My journey to the holiest city in the world
Varanasi, also known as Benares or Kashi, is the most special and impressive place I have ever visited. I spent a week there with Johanna and Alisha, two other volunteers in India whom I met at the mid-programme seminar. I would have loved to stay much longer, as there is always something new to see. However, my health and the others’ schedule ultimately put a spanner in the works. It was a very intense time, during which I got to see a completely different side of India that I had never known before.
Varanasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world; its age is estimated at between 3,000 and over 5,000 years. According to Hindu tradition, the city is the place where Shiva resides as the eternal ruler. This makes it one of, if not the, holiest place for Hindus. The city is also sacred to Buddhists, as it is said that Buddha delivered his first sermon here. The city lies on the sacred River Ganges and has 84 ghats (sacred stairways), which are used either for ritual bathing or for the cremation of the dead. The fire used for cremations at the ‘Manikarnika Ghat’, the most important cremation ghat, is said to have been burning continuously, around the clock, for centuries. For Hindus, it is very important to die in Varanasi and be cremated there, as this brings an end to samsara, the cycle of rebirth. It is said that Shiva whispers the mantra ‘Taraka’ into the ears of the dying here, leading to immediate salvation. The cult of Shiva is palpable throughout the city. There are over 23,000 temples in the city, most of which are dedicated to Shiva. Another distinctive feature of the city is Banaras Hindu University; it is one of the largest residential universities in Asia and can accommodate up to 30,000 students.
Varanasi is nicknamed the ‘City of Light’; the name ‘Kashi’ means ‘the radiant one’. Light is everywhere, both in the literal and symbolic sense. I have gathered a few experiences I’ve had with light in Varanasi and will share them with you here.
Spiritual Light / Jnana – Knowledge
In Hinduism, ‘light’ symbolises not only physical light, but above all spiritual knowledge and enlightenment. Here, the eternal light of Shiva is said to shine, dispelling all ignorance. For me, this spiritual light was very real and very palpable. Whether through the countless temples, visible on what feels like every corner in every conceivable form, size, splendour or simplicity, can be seen on what feels like every corner; whether through the sadhus (holy men), who renounce all worldly things and are easily recognisable by their orange robes, and whom one encounters everywhere in the city, whether by the Ganges or at tea stalls; or through the many pilgrims who fill the city with life – the religious significance and spiritual power are literally palpable. I had never experienced anything like this before in my life and it left a deep impression on me, even in retrospect.
Light rituals – Ganga Aarti
Every evening and every morning, rituals are held at two different ghats to celebrate the Ganges and the divine presence. The evening ritual is particularly spectacular; the Ganga Aarti is performed with lamps, fire and chants, to which the thousands of visitors respond at specific points. The name ‘City of Light’ takes on a very special meaning here. During my time in Varanasi, I attended this ritual on three evenings and was deeply moved each time by the grandeur and dignity of the event.
The Fires of Cremation
Every day in Varanasi, right on the banks of the Ganges and in full view of everyone, hundreds of deceased believers are cremated. The cremations are just one part of a lengthy ceremony involving many different stages, during which the body, amongst other things, takes a final sacred bath in the Ganges, the pyre is built, prepared and sanctified, and finally set alight. It usually takes between three and four hours for a body to be cremated, during which time the male family members (women are not permitted to attend the cremations) stand by and say their goodbyes. Once the pyre has burnt down, the remaining parts of the body are symbolically handed over to the Ganges and the ashes are scattered into the water. This marks the end of the ritual and the soul’s passage into Nirvana. We spent a lot of time at the smaller of the two cremation ghats, as it was very moving to watch the funerals. It was very hot, partly due to the time of year and partly, of course, because of the fires; it was smoky and dusty, and yet the atmosphere was always somehow solemn and rather calm, despite the noise of the pilgrims, the temples, the goats living there and the motorboats on the Ganges. We made friends with the men responsible for the cremations and were invited into their tent. These men spend most of their lives at this ghat and cremate dozens of dead bodies every day. They belong to one of the lowest castes in the Hindu caste system, which is why they have to do the ‘dirty work’ and spend their lives by the funeral pyres. They were incredibly friendly towards us, shared their food with us and, despite the language barrier, tried their best to answer all our questions about their daily lives and this completely different reality. Meanwhile, they smoked a lot of marijuana and drank alcohol; that, too, is part of this way of life. But that didn’t change the fact that this encounter was one of the absolute highlights of my trip. The friendliness with which we were welcomed and the openness with which we strangers were treated is not to be taken for granted and really enhanced our holiday experience.
The modern lighting columns at the renovated Vishwanath Ghat
Varanasi is home to one of the most visited Hindu temples in India. It attracts an average of 45,000 pilgrims every day. This influx of visitors was brought about by a renovation project that was completed in 2021. The temple stands close to the Ganges and has its own ghat for accessing it from the river. The temple complex, the steps, the accommodation facilities – simply everything about this ghat has been renovated, replaced with stainless steel railings and perfectly square stones. Personally, I find this ghat to be the ugliest on the entire banks of the Ganges. Added to this are huge lighting masts, similar to those in a football stadium, which bathe everything in a glaring, unnatural light. Perhaps more people can now visit the temple and thus more money can be earned, but the renovation has definitely not contributed to spirituality. Incidentally, I was unable to visit the temple either; I was in Varanasi during the India-Pakistan conflict, which had just escalated, and the guards at the temple were not exactly keen on foreigners. Normally things are very different in India, but at that time everyone was probably a bit more on edge than usual. In that respect, this ghat and the temple really had nothing to offer me apart from ugly, bare surfaces.
Reflections on the Ganges
The Ganges is India’s holiest river; it embodies the goddess Ganga, who descends to Earth via this route. A bath in the Ganges is said to wash away all sin and pave the way to salvation. The river rises in the Himalayas, flows through northern India and, after a total length of 2,525 km, empties into the vast Sundarbans Delta in Bangladesh and then into the Bay of Bengal. It supplies an estimated 400 million people with water, both for drinking and for agriculture and industry. Despite its sanctity and importance, the Ganges is one of the most heavily polluted rivers in the world, and there is no real prospect of improvement.
In Varanasi, the river is impressively wide and, even if it does not appear so, has a fairly strong current. Every year, the water level of the Ganges rises sharply – by several metres – during and after the monsoon, as well as after the snowmelt. As a result, large sections of the ghats disappear into the water for a certain period each year and only reappear once the water level drops again. This also explains why the buildings constructed directly above the ghats are very tall and only have windows at a considerable height. This makes the backdrop of the ghats something quite special. Naturally, I couldn’t resist taking a dip in the Ganges – who wouldn’t want all their sins simply forgiven? The way the Indians interact with the Ganges also dispelled my fears of possible poisoning, as they shower in it, brush their teeth and even drink the water. However, I unfortunately don’t have an Indian stomach, so after my last bath I became very ill, suffering from severe diarrhoea that only subsided weeks later. But perhaps that’s all part of the Varanasi experience.
All in all, my time in Varanasi, even though it wasn’t particularly long, was one of the most memorable of my entire stay in this country. I spent days filled with happiness, with a sense of being overwhelmed and fascinated, filled with people, spirituality and life. I recommend a trip to the oldest and holiest city in the world, the City of Light, to anyone who wants to step into a different world they have never seen before.
This text was automatically translated using an AI-powered translation system.
