Varanasi

Varanasi from the Ganga!

Even its name sounds alive , Varanasi, a place of religious pilgrimage, spiritual enlightenment and deep soul cleansing. Located alongside one of the worlds most famous rivers the Ganga, or the Ganges is both the holiest and dirtiest river in the world. Varanasi is an absolute must for anyone living or visiting India. The purifying waters of the Ganga draw devout Hindis’ from all over the world. Whether they are attending a ceremony for the recently departed or renouncing the physical world, this place possesses an aura that can only be experienced. Along with the religious element, the city is quite unique, with its back ally markets that suck you in then spit you out, leaving you wondering which way is up and just how you ended up in this area.

Lost in the markets!

Vendors line every centimeter of these narrow paths, slinging everything from exotic spices to beautiful tapestries; it gets really interesting when a motorbike tries to squeeze through. There is so much going on in Varanasi that you hardly recognize where you are most of the time.

Drifting Duo!

Our guesthouse was right in the middle of town, so as soon as we stepped out the door, we were in the midst of the chaos….it was so cool! We didn’t walk very far before seeing a man sitting cross-legged on the ground, and making personalized bracelets. We sat and watched for a while and realized they were only about 15 cents each, so got ourselves “Drifting” bracelets.

Red and Black of course! It was Amazing how quickly he made them…and for dirt cheap. Feeling a bit sorry for him, we thanked him and left him a tip We spent the rest of the night getting lost in the markets and stumbled upon some street food that we worked up the courage to try. It was DELICIOUS!! …dirt cheap! 20 cents each…. spicy! And we didn’t get sick….we were hooked!

Street food!

The next day, we hit the streets again, dodging the cow poo and monkeys peeing from the building tops. One Indian man just started hilariously laughing at me because I was a drop away from the monkey….I’m sure aiming for my head from above!

By nightfall we made it to the amazing ceremony Brad talked about earlier. We arrived before most people and got one of the best spots in the front. The way they honor and celebrate life then death in India, and particularly Varanasi, is a much happier experience. Full of traditional song and dance, with incense, candles and flowers galore makes it an environment that overloads the senses.

Ceremony!

When it was over, somebody came out with massive bowls of food, and it turned into a madhouse with poor people trying to get a drop of it. We got out of there quickly and found our own heap of mushy food served in a leaf on the street! No idea what we were eating, but again….delicious and spicy!

Now we’re getting it!

Another incredible experience I recommend to everyone was the boat ride down the Ganges at sunrise! Completely worth getting up at 5am, this boat ride is both hilariously chaotic and inspiring. Thousands of Indians were around us as we boarded the boat waiting to wash away their sins in the river.

Women bathing!

The whole time watching this, the guides are desperately trying to pull their  boats upstream, bumping into each other and jumping up on the walls to pull us along. It was sooo hectic, but once we were going, it was amazing. At one point, another longboat came along, filled with souvenirs and empty jars to collect the water in..tied onto us, and successfully sold jars to half the boat! Haha! So perfect for India.

Enjoying the sunrise

Varanasi is one of the most incredible places that we have visited in our entire trip. I can say without a doubt, one of my overall favorites. It is a myriad of bright colors, spiritually awakening ceremonies and fascinating people. There is never a dull moment, and just what we were looking for!

Meditation!