time seems to have escaped me. i found myself at quarter break wondering where the past few months had gone and how the hell i was already 3/4 of the way through my first year in india.. somehow, when you go nonstop all day everyday, things begin to blend and time begins to blur.in an effort to get as much out of our three day break as possible, we decided to hit one of india's craziest cities: varanasi, figuring the only way to see a chaotic place is in a chaotic whirlwind involving mainly overnight travel and sleep deprived days..
located on the banks of the ganges, varanasi is THE holy city- a place believed by hindus, jains, and buddhists alike to be the center of religious belief. pilgrims from all over the world flock here to unite themselves with the river ..the mother ganga is a thread connecting and binding wisdom, religion and meditation.the city was unlike anything i had ever seen before, there were numerous palaces along the banks, all of which had stairs (or ghats) leading down to the river and the rest of the city was very 'venice like'- little alleyways and canals winding every which way, all combining to produce quite an enchanted ambiance.
many pilgrims reach varanasi in hopes of reaching moksha- the state in which the ultimate knowledge, peace and enlightenment are achieved and the soul is finally content, no longer subject to the cycle of rebirth. it is considered an honor to die near the river, and even more so to be turned to ash on the banks. thus the burning ghats; places where there literally were 7 or more fires burning corpses in broad daylight. it was a complete mind blowing experience to watch this process, i wasn't sure how to feel; you are supposed to be happy for this person, reaching their ultimate state and completing their life, however they are burning right before your eyes.. i still am not sure i have processed this experience entirely and really have no clue how to even try and convey my feelings at seeing this happen...
evening prayers at the assi ghat
one morning we woke up at 5 to grab a boat and watch the sunrise over the ghats- while we could not fully open our eyes and couldn't properly think, it was well worth the grogginess and it is safe to say that it was the most beautiful sunrise i have ever seen.
morning dips in the river
the selection of essential oils was to die for.
the overnight train to lucknow. we of course were in the cheapest class and had the door that didnt shut. fed up with creepy men staring in at us, we remedied the situation with a bright pink towel and a few safety pins...somehow, no one found this odd..
killing time in lucknow..big surprise..people are blatantly staring...(those of you who have heard me complain about this- here is evidence that it occurs all the time)
the residency
while most of the staff had nice relaxing vacations, we returned to woodstock exhausted but content; our mission was achieved and the whirlwind managed.
