Varanasi – Tale That the River Told

Legend has it that Varanasi was the site of a great argument between Brahma and Vishnu. They refer to the Vedas to decide who is greater and discover to their dismay that it was Shiva, the destroyer who was supreme. As the two stood there arguing, a huge column of fire, originating in Varanasi, split the earth and the heavens. Astounded, Brahma and Vishnu decided to determine the origin and extent of this luminous pillar. Vishnu went and explored the depths of the nether worlds as a boar and Brahma mounted his goose and tried to fly to the top of the pillar. Despite their efforts, neither could reach the end of this incredible beam of light. When they returned to Varanasi, Shiva emerged from the light beam to meet them. While Vishnu conceded defeat, Brahma cunningly lied and said he had found the end. Shiva was furious and cursed that Brahma would henceforth have no place in Hindu religious ceremony. They both realized that Shiva was the greatest.

The legend also says that after Shiva married Parvati, he left his abode in the Himalayas and shifted to Varanasi with all the other gods. Thus, the original name is Kashi which is a derivative of Kashika meaning illuminated one. The place was called so since it was the city of Shiva known as the illuminated one or Kasha due to his knowledge, and mediation.

Another name of the city is Varanasi, and its origin is based on the fact that it lies at the confluence of two major tributaries of Ganges, the Varuna and Asi. Thus, the name Varanasi was derived. It was much later during later part of 20th century that it started being called as Banaras, as Muslim and British settlers started coming into India. Many religious experts and theologians believe the city was founded by Shiva himself. Meanwhile, the places where Shiva’s light pierced through the Earth came to be known as the 12 jyotirlingas and Kashi Vishwanath is one of them. While the shivling is housed in a silver altar within the main temple, there are also smaller shrines located within the complex of the temples devoted to other Gods.

The Kashi Vishwanath temple has stood the test of time and politics. It’s tough to date it, but the temple finds a mention in the Hindu “puranas”. The Kashi temple was first razed to the ground by the army of Qutb-ud-din Aibak in 1194 AD when he defeated the Raja of Kannauj. It was rebuilt again during Iltutmish’s reign but was brought down again. It was rebuilt again by Raja Mann Singh under Akbar’s patronage. But local Hindus boycotted the temple because the Raja had allowed Mughals to marry with his family. Nevertheless, the temple was further restored by Raja Todar Mal.

A few decades later, the temple would be razed again, this time by Aurangzeb, who built the Gyanvapi Mosque in its place. Located within the temple is a small well called the Jnana Vapi (or Gyanvapi). It is said that the priest of the temple jumped in the well with the shivling to protect it from invaders. What can be confirmed though is that at least part of the premises of the original temple were incorporated into the mosque. Some claim that the former temple can still be seen in the foundation, columns and rear parts of the mosque. The temple, as it stands today, was finally built by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar a Maratha ruler who constructed the present temple adjacent to the mosque circa 1780.

The scale is striking. The Kashi Vishwanath temple, with its refurbished golden dome and flanking spires, stands in the newly built sandstone courtyard. The arches of the viewing gallery and shopping arcade — part of the 330-metre Kashi Vishwanath corridor that stretches from the temple complex to the Ganga’s Lalita Ghat. The architecture is splendid in its symmetry. And in its isolation. Outside, the throbbing city — with its alleys and a temple at every turn, its tea stalls supplying chai and endless gupshup — looks distant. The adjacent Gyanvapi mosque appears now visually much smaller. This is a new Varanasi.

A famous English bard once rued that what was in a name? Call it Varanasi, Banares, Kashi or by any other name you like, the city is bound to invoke a similar feeling every time you choose to take its name: of the city being at one with your inner self. After all, how many places can you recall which exist in a perfect balance between their ancient and modern civilizations?

Banaras is primarily a people’s narrative. It’s a story that also has a built-in city space consisting of a sacred landscape, an imagined topography, designed and created through the combination of restructured symbolism, political and cultural stakes, shaping its most noted temples, venerated sites, shrines, fort-palaces, ghats and private houses on the river-front, around which the city exists till date. A city that has been visited, revisited, discussed, and written about umpteen times, what more could be said about it? Yet, I found it invigorating and complex enough to probe again.

Mark Twain once said: “Banaras is older than tradition, older even than legend and twice as old as both of them put together.” A city which is the oldest continually inhabited place in the world, yet seemingly timeless in a curious way. Its ghats embody the multiple facets of life, its innumerable temples are the sanctuaries of unending spiritual grace, its people an affable and jovial lot and the river Ganges which gives the city its meaning is the fountain of life and inspiration for many.

Every year is different, every day is different, and every moment is different! Ganga is the “showstopper” amongst many marvels that the city offers. There is no veneration, no everyday reality, no living, no death, and no imagination of Banaras without the Ganges. Varanasi Ghats are full of actions and every story either starts or ends up over there! From morning to evening, the Ghats are full of activities other than the ritual of The Ganga Arti, which takes place twice in a day. But the Ghats talk and it has a language! I could hear that beyond the gong of the bell. Sometimes it murmurs and sometimes it is silent with vivid activity which speaks for itself! Be it a kite runner, or the morning prayers or could it be the old woman taking her time to put the holy dots on her forehead, I could find that someone is very closely narrating the life! I saw the joy in a child’s face after catching a running kite, locals spending a relaxed time together or a very serious religious ceremony being performed by a couple in front of a priest.  Even a disability is overcome by sheer determination when someone comes to take the holy bath in The Ganges! Be it a marriage to be performed or offerings to ancestors, the extremities are worth looking at. The Ghats are places to pray, for the business of getting clients to perform religious rituals as well as a regular for the barber to shave the head as death is the only constant!

Cremation at Manikarnika Ghat

‘Kadam to rakho Kashi mein, tar jaoge Kashi mein.’ (You are sure to attain salvation once you’ve visited Kashi). A place which deifies death as much as it celebrates life. Mythology has it that the funeral pyres at the famous cremation grounds of Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghat never cool down. As the flames from the funeral pyres lick the air with a feinted romanticism, there are always scores of people silently witnessing the entire process. Varanasi is perhaps the only city where people wish to die, as it gives them a chance to attain salvation without any qualms.

Kashi Mumukshu Bhawan is a hostel which caters to the needs of the dying, and it is believed that those who lodge themselves at this place are sure to break free from the bondages of life within a very short time.

Much like the ghat in Rabindranath Tagore’s short story by the same name, every ghat in Varanasi has its own unique story. Ghats in the holy city is more than just a set of stone steps leading down to the riverfront. They are the epicenters of all kinds of activities in the city, much like the gurdwara in the fictional village of Mano Majra woven by Khushwant Singh in his famous book “Train to Pakistan”. If there is one place in India where it is possible to brood in solace, while letting the choppy ambiance relegate itself to the background, you just went through the description of the place. Ghats like Ravidas, Assi, Shitala, Dashashwamedh, Tulsi and Bhadaini ghats are just a few names from the entire coterie. You might want to explore the others for yourself.

One of these evenings, Bharat Nishad sat one leg up on the wooden seat as his boat, tied to a pole, rocked gently in the waters of the Ganga. The evening light was fast fading and there were some clouds in the distance. The sound of bells clanking at a nearby temple echoed in the air as pandits, dressed in saffron robes, emerged on one side of the Assi Ghat to prepare for the ‘aarti’ of Mother Ganga. But Nishad’s eyes were fixated on the tourists, who by now, had assembled in large numbers at the ghat, clicking selfies, munching peanuts and chattering among themselves. ‘Aayiye, aayiye naav savari ke liye aajayiye (Please come, please come, come for a boat ride),’ Nishad called out to the tourists.

As I was negotiating with Nishad for a evening boat ride, Nishad’s face reflected a deep sense of dejection. “Sahab, yehi to time hai kamane ka. Baarish ke mausam me tourist daar jata hai. Koyee nahi aata.” (Sir, this is our time to earn. During monsoon, people get scared to see Mother Ganga. Nobody comes for a ride) It’s true. For Nishad and thousands of boatmen like him in Varanasi, there can’t be a worse time than the monsoons. While they easily earn up Rs 600 in a day in the summer months, earnings trickle down to a bare minimum in the monsoon. The Ganga, upon which thousands of families depend, is usually in a menacing form and acquires strong currents that can scare the bravest of people. I don’t have a barge like Mr.Meghraj of “Joy Baba Felunath”, so without much haggling followed Nishad to his boat.

One of our main charms, to visit Varanasi was to watch the Sun Rise: The famous “Subh-e-Benaras”. Hotel staff already informed me the timing of sun rise that was 6:00 AM. So we left hotel room at 5:30 AM in curiosity to beat site well in time. The air was crisp and we were at the Assi Ghat for the morning Ganga Arti. It is still quite dark but I saw seven priests with a paraphernalia of prayer items getting ready to start the prayer. Shortly prayers started with offering fire to the holiest river. The synchronized ritual is a stunning spectacle that inspires awe and spirituality in one shot. Steeped in devotion, the 45-minute ritual is accompanied by spiritual music. Nishad was waiting at the ghat and without any word, we climbed up his boat. Pilgrims were busy in spiritual rituals. Bathing in Ganges with a belief to wash away their lifetime sins, meaning attainment of nirvana as opposed to being endlessly reincarnated.

A reddish-white ball of light that we call the sun god was seemed emerging from the Ganges. The Eastern horizon was changing its color rapidly; a golden sheet of Yellow was spread over Ganges flowing water. A new hope was born on this sunrise. I was witness of this golden hour of the day.

Up till now, what comes to your mind when you think of Varanasi? You must be thinking about the Varanasi Ghats, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, the Ganges or the narrow alleys of the city. Varanasi or Kashi is also about food. Starting from lip-smacking chats to the sweet seduction of desserts and thandai, Varanasi is a place for food lovers. As food-loving Bong, we simply fell in love with the street food of Varanasi. When the Gods came down to Kashi, I am sure they were happy with the food offered. Maybe the food was one of the reasons that they decided to pour their blessings on Kashi. Well, these are just my thoughts which I will keep to myself. To be honest, we did not find anything such as famous lunch or dinner in Varanasi. It is the street food in Varanasi, chaats, sweets and desserts that are famous. You can eat snacks and sweets all day long. In fact, when you visit Varanasi, you inadvertently head towards Kachori Galli or Blue Lassi Shop. Then, of course, there are multiple stops at Kashi Chaat Bhandar or Deena Chaat Bhandar. So being in Varanasi is a great feeling. After all the sensory experiences around the lanes and alleys of Varanasi, the culinary experiences are just perfect.

While in Banaras, do as the Banarasis do. That is to say, sip tea at intermittent intervals from a kulhad  (a small earthen vessel) at one of the many tea-stalls or ‘chai ki addi‘ as such points are known popularly across the place and recall the famous song Banarasiya from the bollywood movie Ranjhanaa which sings praises of the Banaras-wallahs. They are known to be a cheeky lot, and even an innocuously sounding discussion at one such tea stalls might soon erupt like a volcano, within minutes. To prove a point is a penchant with the local folks. An another such penchant is for the sublime ‘betel-leaf concoction ‘, known popularly as banarasi paan. The staple sweet dish and the dessert for all seasons in the holy city, the concoction dissolves as soon as it is put inside one’s mouth.

Ask anyone to list the names of a few important places in Varanasi and the name of godowliya is sure to figure high up on that list. Despite its menacing traffic and overcrowded streets, the place is a sheer delight to the senses. An epitome of about almost everything which the city stands for, godowliya is a shopper’s and a foodies’ paradise. It offers a myriad of culinary pleasures, and a mere stroll around is bound to titillate the taste buds. Evenings cast a veil of profound surrealism over the place, as all roads lead to the Dashashwamedh ghat which lies in close vicinity to the place.

I soon realised that Varanasi is a shock to the senses; it is pure India at a “full speed ahead” mode. Crowded, somewhat dirty and bizarre, the city is both fascinating and exciting at the same time. It is a hugely important destination for Hindus, and that feeling hangs heavily in the air. Cows are gods. Rats are revered. Mother Teresa is revered as a Saint. Nuclear weapons are aimed at Pakistan. A war rages on the Saichen Glacier. But for over a billion Hindus, none of those things really matter in comparison to a pilgrimage to the Ganges. India is more than a country: it’s a world, a state of mind, a state of being. And Hindus believe that dying in Varanasi will bring salvation.

Yes, Varanasi is old, but moreover, it is one of the holiest places in all of India. The city has been a cultural center in North India for thousands of years. It has been an incubator of poets, writers and philosophers for millennia. Gautama Buddha gave his very first sermon here. Silk, ivory and perfume are just some of goods sought by traders in Varanasi from time immemorial. Xuanzang, a famous Chinese traveler, cartographer and historian, visited Varanasi around 635 A.D. and wrote of its thriving cultural and religious significance. Varanasi is not merely some far off, remote place; a dot on a map like Borneo or Tierra del Fuego. It is one of the greatest centers of global spirituality in human history.

I was rightly told that Varanasi can be best explored by foot. One day, while walking through a very narrow by-lane, I met a supposedly illiterate Sadhu, and for some unknown reason, we caught up with conversation. I asked the Sadhu, “You mean that we all are actors in this stage called Universe?” He smilingly nodded. “And every action has a story behind it! Just be here and take notes of those and you get the best story of life…” but I haven’t come here for stories in Varanasi. On the contrary, I came here on my way to visit religious sites of Hindus and Buddhists with my wife. “No matter what you have come for, you’ll get a story, probably the best story of your life” he smiled and left me in a hurry.