An Altered State of Mind?

Illumination? Enlightenment? Nirvana? Can't Say.

But, this journey certainly observed my spiritual formation.

I returned from this holiest of holy places, to find two types of people. Those who are in a kind of disbelief and a kind of shock they can’t hide; and the others, the devotees who stand in the temple with shaking knees and trembling hands, because they feel the presence of the powerful one! These are not my judgments, just experiences.

I found in this arrangement, a mechanical process of access to god, and the way it was being orchestrated reminded me of what my dad and I observed during our family trip to the Vaishno Devi temple. As much sanctity belief and respect people had for the entity, we were appalled by the hypocrisy. The shroud of the structure came out when the true bhagats and devotees had to wait for 4-6 hours for their turn to come, whereas the affluent, walked pass the line because they had the VIP and the chopper pass, and within 15 minutes of waiting, they got an access to god! As I connect my experiences I realize; may it be Vaishno Devi Shrine or Kashi Shrine, there exists a strong belief in the place, the location claims to have miracles happen and the un-impossible done, now whether that's just a belief people nurse or there's really a pious aura to the place is again a matter of perception and belief. It may not be scientifically proved.

In Varanasi, if we insulate ourselves from the ‘facade’ of the whole process and if we dig deeper into the historical and mythological importance, then we might feel the deep rooted links and presence of the Lord. It has been so layered and masked by the make-belief structure, the labyrinth and complexities of which the ‘access to god’ has been portrayed, that we can have a wide spectrum of beliefs!  Accordingly, I believe it's not about religion or god, it’s the way everything has been packaged and delivered to a common man. My education in Arya Samaj, which talks about the omnipresence of God, may not make me an uncommon person but it definitely sets apart my thought process, it sets me thinking.

As I reflect upon this incredible experience, images come across my eyes, images

Kashi, an edifying wonder!

captured by brain, streaks of my memory. It’s not about verdicts, it’s about my perceptions, my observations, and how it transformed me. But, did it really transform me? I share my views with the Arya-Samajic society, which rejects the belief of blind faith, idolatry, priest-craft and superstitions brought about by ignorance and fear. They say, God is everywhere, but not any thing. I believe in the philosophy of finding God within, in respecting humanity and being kind. My opinions of pooja path and idol worship were highly influenced by what I had been seeing in family and my close social circle. I found myself involved in a process I don’t integrate with. Probably because of the generation gap, lack of understanding and the non-scientific explanation of the process. I don't feel the inclination towards idols and make-belief recreations of religious settings, vis-à-vis, temples and Poojas, to attain ‘Oneness with God’.

In this sudden exposure to a larger than life picture of religion, nothing I witnessed came and hit me in the face. It was just another learning, an involvement, an engagement which ultimately made me build on my views of ‘Dharma & Aastha’ (Religion and Spirituality). It was an entirely different aspect of life. Amidst whatever it was supposed to portray, I seized onto its energy, its life and its discipline. I sensed a well set systematic process, an organized chaos. Once again dear readers, I am not disputing God, religion or sanctity of the place. Neither the historical relevance, importance nor roots of its sacred temples and ghats. I call myself a curious traveler. Simply trying to analyze and synthesize the complete mechanism and infrastructure that has supposedly eroded the entire system

of religion, purely seeking a deeper cleanup….

In and Around Varanasi

The next stop, a walk into a place entirely different

Kullad wali Lassi!

A bustling bazaar filled with Banarasi sarees and Chaat stops

People indulging in Kachhoris, relishing a Lassi

Rushing for the evening aarti, swarming the temple lane

Some chewing pan, others calling for a tonga

Amazed to find calmness under that buzz

I stand in awe of this great city

At awe with the city of Varanasi

Over the week we travelled around the city to an extent we could easily single out the similar lanes! Every other day we savored various indigenous cuisines; the blissful Lassi and kullad coffee were the highlights! Here, the Explorer and the Foodie find Nirvana! There were also these ethnic sarees, wooden toys and bangles we adored. All the way from Godaulia market to Kashi Vishwanaath Temple lane, we walked past the loud atmosphere, jostled our way through crowded streets and endless queues. The front seat auto rides and the cycle rickshaw triply. These little things made my trip all the more fun! We were also a part of the much awaited Dev Diwali celebrations on the ghats! The ghats adorned lights and numerous diyas(oil lamps). Kashi lived up to its name; the city of lights! Bhajans and some folk songs were being played on loudspeakers to which the devotees and non-devotees danced. Celebration was in full fervor. This act of pooja has been attracting millions of tourists from across the world. And it did, this time too! The Dev Diwali celebrations were coinciding with the first visit of honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modiji, after successfully contesting from the same constituency, Varanasi. Yes it was fancy and equally exhausting. An unforgettable experience we can say!

The evening Ganga aarti on the
Ghats is very renowned, it is well
choreographed and the highlight of the day!

Dev Diwali
And a million diyas adorned the city of lights!

The one-day excursion to Sarnath and Ramnagar fort was also eventful. In this deer park turned spiritual center, Buddha gave his first sermon (Dhamekh Stupa presently), of what became Buddhism. It started as a spiritual faith, and was later popularized into a zealous religion by King Asoka. A lot of temples have been constructed by ambassadors of diverse countries. We appreciated their architectural artistry and the tranquility a Buddhist compound provides. The Sarnath Archeological Museum which houses the famous Ashokan lion capital, was particularly interesting. The 3^rd century relic miraculously survived its 45-foot drop to the ground (from the top of the Ashokan Pillar), and became the National Emblem of India! We reached our next destination Ramnagar Fort via the bridge coming from Raj ghat. They said, the Banaras king built this palace and this is where he still resides. We saw the beautiful museum which displayed artistic articles made of ivory, vintage cars, an antique collection of rifles and swords among others!

excavation site@ Sarnath

Dhamekh Stupa

The only part of the Ramnagar Fort
 we could photograph.

Our fascination with ancient doors!

Kashi has a distinct character which it developed over ages. Its history, temples, scholars, festivals, crafts, food and its typical inhabitants; sadhus, pundits, artists, weavers,  pandas, babus, thugs and gundas are typical of its cultural backdrop; and are very ‘Indian’. Banaras is intoxicating, literally and otherwise. It was good we left all our ‘expectations’ back home, because experiencing the city without ‘baggage’ and getting lost in its antiquity and ancient-ness turned out precious to the trip. Even though Banaras is, and will probably always remain a multi-fold mystery for its visitors. 

Connections in Contradictions!

It is the City of Lights; the City of the well of Knowledge, Gyaanavapi; City of Purity, where Ganga Ma purifies all who surrender to her;  the City of Maha-Shmashana, the ultimate end of all. Kashi is a city of contradictions too.

On the quite boat ride, while passing the picturesque ghats, the actions alongside them, made me wonder about the deeply-rooted beliefs people base their lives on. 

 Historical chronicles call it Anandavana the grove of happiness but it is also the Maha-shmashana the great cremation ground. In this city of boiling days and chilly nights, the paradoxes can puzzle you. Varanasi being the holiest city possesses a crass cult of thugs. The priests sell portions, big and small, of the spiritual hocus pocus. The land with its famous malai sweets is now branded for getting high on marijuana. In this tight net of dark alleys linger the fake sadhus and tricksters. And these, ladies and gentlemen, were a natives words, not mine. Nevertheless, the contradictions were pretty evident. The priest venerating the Lord, asked for ‘donations’ for every tikka and blessing. He was so overshadowed by the curtains of his ‘divinity’, that he blessed a young boy with, “Acha suhaag mile” (May you get a good husband!)

On the very first day our minds were flooded with multilateral theories. Perhaps our conceptions were way too superficial? What is beyond the layers of faith and dogma? Precisely, what sustains this timeless city? And most of all, are we in a position to question this everlasting system? Maybe this uncertainty relates to our understanding, understanding of that slight difference between sanctity and profanity, purity and filth, spirituality and sham. Even in this strange blend, some manage to find that mystifying charm!

I thought I was done with my cup of ‘incidents’, but turned out I was foolish and equally fascinated enough to seek these contradictions. I took off to get a take of different individuals on these contradictions, to learn the roles these ‘Religious Symbols’ played, in their lives and their Kashi. This pursuit was not to open a debate but to open the mind to another way of looking at things, to set the mind thinking.

Some of the many anecdotes from Banaras..

Unlike others of his age, this old man shifted to what he calls, ‘Bhagwaan nagari’ for the goal of making money and not after the label of God and religion.

Manishji, glorified the city throughout the conversation, and emphasized that it may be a ‘System’ somewhere but here it is ‘Culture’. People go for ‘Ganga snaan’ regardless of how dirty it is, because it is a part of their culture, a part of them. He justified this deed driven by beliefs, by the attitude of 'Mere ek ke nahanese se kya hoga?' (How will my one 'holy dip' make a difference to the present scenario?)

Vikram, 17, helps his dad run the tea stall on the ghats. He was aware and compliant of the state of his city. “Pradushan toh hai. Yehi toh dekhne aate hai sab tourist.” (yes, it is polluted. But, this is what attracts the tourists.) He and his family take a dip every morning. So did he ever question this custom? “Children can't decide what to do, family decides what to do. Aur humare ek se kya hoga?” Everything seemed to connect now. He also had something to say about the ‘babas and sadhus’ living on the ghats! “Dhanda hai ek tarah ka yeh toh” he said. (It's a kind of business.)

Priyanjli and Priyal, are of the views that the environment we are nurtured in

 shape our beliefs. However, their belief in the religious symbols are different

 from their grandparents; “Saal mein ek baar aate hain Ganga snaan karne”. (We go once a year to the Ganges.) Their take on the babas, “Humein toh sabh dhongi lagte hain!” (All this seems to be a sham.)

Sonali, a young entrepreneur, tells how people from all around come here for 

religion, Dharma and the holy river, but she herself doesn’t really follow it. All this is a part of her daily life, so holds no fascination whatsoever.

Mr Aulia says, “Sabki apni apni aastha hoti hai. Humare liye yeh pushtaini dukaan zyaada mehatva rakhti hai, toh yahi apni choti si puja karlete hain. Ghat toh fursat wale log jaate hai.” (Everybody has his own belief. For me this family bussiness of mine is more important. So, we do our little prayer here itself!) That’s his conviction.

Harsh, university student and a resident of Banaras shared a lot of stories of his childhood. How he used to go for a dip regularly until his 10th grade. And now?   "Time nahi hai aur ab toh mann bhi nai karta jaane ko”  (There's no time and we don't feel like going..) Kamal and Nirali, BHU students are of the opinion, that the river is purifying for its believers and for them an illuminating wonder. And that’s it.

With the strong focus of the new government on the cleanliness and the awareness by the masses, we hope that the original glory, cleanliness and sanctity of this holy town would eventually emerge back. 

It is said; in Kashi you reach what you walk for; and you find what you seek. Lets say, my search was quite constructive.

 *Names changed for privacy issues.

Banaras Darshan

ॐ नमः शिवाय

Our arrival in the ‘Bhagwaan nagari’  

The holiest of all, an enduring religious and cultural center,  Banks of the divine river embrace a sacred shrine,  Founded by God himself, this, is Lord Shiva’s adobe,   This, is ‘Kashi nagari’

Vibrant, busy, authentic and real. The calls of 'Har-Har Mahadev' captivated the city, the fascinating picturesque ghats stood tall over the serene flowing Ganga, and the babas, majestic, with their vile dreadlocks. Some foreigners got high, and some lost, in the beauty of this mystical river. The funeral pyres burnt relentlessly, at the ‘burning-ghats’. The mighty cows and their cow-dungs occupied the narrow paved lanes, with numerous other animals, autos, tongas and men-folk. The crowds moved with systematic hustle bustle in the meandrous gallis, and set at every corner was the famous Paan, Banaras wala! I couldn't help but, notice that old charm in city. In its boats that are still rowed by oars, in the tea that is still served in Kulhads (clay cups), the Angheethis (brazier) that are still used by the vendors, the hand pump which is still employed, the narrow lanes that still exemplify the indigenous living culture, and the presence of God in ways big or small. Just a forty minute walk in this everlasting city, was enough to disclose some astonishingly diverse range of sights! 

 The bewildering variety of the landscape storms the senses! Our eyes capture the color burst of the streets and the ghats, our cameras cannot. Smells of sandalwood agarbatti and the sacred prayer powders fill the nose, and the chants of shlokas and hymns, on the crossroads, make up the ambience of the ‘holiest of all’ city. ‘Varanasi’ is best showcased by the ghats, the long stretch of steps leading down to the water on the banks of Ganga Maiyaa. They say it is spiritually enlightening...so I expected an instant spiritual awakening at the first sight of the Ganges, but it didn't happen. I realized, the city is not meant for the ‘tourist eye’, because that will solely absorb the chaotic and not so clean Banaras. We need to grasp the essence of this place from those lost wanderers from foreign lands, walking about as if this is where they belong, this is where they’ll find their answers. Banaras should be embraced in its entirety.

The ghats of Banaras are like a colored canvas. We began our journey northwards, starting from Assi Ghat, the nearest to Banaras Hindi University (BHU) campus, where we were sojourning. We walked around 23kms, across Dashashwamedh Ghat, and all the way to Manikarnika Ghat, exploring life along the Ganges. The ghats along the bank were buzzing with activity; people were praying, taking a holy dip, sipping tea, chit-chatting, performing last rites, selling small toys. Each ghat had its own personal character. It was interesting to compare the ghats, how they stood shoulder to shoulder and yet looked so different from one another!

  Right before entering Assi, was the lane with chaat stalls(street food) and Knick knackers. But what fascinated me was the first sight of a sadhu baba, patting his pet monkey! Like an insensitive tourist, I took out my camera to shoot him, and I was howled on badly, for that thoughtless move! ‘Photo lene ke liye nai paala hai, photo lena hai toh zoo jake loh!!’ (I haven't raised this monkey for being photographed, go to the zoo for that!)That’s when I got the importance of being empathetic. Assi Ghat was very lively, the ghats vast area was filled with hawkers and venders. It seemed to be a popular starting point for boat trips too. The bookshop and handicrafts shop here, gained immense admiration amongst our group. After crossing Tulsi Ghat, named after 16th-century Hindu writer, we paused at Kedar Ghat, where another ‘baba incident’ occurred.  A tall dark man, dressed in an orange dhoti, intimidating, in his dreadful dreadlocks, descended down the stairs.  His obsidian eyes met my cameras! Oops. Another howler. Furious, he aimed his ewer at us but luckily didn't really throw it!

No tourist can walk along the river without being
 asked for a boat ride at least 25-30 times!

Next stop was the smaller ‘burning ghat’.  One city resident was kind enough to enlighten us with the illustrious history of Harishchandra Ghat. ‘Teen loko se nyaari, Kashi, sugyaan, dharma aur satya ki raashi. Yaha pe hai ek pavitra shiksha, ke satya ki raksha fir aatmaraksha’, and with this he gave the historical excerpt. I was seeing a cremation for the very first time! The body was wrapped up in white cloth and put on a stack of logs while having more piled on top, the stack was set on fire, and the burning began. Little did we know that down the river at the main burning ghat, bodies are burned 24 hours a day. We tried moving on, to Varanasi’s liveliest and most colorful ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat. It was the busiest of all ghats and was being dressed for the upcoming Dev Diwali celebration!

Manikarnika Ghat, the main burning ghat, is supposed to be the most auspicious place for a Hindu to be cremated. Maybe Lord Shiva himself whispers the sacred verse of liberation to the departing here. For this very reason, old and sick people migrate to Varanasi just to die. Wood is continuously hauled in and prepped. As we took a seat on the ghat stairs, the process was repeated several times, around 9-10 bodies were being burnt at once, and more and more bodies were being brought in. Everything happened in public view. Tourist and locals alike, came to witness this profound religious ritual. To be honest, I am still not sure how I feel about it. Even though we had read about it, watching a live cremation didn’t come as much a shock as it being so public came. There is no privacy other than the request to not take photos, and death is right there for anyone to see, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Maybe I was oblivious to this situation, well so were the children who flew kites around the funeral pyres. As for them, it was a daily affair.

Assi Ghat

Kedar Ghat

Harishchandra Ghat

Dashashwamedh Ghat

Manikarnika Ghat;
Dying in Varanasi qualifies you, for all the shortcuts to heaven. So the most ancient form of booking a direct trip to heaven? It is a 1600 crore business; cremations in Varanasi!

Offerings from the morning Ganga aarti

‘Banaras aakar, boat ride nai kiya toh kya kiya?’ (The Varanasi trip would be incomplete without a boat ride.) 

In retrospection, I can say our journey would have been incomplete without it. At 6:28 am, the river started to sparkle, we watched pilgrims flow into the water whilst the sun appeared over the far sandbank. As the boat receded, from a distance all the ghats formed a beautiful crescent. Folks approached for their ritual bath and many others to wash clothes, do yoga, meditate, offer blessings, sell flowers, or simply hang around. A little nudge to the boatman gave way to the dialogue of the trip! “Yaha ke log ‘mad’ hai” We gave him a puzzled look.

“Yaani, hum ulti khopdi wale hain, aur kyu nahi? Yaha toh Ganga maiyaa bhi ulti behti hain!” (The people of this city are with inverted minds, just like the river Ganges which flows in the opposite direction)

 The risen sun burned into the early morning, more pilgrims continued to bathe, pray and disperse only to be replaced by more pilgrims from this vast overpopulated land. This 3000 year old city stood relatively still for a long, long time.

The view of the city from Ganga maa; the delightful panorama of the Varanasi riverfront that enchanted the hearts of countless travelers and pilgrims over centuries. 

What's Your Story?

Stories. We all have a story to tell. It’s an art, deeply rooted in human nature. We are born storytellers who narrate experiences, and the meanings these experiences have in our lives. This act of storytelling is an age old tradition. Earlier it played a key role in preserving and communicating historical information to the following generations, and now it helps define the ‘self’ better. All cultures and societies possess their own stories and narratives about their past and present. These cultural narratives assign a meaning to the community’s existence, preserve its history and strengthen its identity. Socio-cultural narratives position us in the society and assist in connecting to our identities. These identities and cultural narratives facilitate our perceptions of the world. Our experiences shape us. Our histories shape us. Our identities shape us.

Stories are how we learn. The progenitors of the world’s religions understood this, handing down our great myths and legends from generation to generation. -Bill Mooney and David Holt, The Storyteller’s Guide 

All cities have their own local vocabularies, dialects, economies and realities. This should mean that cities are cultures too! I interacted with my classmates who are from uncommon cities; turns out where you live, really does shape who you are. The city we come from, shapes our character. Our class can be a great example of diverse people coexisting peacefully. Or maybe not. It was time the Red Door classroom gave its take on the never ending debate of Mumbai vs Delhi. This time, there were other dimensions to it; of my current city, Bangalore and my small hometown grouped with like cities. Everybody was defending his/her city, hostility was present at all ends. There is a reason it is tagged as ‘never ending’, we were in no state of changing this! Every city had its own charming traits and problems, it all came down to how well we can adjust and what we want in life.

Listening is a skill not everyone is proficient in. However, stories call for listeners. They are meaningful experiences which have in them, something for the listeners as well. Quoting Robert McKee, ‘They are the currency of human contact.’ They delight, enchant, touch, teach, inspire, motivate, challenge and imprint the listeners. Such were the individual stories of the students! Stories from Mumbai to Andaman Nicobar, from Kenya to Bangalore, from Ahmedabad to Goa! 

As part of the immersion week, Sir Jyoti Sahi sensitized us towards the craft culture of various communities, towards connecting with them in a very empathetic manner, and taking steps to revive the craft culture. Every place has its own unique ‘Cultural Language’, they must be looked at, in a way different from how we view our hometown. 'Baggage' of our own city, as Narendra our facilitator said, should not be carried to the new city. It's about learning to respect this 'timeless' city, as old as history itself! About the dignity of the people and the pride they take in the city. This ‘dignity’ is what we were asked to focus on. It’s a lens through which we must look at this enigmatic city; The City of Lights, काशी!

A hundred year old houses in Gavipuram temple complex.

The groundwork prior to our trip called for a mini excursion trip to one of the oldest temples of the city, Gavipuram Temple. After engaging with the nearby residents and learning about their archaic dwellings, we realized that this was just a trailer to our big banner which is coming soon! While the wellness team gave us some tips regarding our well-being and safety, we prepared ourselves for this exhilarating trip. Varanasi it was, for the myriad human experiences we were to have!  Thus, we didn't let go the true spirit of being a ‘traveler’ or the importance of individual stories, whatsoever.  Bags packed. All set…to explore and experience the grandeur of 'the most religious city of the country'!