my list of procurements. To save myself the embarrassment, I am glad I asked the price range before selecting the sarees. It came like a rude shock to know that an authentic Banarasi silk saree comes from a starting range of Rs.65K! Imagine, I wanted to pick five! I smartly, so I feel, navigated the conversation to silk scarves instead of sarees. "After all, there isn't any marriage in the family scheduled in the coming year" was my consolation statement to myself. Scarves were decently priced, and I did buy quite a few of those.
Banarasi weave is an indulgent activity and must be promoted by each one of us travel curators; otherwise, this beautiful art of handloom weaving will die its own slow death.
With a big smile on my face and contentment at having saved a few lacs of rupees (not that I had those few lacs with me anyway ;)), I hopped into my ride, and we were off to grab a quick bite before heading to the Dashashwmegh Ghat where we were to watch the Ganga Aarti from atop an anchored boat. In my two days in Varanasi, I managed to cover most of the must-see places but missed out on some leisurely time at the various ghats. We reached the area near the Dashashwamegh Ghat and chose to walk all the way to the Ghat. Siddharth, a national-level boxing champ and Ajay Ji's son, the budding, talented travel curator, accompanied us. With his age (my excuse for not being able to keep up) and agility, a couple of kilometres was not much for him. But we fell for that trap and started walking with him. After a lot of walking and with constant reassurances of the place being "just around the corner", we walked quite a lot to reach our seats for the spectacle of the Ganga Aarti.
Ganga Aarti
Every visitor to Varanasi has a few must-do activities already planned out, and Ganga Aarti is one of them. The many Instagram posts clearly show how crazy we pilgrims are for that closeness to the place where Aarti is being performed. The ghats start filling up like an arena where a lion and a gladiator, perhaps, are going to be in a face-off. People start occupying spots on the steps of the ghats as well as on top of some anchored boats. We, too, grabbed our pre-booked seats atop one of the many boats for a clear, unobstructed view. The boats are so closely and tightly parked that you don't feel you are on a boat; no bobbing, no gaps; it's like walking on plain solid ground. It was only when the Govt officials announced that people on the boats must wear a safety jacket we realised how precariously we were perched on these toppling-vulnerable vessels. The mom in me panicked and remained so till we got our safety jackets.
There was so much visual information clubbed with the excitement of witnessing something very grand to process that we barely paid attention to the goings-on at the Aarti section. There were too many selfies to take and some video calls to make, and we were absorbing so much activity that all the senses were in overdrive. And then it all began, with a Shankhnaand - that's the precise word that expresses the moment accurately. Then followed the rituals, chants, bells and drums. As the chants started reverberating over the Ganga, the banks, the boats, and the people, soaking everyone in the soft hum of the collective voices, a certain calmness started to spread along with it. The crowd settled down, and I'm sure, like mine, a lot of other pairs of eyes were also shut, taking the moments in. The grandeur, indeed, is worth talking about; that isn't an exaggeration at all. The rituals begin much before dusk sets in because the main Aarti must be conducted at the exact time of sunset. The lamps used in Aarti are long multi-flame lamps, and the pandits who hold them do have strong arms, as these lamps weigh quite a lot. The Aarti is conducted with the pandits facing each direction for a few minutes, thus ensuring that all directions are given their due.
Just as the Aarti comes to a slow culmination, there are volunteers who carry the sacred flame among the witnesses for them to take the blessings. The whole experience is indeed goosebump-inducing, very invigorating and extremely energising, leaving you with a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction.
That was it! The Aarti I always assumed would get over in maybe an hour lasted a few hours, and if time had permitted, I would have spent another hour just sitting there at the ghats and watching life go on in the oldest living city of the world, the city of Moksha.
Day 3
Our day began a bit early, as this was the day we had our Darshan of Kashi Vishwanath booked. Yes, one needs to book Darshan online. We were helped by Siddharth, who not only booked our slot for early morning but also sent another kind soul to guide us through the temple. Pramod ji knew his way around and helped us reach our queue very quickly. He knew the rituals as well and guided us through them, too. After Vishwanath Ji's Darshan, we went to Annapoorna Mata Temple, which is within the same complex.
After this, we headed straight to the temple of Kashi Kotwal, Kaal Bhairav Mandir. He is considered the Kotwal (town magistrate) of Kashi, and your pilgrimage is considered incomplete if you fail to seek his blessings.
We followed Pramod ji like lost puppies through the dawn-dark lanes and bylanes of Kashi, barefoot, and then hailed a rickshaw to reach the temple. After Darshan here, we indeed felt like accomplishing something one must at least undertake once in one's lifetime.
Varanasi Gastronomics
Food is the best reward, isn't it? After our successful and gratifying pilgrimage, we desperately wanted to taste the authentic kachori-sabji combo with some adrak wali chai. Since our darshan was completed within half an hour or so, it was still pretty early for food stalls to start preparing the Kashi staple. We had to be satisfied with some elaichi wali chai only. After this, we were dropped off at our hotel for breakfast and check-out.
But before we were dropped at the hotel, I tasted the famous Banarasi-Paan. And unparalleled to anything I have ever tasted was the tiny melt-in-your-mouth Maghai Paan, which left its flavour lingering long after I devoured the carefully folded piece of art. What I could not fit into this short trip of mine was the experience of enjoying Banarasi Chat on the Ganga Ghats.
Breakfast is another story in this city. Along with the regular breakfast options, you get the North India special of Aloo Parantha, Chhole Bhature, Sabji-Kachori and most relished halwa in the sweet section. They take their mithai pretty seriously in Banaras; We were served Boondi with one breakfast and rabdi-jalebi combo with another. And what's more, when you are a visitor to Banaras, you also take the mithai very, very seriously. Needless to add, I ate all of that :)
This wasn't all, the shopper in me, though I am not much of a shopper, but sarees I can not resist, was overwhelmed and discouraged by the enormity of the Banarasi saree expense and experience, and so I had to find an alternate. What did I buy then? The famous Banarasi lal mirch ka achar, aam ka achar and Banarasi paan, some 10-12 of those to carry them back to the family and to enlighten them with my newly acquired knowledge of paans.
Thus came this two-day trip to Banaras to an end. What still remained was a spiritual discourse with a Panditji, a yoga and meditation session on the ghats, sitting blankly at the ghats and watching life go by, and an up-close with the Manikarnika ghat where the mortals attain Moksha in this Nagari of Moksha. They say it is not for the weak-hearted to witness the activities at this ghat, but isn't that the ultimate truth of this life? Next time, if Kashi summons me back...
