Sacred Varanasi

Yesterday, Dec 11^th, during the evening, I went to the Manikarnika Ghat (burning Ghat) to spend some time and write; ended up meeting an Indian guy who’s been offering me stuff all the time. After not being successful on developing any business with me, he started telling me a bit about the ceremonies, the cremations, what and how things happen there according to their religion and tradition. After this he told me to go with another guy, who would lead me through the fires and explain even better how it works. All without any cost, just a donation at the end to help people who live in few buildings around that area, old and sick people without family awaiting for death. Well, everything went well, apart from the money things which, at the end, came with some pressure as I expected since the beginning.

Well, he started telling me about the discrimination existent even when death comes. Different castes are burned in different areas of the ghat, very close to the river the low caste people’s bodies are burned; then a bit further up middle class; and all the way up the high class, the Brahmans. During very high tides, as it was used to happen in the past, when the water would cover all the steps, then all the bodies would be burned on the same area where currently only high caste people make their cremations.

 Daily they burn from 300 to 400 bodies and each of them needs from 200 to 300kg of wood, which will determinate the cost of the ceremony together with the type of wood chosen. High castes might want to use the very special sandal wood, which costs up to 3000Rs (almost 50 Euros) per kg! Nevertheless it’s usually mixed with some other qualities to reduce the cost of the ceremony. And even though there are many different kinds of threes used for that finality, they all must to be oily, which avoids the bad smell in the air caused by burned meet, hair… and indeed it doesn’t smell that bad.

Walking through the many cremation fires the temperature goes really high and the smoke irritates the eyes very much. The bodies are exposed and it’s possible to see its skin wrinkling due to the fire; it takes around 3hs until it’s completely burned. The heap and the cheats bones are quite strong and not fully consumed by the fire, so when fire goes off they search for these two leftovers and throw into the river; then it’s mother ganga’s responsibility!

On the main building of that ghat there’s what’s called “permanent fire”, which’s been burning nonstop for the last 5000 years!!! Yes, that’s what they say and believe! Apparently that fire was started by Shiva to cremate his first wife’s body, Shakti. Nowadays that flame never goes off and it’s daily used to start every single cremation.

Well, it’s a quite intense experience seating there and watch the scene for a while. Dozens of animals and their poop all over, hundreds of people, tea stalls, tourist boats on the water around that area, some other boats parked loaded with wood to supply the wood business and so on. Around the area animals and people bath in the sacred water of the ganga and also wash their cloths. The sky shares space with the constant smoke release and the kites of the children playing by the river. This whole context holds place for hundreds of ceremonies every day, it’s where the Hindu families come for the last goodbye to their beloved who passed away. It’s beautiful though to see that there are not many sad faces around there as it would happen in our western cultures. Probably because, according to their religion and beliefs, being cremated by the Ganga is the way to reach the nirvana. Who knows!

Sunrise boat trip along the Ganga

Burning Ghat