Excerpts from unpublished book"Exploring Varanasi" by Ravindra Nath Srivastava Gateway to HeavenReligious metropolis of India, Varanasi, on the banks
of the river Ganga is a fascinating vortex of life,
music, art, culture and above all - what most Hindus
believe - a gateway to heaven.
It is perhaps the subconscious fear, fascination and a
streak of innate voyeurism that draws almost all
tourists to the cremation ghats in Varanasi. The elaborate formalities according to the Hindu
custom right from the funeral procession arriving at
the ghats to the rituals prior to lighting the pyre
makes for quite a riveting and disturbing drama. And
the sight of several funeral pyres burning brightly in
the fast spreading twilight put me in a philosophical
reverie, which was broken by my boatman. He made a
statement in a very matter of fact way, which I found
extremely intriguing, "Death is business, it is a
continuous process here in Varanasi. The fire that
burns the dead never ceases." And how right he is. It is not only the dream of every Hindu to make a
pilgrimage to Varanasi at least once in their lifetime
but it is also a common belief among them that anyone
who ends their earthly cycle here is transported
straight to heaven.
The allure of Varanasi, the city with myriad names -
Kashi as it was first known but Benaras in popular
parlance - is in its ghats. Over 100 ghats with
numerous steep steps leading to the river dot the
riverfront of the city.
Boat rides for a river view prespective of the city
While Harishchandra and the Manikarnika are the two
most popular burning ghats, the main bathing ghats are
Assi, Dasaswamedh, Barnasangam, Panchaganga. These are
crowded throughout the day with devotees taking a dip
in the holy river to cleanse all their sins.
Varanasi is a city which celebrates Death as no other
city in India does. For a Hindu to die in Benares, and
to be cremated here on the banks of the Ganga, is to
be absolved of karma, freed from the wheel of
reincarnation and absorbed into the Infinite.People
are not afraid of death but they think it as
reicarnation to new life.As we approach the sombre Marnikarnika burning ghat,
we stow away our cameras and video equipment as
photography is prohibited. Sandalwood fires glow and
grey smoke smudges the sky. White clad figures-priests
and male members of the family- surround the pyres. No
weeping here, as this would retard the soul in its
journey to fuse with the Ultimate. The ashes will be
scattered onto the waters of the Ganges.
So death is not a cause for grief in Varanasi. It is a
celebration of deliverance from the cycle of rebirth.
The day ends as it begins off the Ganges riverbanks.
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