Varanasi

Flight to Varanasi this morning. Varanasi is “the city chosen by Lord Shiva”, and is one of the world’s oldest, continually inhabited cities and one of the holiest in India. So it is a rough equivalent to Mecca. Hindus try to visit at least once in their lifetime. Lots of pilgrims were evident during our visit. It is located on the Ganges River (of course). Correct name is the Ganga River. Population about 1½ million. Tony doesn’t like the security for these internal flights. Worse than international. Fortunately only one more flight back to Delhi towards the end of the tour. It is about 700km NW from Kolkata (1hr 15 min).
At the airport we meet the big orange bus which will be our companion/’home’ for almost the rest of the tour. We also meet Manoj 2, our local guide. He’s very neat, religious, precise and very patriotic about his city. Fortunately he is easily understood and does crack a few jokes. Straight from the airport to Om Villas for lunch (shouldn’t have eaten the noodles on the flight). Om Villas is a tent city comprising glamping structures. Very new. Delicious lunch.
Thence to the Taj Ganges (it’s a hotel), where we hope to relax for 3 nights. Not now, however. Quick break then off to the main part of town. After battling through the market area for a while we are shovelled aboard a fleet of bicycle rickshaws. This was FUN. [Link to video: https://youtu.be/W0hHRZ9ra28 You'll have to select then copy then paste it into a browser. Apologies, but I can't see how FindPenguins handles links.] Traffic in all directions, busy busy busy.
The rickshaws took us to the top of the ghats (remember, steps). People and boats galore. We embark. There is a bit of fun after pushing out into the stream. The starting handle doesn’t grip. Eventually they source another and we chug off. We have a couple of musicians who serenade us with some traditional and fusion Indian music. Then with the other thousand or so boats we watch the ceremony Ganga Aarti (prayer). “Pilgrims come to the Ganges here to wash away sins in the sacred waters, to cremate their loved ones, or simply to die here, hoping for liberation from the cycle of rebirth” (Lonely Planet). We travel past the open cremation fires which burn 24/7. Lots of people dying in India so cremation removes the necessity for large cemeteries. We cruise along the shore quite a way, then alight for our bus. Very exciting dash along the road among the traffic to the bus.
Back for dinner at the hotel. Bit tired as our bodies are still thinking 5½ hours ahead. Hope to get control soon.En savoir plus