Day 172, Varanasi, India

Cows everywhere 

I have arrived in the craziest city in the world.

I thought Delhi was full on, but Varanasi is a whole other level of madness. 

There are cows everywhere in the city; wandering across the road, lying on roundabouts, dogs with puppies, I saw some pigs even on the roadside. The traffic is even worse than a Delhi, apparently if you can drive in Varanasi you can drive anywhere, any I believe it too. Coming back from dinner tonight, the three of us, Kathryn, Mary and I, nearly wet ourselves laughing, it was such a hilarious ride back. Being in a rickshaw in the day is one thing, but in the dark? A new level of crazy.

Wedding party 

Ok, start with the train ride on the 14.5 hour sleeper train. Was actually pretty good. Didn't get a chance to sit with an Indian family, as our seats were altogether and allocated. We did manage to get a fairly good night sleep. Morning brought city scenes as well as fields, where men quite happily squatted to do number twos, while having a cigarette, all in view of the train passing. Finally after a three hour delay we arrived in Varanasi, where we all took tuk tuks to the hotel. As described above, the tuk tuk rides are exhilarating. And the sights....animals everywhere, stalls selling food, clothing, right on the the road, men stopping their scooters to take a wee on the side of the road, beggars, cows, rubbish, women collecting rubbish, men with bikes and trailers, piled high with mattresses or coal, barely able to pull the bike due to the weight.

Beggars

After a blissful shower and lunch we walked into town to get our first look at the river Ganges, which is regarded as the Elixir of Life by Hindu, and brings purity to the living and salvation to the dead. There are many rituals performed in and around the river, least of all being the cremation of the dead. Later we went on the river in a boat and did the candle ceremony, lighting a candle and making a wish, putting it in a dish, floating on the river. We watched a big ceremony performance on the ghat (steps towards the river) with fire, being the purest element. Very impressive.

Fire ceremony