When my mom told me that they wanted to go to Varanasi when they came to visit me, I can't say that I was all too excited. When I came at the beginning of my trip, I went towards the end of the monsoon season, so everything was flooded. There were no ghats, we had Ganga water up to our calves, and it was drizzling the entire day. Needless to say, it was not a favorite city of mine. This time however, was a completely different story.
First, I got to fly there, so take away the 12 hour train trip surrounded by men that like to stare too much and babies that are crying the hole night, and I am golden.
Second, the river wasn't flooded! All of the ghats were cleaned and and seeing where the water level was at when I was visiting was insane. When people told me that it was a colorful city, I laughed at them. It was so dreary when I went, but this time around it was beautiful. Jodhpur blue doors under bright orange Hanuman shrines, pink and turquoise ghats, and red temples. The light on the river at sunset and sunrise was breathtaking and the sky was a vivid blue.
First, I got to fly there, so take away the 12 hour train trip surrounded by men that like to stare too much and babies that are crying the hole night, and I am golden.
Second, the river wasn't flooded! All of the ghats were cleaned and and seeing where the water level was at when I was visiting was insane. When people told me that it was a colorful city, I laughed at them. It was so dreary when I went, but this time around it was beautiful. Jodhpur blue doors under bright orange Hanuman shrines, pink and turquoise ghats, and red temples. The light on the river at sunset and sunrise was breathtaking and the sky was a vivid blue.
We took a walking tour, which usually I am against guides, but this one was really cool. The guy was pretty young and really into the hippy lifestyle. He didn't bombard us with history, but told us different philosophies and mythologies that surround Varanasi and make it the city that it is. He took us on a hidden alley tour that went to a small flower market and he brought us to the top of the roofs that overlooked all of the people and the beautiful colors.
The most amazing part was the burning ghat where the bodies are cremated. It is so ghostly and surreal to see the decorated, foiled bodies being brought to the Ganga to get blessed before getting placed on the fire. Watching the men carry body after body down these twisting alleys 24/7, everyday of the year, bringing them to their final resting place was breath taking and oddly captivating to watch.
This morning we got up for sunrise to take a boat tour on the river and it was absolutely breathtaking. The sky turned from pink to purple to orange before the sun finally rose through the hazy morning.
This morning we got up for sunrise to take a boat tour on the river and it was absolutely breathtaking. The sky turned from pink to purple to orange before the sun finally rose through the hazy morning.
Varanasi was beautiful and completely vindicated in my mind.