Varanasi – The City for the Dead |
||||
 |
Varanasi is a Hindu holy city on the banks of the holy Ganges River in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is believed to be the oldest city on the planet and an important Hindu pilgrimage center. Varanasi has been famous for spiritualism, mysticism, Indian philosophy and Hinduism. There are many temples, Ashrams and the majestic Ghats in Varanasi. Varanasi is a destination like no other with its unique spiritual aura, its culture and charm, the dirt, chaos and pollution. |
|||
|
The Ganges River is the mainstream of Varanasi. It is the heart and soul of the city. People visit Varanasi to take a holy dip in Ganges. The ghats are center stage for daily life in Varanasi, everyday one can find various people conducting various activities on the ghats like vendors selling their wares like flowers and clothing; sadhus performing yoga at dawn and many more scenes. The Ghats of Ganga or Ganges are the main center of religious activities and rituals; also they are the main attraction of Varanasi. Also the temples of Varanasi are famous and bring tourist from all over the world. The Durga temple, Vishwanath temple, Sankat Mochan temple, Tulsi Manas temple and the Bharat Mata temple are the main temples in Varanasi.
For Hindus, Varanasi is the place to die in. Dying in Varanasi assures liberation from the cycle of birth and death and helps one to attain Nirvana. It is an old age custom that old people leave their homes and come to live in Varanasi during their last days. Now also people tend to follow the age old custom and there are ashrams filled with old people living there and waiting to die in Varanasi. The bodies of the dead are cremated on the ghats and the ashes are spread into the Ganges. The cremation ceremony follows very old rituals. Bodies are wrapped in fine, colorful cloth and carried to the river on bamboo stretchers, at the riverside, the bodies are given one final dip in the holy Ganges before being placed atop huge piles of wood and set ablaze. Varanasi is a sprawling, chaotic, spiritual and cultured city and when one walk through the old city of Varanasi you feel as if you are walking the ancient scenes of India. Narrow cobblestone alleys cut mazes through markets and storefronts that are rife with color and commotion. Cows roam freely, grazing on garbage and snatching fruits and vegetables from careless shopkeepers. However Varanasi is also one of the main centers for studying classical Indian music, yoga, and meditation. There are tourists and pilgrims who visit Varanasi to study under famous gurus, yogis, and instructors. Varanasi has a unique mixture of birth, life and death, here is the city where every Hindu longs to die in, strange but true.
| ||||
|
