There is a certain awwww to Varanasi that is really hard to explain. The moment we finally arrived we knew we wanted to stay longer. We extended our visit a week and after a few days moved to a small little guesthouse that was back to the basic ammedities.
I think Varanasi is a great illustration to the culture of the country and the hindu religion of India. Everything is extreme, very real, and very beautiful. The whole cycle of life is alive as ever in Varanasi and you can feel it the moment you approach the Ganges. The moment Kurtis and I turned the corner for the first time and saw the Ganges we were speechless. The energy was so overwhelmingly peaceful and beautful and wowed it was nothing that i have ever experienced before. you can actually taste the magic of the place.
Here along this river is where people come to bathe in the founbtain of your, swim, drink, wash their clothes and dishes, release their karma, embrace the fountain of love and of course complete their life cycle. In general Indians do what ever it is they need to do. There is no covering it up or distracting it or changing it. If they have to go to the bathroom they just stop and do it, if they need to spit they spit (very loud and filled with all the juice that exists in their organs pulled up from the tip of their big toe with all the force they have in their body), eat they eat, crap, they crap and so on and son. There is no fear around death and not so much of a mourning. It is what it is. another landmark of time. They celebrate it, offer the body back to the earth, have beautiful rituals, and honor one another.
The place is filled with so many spiritual teachers and students and holy men and animals - especially cows, goats, dogs, monkeys and more cows:) You have to watch out for cow crap piles where ver you walk - once i wasnt paying attention - yuk!!!Children approach you reguraly for money and food and such and people or constantly trying to sell you stuff. If you ride through it playfully and with good humor (we sang a lot) you can breeze through that layer.
I wondered how it would feel to watch a body burn but it actually was very beautiful and very peaceful. It is as natural and basic as you can get and it really illustrates the mentality of the East - No Fear.
We were sad to leave our little nook at Assi Ghat as we made lots of friends in the cosmic community, had our favorite cafes, and enjoyed wandering around the streets and alleys and beyond of Varanasi. This will always be a special place in our hearts: especially as it is where we got engaged;)...next story
