Varanasi's rituals

Since I didn't know my plans would change, thanks to the unexpected troubles with the train schedules, I took all my time to explore Varanasi. It was my first of two days in the city. Unfortunately, I would soon discover that this exploration would be all I would see from Varanasi.

Good news, though, are that instead of visiting seconday places, I ended up on the ghats, near the Gange river. Just by getting lost, I found the most important of them all, where more than 300 burnings (of bodies) are organized every day. You can see piles of wood everywhere in that area.

Again, being white garantees some hassling. A french speaking Indian told me he would not ask for any money but that he would tell me the story of the place. We can see people bathing in the sacred Gange while others are getting onboard boats from which they will throw their loved ones ashes in the middle of the river. 

The most interesting part is the cremation itself. Lots of smoke. Lungs filled with it for sure.

It is not possible to take pictures of the ceremonies, where only the men are allowed (or women if you're a tourist). Apparently, it is because the women tend to cry, which is not good for the soul of the dead person.

It will take 300 kilos of wood to burn a full body. The fire is lit by the husband if a woman dies, or by the father if it's a man. Those people are dressed in white and they shave their head and beard. The men's chest and the women's hips don't burn, so they throw them directly in the river after the ceremony.

Those in charge of the burning will break the skull of the dead, technically so the soul can get out. My guide says it's more for physical reasons when the burning happens. Hard to find the real reason. After the three hours necessary to burn the corpse, which was first bathed in the Gange, the people in charge will search for jewels in the ashes. It is considered as a gift from the deads and they can keep them.

I was told this tradition (burning) prevents reincarnation, which is what the hindus wish for. Five type of people cannot be burned : pregnant women, kids under 10 years old, the lepers, monks and those who die from a snake bite. They tie a large rock to their bodies and throw them in the middle of the river. Otherwise they would float.

I watched the ceremonies for a while, which is stange when you think you're at someone funerals and you see them burn. Everywhere around the cremation ghat, people are asking for money for the poors. I was told it's a scam. We shouldn't give anything. We should also refuse every proposition to get a better view of a ceremony or to get a permission to take a picture of the burnings. They will ask money for that too.

After stopping at my guide's silk shop, where the prices where supposed to be fixed, according to him, he said he could bargain with me. I finally left empty handed. I walked along the ghats where people kept on trying to sell me stuff, where people were bathing in the river and where kids were flying kites. 

You know when mom and dad said we shouldn't fly kites near electric lines? Here, the rule doesn't exist.

Of course, everywhere you go, you should look where your walk. That smell you think comes from you... comes from your feet... or what is under your shoes.