Multiple Truths of Kashi
Now sitting under the Bodhi tree where Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, I am remembering our recent trip to Varanasi, or Kashi as the town is also known. Buddha also came to Varanasi several times. Sarnath is another famous pilgrimage place for Buddhists near Varanasi where Buddha preached his first sermon.
Being in Kashi gives you the same subtle feeling what you experience in places like Istanbul and Venice. Besides being very very ancient all these places have been very tolerant of different cultures and religions so layers and layers during centuries and centuries of various teachings, philosophies, and religions have blended to create the unique atmosphere that is still miraculously preserved in Varanasi today. Here every day of the year, every week and every month has its own religious meaning and rituals to follow.
I anticipated seeing a crowded place full of pilgrims and everything unpleasantly hectic that comes along with it. It’s all there. But overwhelmingly prevailing is a very calming and soothing experience of being on and communicating with Ganga, the sacred Mother river. It puts you in a very accepting and understanding mode. No shock from being close to cremation grounds, or from seeing all the dirt in the waters — everything in Kashi is pure for those who come here.
We were very lucky to have come to Varanasi for the Mahindra Kabira festival which celebrates the teachings of 15th-century poet and philosopher Kabir, who was a native of Varanasi. During the two beautifully organized days, we had 10 hours of fantastic music, 5 hours of wonderful guided walks, as well as talks and visits to temples, and the opportunity to meet very interesting people who came to the festival.
Kabir:
The moon shines in my body, but my blind eyes cannot see it:
The moon is within me, and so is the sun.
The unstruck drum of Eternity is sounded within me; but my deaf ears cannot hear it.
Our mornings started at 7:30 with music on the ghats of Ganga (ghats are huge stairs leading into the water from the high shore), so for 2 hours we witnessed what was happening at the river — same sages came to bathe every morning. There was one particular man who was such a joy to watch. He was around 60 with a young and toned body and happy alert eyes. First, he put some oil over his body and head and massaged himself vigorously. Then he plunged into Ganga and swan in butterfly style — very impressively athletic. Then he changed and said his prayers. All in a very full of life way and “business-like” manner. He was also very much enjoying the morning ragas — traditional Indian music that we were listening to.
Witnessing sunrise at the Ganga is also very special and a must in Varanasi. We started at 4:45, went by boat to Asi Ghat for the morning ceremony of prayers and offerings to Ganga, then spent some time on the boat staying quiet and watching the sun rising from the opposite side of the river and caressing Kashi and us with its gentle morning rays. Asi ghat is special because there the steps of the ghat don’t go down to the water, and the bank of the river is natural — you can stand on the shores of Ganga and feel the cooling and soothing mud under your bare feet. Pilgrims use this mud to make small lingas (symbols) to worship god Shiva.
Then there is the experience of Kashi behind ghats — the narrow lanes that again remind you of Venice. Here the cows and dogs compete with people for space to walk. Thanks to our wonderful guide from the Heritage society we discovered many interesting places in this maze — from a palace of the local queen to the sweets shop where a 90-year-old owner is still in charge, to the house of the local poet Tulsi Das, a follower of Kabir.
For some reason, I slept in Kashi like I haven’t slept for a long time, and felt rested and uplifted despite the program which started at 7:30 and finished after 23:00.
If you plan a trip to Varanasi, it makes sense to get prepared and do some reading. A great book which Andrey gave me is called Banaras, City of Light by Diana L. Eck. The book is so much more than the title suggests. You get the feeling for what Varanasi used to be — a “forest of bliss”, an oasis full of lakes and rivers where places of worship stood on the water or were covered under it during monsoon floods. It is this uniqueness of nature here which contributed to the formation of the religious and education center of antiquity. Nothing is left of this oasis. But the Ganga is still magnificent despite all the litter that she accepts daily in her waters… For how long can she survive? It will take another Shiva or Buddha of our times to stop all the atrocities that humans inflict on nature.
Mahindra Kabira festival is happening next year as well, and it’s a great way to discover what is Varanasi. But if you decide to go earlier, I will be happy to share some useful contacts.
Says Kabir, awareness alone will overcome illusion.
