I admit, I was petrified to go to Varansai. I’d heard it stunk to high heaven and the Ganges reeks of excrement, even tho it is called the Mother of India. So we had a 45 minute flight from Kathmandu and we had a reservation in a Deluxe hotel with a taxi pick up And a dinner reservation that night in the hotel.
I wanted to be super prepared to meet Varansai. I was trying to buffer myself from the harsh reality that Varansai would throw at us.
I was really afraid to meet the gringiness of India.
Our smooth flight brought us to a large and modern airport. I thought- wait- this is too nice! It looked like LaGuardia airport! Can’t be!! We got thru customs easily and even found our taxi driver holding a sign with Our Names on it! Luxury! I was grateful for Allynn’s advance planning. Once out of the airport the scene changed drastically and I braced myself for a new adventure. The drive was a bit over an hour and by this time-5:00pm it was rush hour and the traffic was like a wild tiger-hair raising! But after Delhi and Kathmandu, I have a new calm- so I might die here- so what.
Checking out our fancy hotel, I was excited to see the view of the Ganges from the deck- if not from our room- as the Lonely Planet guide book- or my imagination described. We were staying at the Palace, after all! But no,that did not happen. The river was not right out the window- oh well- time for dinner. We were really happy with the food- incredibly delicious vegetarian Indian food with entertainment- a 3 person duo- sitar, tabla drummer and a small string instrument that made sitar-ish sounds.The restaurant was quite elegant, with old world charm and the food arrived on a silver platter! In the middle of the round tray was rice , surrounded by 7 small bowls of yummy stuff- yogurt sauce, a dessert pastry, a raw veggie salad,dahl(soup) and 2 delicious cooked vegetable dishes and one exquisite sauce. I thought- this food is so delectable ($8 each) I will be able to get thru anything. Our room was small but very nicely decorated.
And we set the alarm for our 6:00 am sunrise boat ride the next day. After dinner I wanted to go straight to bed, without a stroll outside- I wanted to save the magic for the morning or maybe I didn’t have the energy to meet Varansai quite yet.
Fog and more fog greeted us in the morning and we could barely see as we stepped out the front door of our hotel to meet our guide. We had arranged the night before, with the front desk, to hire a boatman and a guide. Again- I wanted to not waste time and to be prepared! ($20). It was cold at 6:00 am and I was glad to have my chilly clothes that I was wearing the past month in KMD. The first thing I saw, after meeting our guide was a row of shaving stands set up for men- a dapper guy was using a long handled blade and shaving foam to spruce up his customers! Mind boggling- right at the edge of the street. Then I saw a huge cow in the street and piles of cow shit next to a chai tea stand. My stomach was slightly turning by now and our guide said “because of the fog, we will watch a small ceremony for the sunrise, ok?” Sure- whatever! Trying to be in the Go with the Flow thing! We proceeded down a dirt embankment and there before us was an elaborate staged ritual taking place and I was trying to inconspicuously grab my camera! Holy Moly ! What have we stumbled upon and how did This happen! I was feeling extremely fortunate to experience whatever this was- I wasn’t sure What to make of it. Maybe we really lucked out with our fancy hotel- location location.
An ornate set up was before us, consisting of a long narrow stage( actually separate table like shapes) with about 8 young men wearing elaborate gold Indian outfits with turban headpieces- seated along the stage. In front of each were gold objects which light up with fire as they go about their ritual dance like movements, all choreographed and to chanting music pouring out of a loud speaker! Very Busbie Berkley if you ask me! I was enthralled by the spectacle of the whole thing- and just out our hotel room door! There was a load of red plastic chairs neatly set up and filled by an audience by the time we got there . I looked around the crowd- mostly locals and a few Westerners like us. When the show was over t front of each were gold objects which light up with fire as they go about their ritual dance like movements, all choreographed and to chanting music pouring out of a loud speaker! Very Busbie Berkley if you ask me! I was enthralled by the spectacle of the whole thing- and just out our hotel room door! There was a load of red plastic chairs neatly set up and filled by an audience by the time we got there . I looked around the crowd- mostly locals and a few Westerners like us. When the show was over there was a sitar concert on a separate stage and then there was going to be a Yoga class! Had I died and gone to heaven? I pictured myself running back to the hotel for my yoga mat, when I was introduced to the yoga teacher. I saw no place for people to do yoga, so I asked him”are you teaching yoga here?” He said” we are doing pranayama. ” – yoga breathing exercises- which I like- but by now I had my guide still hanging by our sides and I said Time for the boat ride on the Ganges River!
Filled with the magic of the gold dancing fire boys I was ready to throw myself at the frightening scene- come what may of the dirtiest and holiest that India could offer- coming at me! Ready Set Go!
We carefully stepped aboard the bow of a large wooden row boat and found our way to the blanket that marked our seat. ( I was thinking- graceful me- as I daintly traversed the rocky ship , thanks to Pilates classes)and we settled ourselves down for a boat ride into hell.
Fog Fog and more Fog was blanketing us from seeing much of Anything! ( we spent $20 for this?) And our guide explained that December and January are the foggy months in Varansai( I’m thinking why didn’t I plan our trip better!) I was surprised that after an hour on the boat, the fog hadn’t lifted. Wow- serious fog! We could see nothing of the shore and we were having close calls with other boats! We were approached by a boat selling small packets of bird food and our guide bought one and started tossing the food to the sea gulls. I thought – how entertaining of him- stuck with a foggy day,he is doing the best he can! A moment later we had another boat come along side us with trinkets to sell. His boat was a roving gift shop! Horray’ retail therapy time! I bought 2 strings of bright wooden beads which beat anything I saw in KMD! Yippee – and cheap! 50 cents each. Onward sailors! Things were looking up,when suddenly our guide said land ho! We are going ashore! Do you want to see the Golden Temple? I wasn’t so sure- I had signed up for a boat ride-not an excursion! Was I going to be a party pooper? Nope- Ready or Not – here we come! So we are pulling into shore and I am walking over muddy rocks – wondering what I am in for and we start climbing stairs and I am hoping I am in shape for this- I am just a yogi- we’ll see and then I’m seeing piles of wood logs – this is where the bodies are burned and this is where the wood is stored-a lot like Hell and then our friendly guide explains a wall decoration that illustrates reincarnation. It seems that if you are lucky enough to die and be burned here in Varansai, that you will not have to repeat your next life as a human! You will be liberated from the endless cycle of life after life- you can pass Go to Jail and go straight to the blissful world of spirit! Yipee! We start to move upward thru narrow tunnels to see the Golden Temple, passing cattle and motorcycles and standing water and cow shit and guys carrying logs on their backs- reminding me of the movie Ben-
Hur and finally we are coming to sacred territory where no picture taking is allowed and our guide tells us that we are entering the most sacred place in Varansai and thousands of Indiam pilgrims or visitors come here each day. Then we are led into a room where we are to lock up our valuables- cameras and cell phones and anything metal – our whole backpacks went in there- into a locker and Allynn kept the key , then we went thru pat down security! Apparently this was all about terrorism .Then our guide said step up here- pointing to the stone stairs and I did that- and he said see the golden temple? I could certainly see a gold plated roof- tall and rounded- I wanted to see the whole thing-he said that is all you can see of it – really? All that security was for a peek at the rooftop? Whatever- back thru alleyways we recovered our belongings and came upon an odd sight- a French chef with a crate full of croissants for sale!! And about 50 cents each! I gobbled down 2 and I asked him where He came from- France, he said and he said he Lives here- in Varansai now- baffling surprise to me! And were his croissants delicious!! I asked where his pastry shop is and he pointed to the plastic box holding his delicacies.
He’s not ready for prime time. While we were at it, we tried the chai tea at the stand across from the stone wall from where we were sitting. It is sold in tiny plastic cups about 2 inches high- for 20 cents a cup. Feeling fortified we were ready to make our trip Back to the boat and by now I would be able to See the shore and the craziness of the Ganges where everyone goes to wash away their sins, bathe, brush their teeth and do their laundry.
Sun was shining by now and the fog was a thing of the past and as we got back into our boat I was stripping out of my wintry jackets and welcoming summer! Feeing cheery a warm glow appeared over everything as we saw for the first time the majesty of the ancient architecture and temples that line the bank. Stairs and walkways border the historic and ancient Ganges River. I felt overwhelmed to be in this sacred place that I have heard so much about and I was not the least bit disappointed by what I saw. I felt totally in awe of it all and it was a Lot to take in! I was Most curious about how people bathe in the river. Are they really willing to undress in public? Yes- the men are- not the women. And it seems most of the men keep their undies on. Seems to me. Well, making it back to our hotel( by 11:00 am ) I was ready for a Long nap! I was so glad to close my eyes and seal in all that I had just experienced. Rest awhile.
Ready for our next adventure- to find food , I collected my sunglasses and backpack with water bottle and we headed towards the lobby of the hotel. We were stopped by a big blustery American gentlemen surrounded by his Indian servants and handing out money to them looking like an imposing Earnest Hemingway type with charm and an annoying dose of arrogance. He began making introductions to his guides and then he said- oh, the best one- let me call him and suddenly I am talking to some voice on his phone- thinking we are done with the guide thing- the scene that I am interested in is the river and the steps! It is wonderfully simple and goes on for such a long way, you could walk all day and I don’t think you would reach the end of the stairs.
Then he said You just Have to go to the evening ceremony at 6:00 pm. Take a rickshaw and go the back alley way and then when you get there, go down to the river where they have seating on boats docked at the water- that is the best view, and then when it is over, pay the guy 20 rupees- no matter what he says.
We tucked that idea back in our head for later and start walking to a pizza place for a late lunch, when we hear Allynn’s name being called and we realized our friend from the yoga ashram in KMD had found us and we are So Happy to see a familiar face in this strange, far away land. Sharon is a brave solo traveler from Isreal and she showed us to a restaurant called Om cafe,which we would never have found on our own. As you enter and walk up the stairs, each stair has a heart painted on it and the words- free hugs. I am thinking this place is for me!! We had the most delicious pizza with eggplant and all different veggies on it- plus a chai tea and we reminisced about the ashram and KMD. I met the American lady in charge-she refers to herself as a homeless person from California and how she fell in love with the town of Varanasi and has been living here for 13 years. She says she works for an Indian family. It is their place- trying to put the pieces together, I checked out her gift shop, on one floor and I bought lovely floral top that fits nicely. She recommended a medication for Allynn’s upset stomach and where to find it. Her name is Shivani and her Webb site is www.touchoflight.us . shivani@onemain,com. Her place is Aum Cafe and the food is organic and super clean and her teas and coffees are made from filtered water. She is warm, pretty and delightful and she took us under her wing right away. She recommended another hotel as our 2 nights at the fancy hotel where we were paying $120 a nite were nearly over. We followed he lead to see the one she recommended with pretty stained glass windows right over the street, but it didn’t have internet . So we walked a block to another place our guide had recommended. Holy Ganges View Hotel- $16 a nite and we said ok- we will move in tomorrow.
Evening was drawing near and we were planning to go to the big ceremony that takes place on the river- quite a hike along the river walkway from our hotel. We gathered our warm jackets and backpacks and walked out the front door of our hotel where our rickshaw driver was waiting for us! I had my flashlight and water bottle too and we have never done the rickshaw thing before! It looks like a taxi with one wheel that extends out in front and 2 behind. The driver sits in the front and we sat behind. There are no doors on the sides- it is all open but there is a piece of fabric for privacy if you are so inclined. My main concern was what to hold onto as we drove and very soon into the ride I was kicking myself that we could have walked along the Ganges and found the place ourselves- especially because you feel you are on a wild ride from Disney and your senses are totally rattled and motorcycles and bikes are coming at you from every direction and there are no stop lights and it is the determination of the driver to get you there- hopefully in one piece and you feel like you are a pawn in a video game and- this can’t be happening! Our driver slows to a stop and says- time to get out – you can walk the rest of the way. He parks his vehicle and returns to escort us thru the maze of alleyways that I recognize from the mornings’s adventure. But even walking is hazardous because motorcycles cut you off at every intersection, the pavement is highly uneven and occasional cows force you to stop and get out of the way altogether. I am glad I have my flashlight and I can Not imagine returning to our hotel when this thing is over and it is darker! and going back in this fashion in the rickshaw- I am having annoying thoughts about that pompous American at the hotel who said You just Have to do it This way! Oh yea? Not Me! Allynn seemed to be taking it all in stride – he was Enjoying seeing the back alleyways! We finally came to the Gange, where the evening event was taking place and I looked for the boat seating the ugly American recommended. We said good buy to the rickshaw driver, feeling we could navigate our way back to our hotel on our own- via boat or by walking along the Ganges, and settled into our boat with a front row view of the event, which was already in action. A repeat of the morning event , I thought- with the gold guys on their platforms with their props and fire equipment. I looked around at the scene, with folks watching like us from boats and wondered how we were going to negotiate with this guy for the price. I was already restless, as We’d seen this show already and I was contemplating asking our boat guy if he could row us back to our hotel. When I looked around again at the boats surrounding us and I realized we were trapped- no way to get our boat out of the sea of boats . So we patiently watched the spectacle in front of us until we could take no more, and we told our boat guy to take us to shore and we would walk back to our hotel. Easier said than done! We hadn’t navigated the huge walkway in the day light so even tho I had my flashlight, we both felt frightened as we paraded into the warm evening on an adventure we will never forget. All was well and we found our hotel eventually, after a 40 minute stroll on historic pavement that was erie and fine. As we passed folks also strolling- without flashlights, I never felt like I was in harms way or someone might rob us. There is a universal gentleness here between all people, because they are all apart of the Namaste culture, and they all seem to follow the laws of karma- so they wouldn’t do anything bad to anyone else. At least that is my take on the scene here. There is a gentle, caring vibe that permeates everything. And we were both Very glad to get back to our fancy hotel and have another one of those delicious dinners!! What a long and magical day!! We came , we conquered , we survived Varanasi!