Tigers and the Ganges (4 of 4): Life and Death

The journey on from remote Banhavgarh was a long one, a 3 hour drive followed by a mind numbing 12 hours on a train. Would the destination be worth it?

Built alongside the sacred river Ganges, the ancient Hindu holy city of Varanasi is an astonishing place. Nothing can prepare you for what you experience there. After the peace and quiet of the countryside it was quite a shock to the system.

Mark Twain described Varanasi as follows:

'Older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together'

Varanasi is also known as Benares and, to devout Hindus, Kashi - The City of Light. Before exploring its streets and alleys we took a short excursion to the nearby Buddhist temples and ruins at Sarnath.

It was in 6th century BC Sarnath that the Buddha gave his first sermon. At one stage there were around 3000 monks in it's monasteries, however Muslim invasions and the rise of Hinduism eventually led to Sarnath becoming abandoned.

In the mid 19th century it began to grow again and today it is an important international centre for Buddhism. After visiting the archeological museum, which has hundreds of ancient stone Buddhas lining its galleries, I was a bit Buddha-ed out. Of more interest to me was Sarnath's Digambar Jain Temple. The temple walls are beautifully adorned with paintings depicting the naked life of Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism. The Digambar sect of Jain monks apparently are not into the clothing and having body hair thing. Sadly there were none present at the time of my visit, maybe they were tired of featuring in tourist videos?

Returning to the noise and mass of people in Varanasi it was time to learn about the city's importance to the Hindu world. It's at this holy point on the Ganges that people come to get close to their gods and goddesses. Anyone who dies here will, it is believed, obtain instant enlightenment. Thus the elderly come to Varanasi to live out their final days (I guess it's a bit like the Indian equivalent of Worthing).

Old palaces and temples line the long waterfront, with a series of stone stepped Ghats leading down to the river. Taking an early morning boat ride past the Ghats was an amazing experience. I got to see life and death side by side in close proximity. Hundreds of people were bathing in the water, the 'elixir of life', to absolve their sins. Just nearby though were Ghats where cremations were taking place. Salvation in the Ganges for the dead.

A walk along the Ghats is also something to remember. The smell from the river and sewage takes a little getting used to. So does the constant pestering by touts offering you postcards, boat rides, head massages (performed with Three Stooges-like slapping) and close up views of burning bodies. It's what they think tourists want and I guess they are right. Hindus come to the Ganges at Varanasi to gain purity or die. Tourists like myself are attracted to the strangeness of it all; The colourful puja ceremonies and temples contrasting with the death, shit and decay.


If you've not been to Varanasi before, don't be put off by some of the stuff I've written about above. It's an amazing, unforgettable, vibrant place that is well worth a visit. I managed to get some video footage showing an entrancing puja being performed and a taste of life along the waterfront.

Varanasi and the Ganges
So that was it, an overnight train back to Delhi, a final day in the capital and then it was time to fly home. Get a Lonely Planet or Rough Guide and go. I had two fantastic weeks. Nice people, great sights, tasty food, Tigers and the Ganges.