by Debbie Ross
Womens Travel Network founder.
Day 16 India tour – Varanasi, morning cruise on the Ganges to observe the ancient rites along the river.
Early morning we returned to the banks of the river to view the sunrise over the Ganges. The streets are not as busy as last night, most shops are closed with the exception of a few selling milk or tea or ceremonial flowers. The tourist and pilgrims are out, along with a few monkeys , cows and holy people. The bus took us part way and then we walked the balance of the way to the river.
The early morning light creates a serene atmosphere and the colours of buildings take on a rich tone. It’s quiet and peaceful and very different from the excitement of the night before.
Pilgrim Ffmilies and individuals have gathered to take a cleansing dip in the holy river. Others have boarded a boat so they can release a floating flowers with a candle into the river in memory of a loved one that has passed. Ajit has arranged a private boat for our group and flowers for the ladies to release into the river in memory of those they have lost.
Before releasing the flowers Ajit says a prayer for us.
“May all be happy, May all be healthy, May all see goodness, Let non suffer, Lead me unto untruth to truth, Lead me unto darkness to light, Lead me unto mortality to immortality.”
This was a very spiritual and touching moment for our group of women.
The sunrise was spectacular and it made our early morning cruise on the Ganges a very special experience.
Two young boys quietly rowed our boat along the two kilometre stretch of ghats that were full of pilgrims that flocked to this area to take a dip in the holy water. Cows and goats were perched on the stairways observing the rituals. Yogis were practicing, some were meditating and down the river young men were doing laundry. There were so many activities going on in this one magical area.
Thebuildings along the shoreline is very colourful from the water in the early morning light. . Cremation smoke billows up into the area and the city begins to awaken.
Ajit has a pleasant surprise for us. He’s invited some of his friends to perform during our cruise on the Ganges. The sound of the sitar and tabla drums is almost hypnotic and everyone enjoys the mellow tunes as we drift along the river.
As we disembark there is a priest waiting to give us a blessing. Our guide walks us through the narrow streets of the ancient city where we see many interesting characters and activities.
The wood sales people get ready for another busy day. I’ve never seen so much wood piled so high. It’s no easy task for those delivering the wood as they maneuver through the narrow streets.
The shops are starting to open and locals are emerging from their homes, daily live begins.
Morning tour finished we head back to the hotel for breakfast and to freshen. Our next area visited is the Benares Hindu University. The roads are very busy so it takes quite a while to make our way to the University area. First stop is the University Temple, we arrived just in time to observe the priest doing the midday aarti. A lovely family is outside of the temple and they ask us to take their photo. Who could resist the smiling faces and colourful clothing. Next stop, the university museum which houses many interesting artifacts and paintings. I wasn’t able to take any photos in the museum.
We stopped at the Radisson hotel where we were greeted by a delightful doorman. The girls had fun taking photos with him. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and had a glass of beer to celebrate St Patrick’s day.
Our tour continues with a visit of the buried city of Sarnath, the place where Buddha delivered his first sermon. We also visited the Archaeological Museum which contains fine examples of Buddhist art treasures. The excavated ruins are surrounded by gardens and walkways and many tourists have come to perform ceremonies in this ancient Buddhist city. I met a lovely monk that traveled from Bangkok, Thailand to visit this sacred place.
It’s been a long day so some of the ladies go back to the hotel to relax. The others decide to continue our tour to visit a silk factory. The owner explains their ancient technique of creating masterpieces with the looms and afterwards shows us some spectacular pieces offered for sale. Needless to say there was some last minute shopping going on.
This is our last night in India so we’ve decided to enjoy dinner at the poolside barbecue restaurant where they serve tandoori oven roasted meats and fresh seafood grilled to perfection.The temperature is warm and delightful and the hotel gardens, pool area and building are nicely dramatically lit creating a wonderful atmosphere. The service is exceptional, the food delicious and the company amazing. What a great way to end off a perfect tour of India. Everyone has decided to take the morning off to relax by the pool before our flight to Delhi to begin our long journey home.
