these are the ghats where most religious ceramonies take place. many people come to varanasi to die because doing so offers moksha or liberation from the birth and death cycle. there are two ghats specifically for cremating people and the fires burn 24/7
some of the more well behaved kids
the kids are rabid when they see you have a camera. first they ask for a picture and then for a ruppee and when you tell them no they beg you to take their picture. i was mobbed three times todaythis place is crazy and disorienting. It's what i expected india to be like and then some. Varanasi is one of the holiest places in india and is supposedly the longest continuosly inhabited city on the planet. 60,000+ people bathe in the ganges everyday.
Posts
4 comments:
sorry about the non-linear nature of this blog it's just what happens when you accidently delete pictures and have to add them again at the top
its hard to except what we take for granted. even though it seems like a difficult life, they have such a profound sense of acceptance in their faces, and maybe that is what allows them to be happy. and even in the worn look of their city i see how it is a holy place. although i cannot rationalize it. how do they engage socially with you? what a depth-ning experience.
they either want your money and are trying to find some way to get it. or they are sincerely curious and want tofind out everything about you and have conversations about relgion and family and how it differs from your home country. the majority of people here are very happy they have a place to sleep and food to eat most of the time and most importantly their spiritual life is thriving.
Post a Comment