"Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together."
Thats what Mark Twain (American Author) said about this holy city and the same thoughts were echoed when I first stepped into this city.
The first thing one realises after landing into the city is, how small it is. Benaras (Varanasi) is not a very large city areawise but within the kilometers of range it houses some of the most important centers of religious and spiritual learning. The city has the honour of calling herself home to many musical legends like Girija Devi, Pandit Ravi Shankar and the most loved Ustad Bismillah Khan. It is said his soulful shehnai recitals were a regular at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
The first thing that grabs you in Benaras(Varanasi) (NO, not the beggars) but how old the city looks and even with the 21st century having made its arrival, the tongas, the temples and the small sweet meat shops takes you decades back to an era when time flowed with ease. A time where it was easy for someone to enjoy the sunset along the banks of Ganga and wake up with the chants of Vishwanath Temple. Our exploration of the city started with the search for a resting place and believe me, the guides (read rickshaw-wallahs) were not very helpful. The city has lived through ages and hence is not the breeding ground for splendid hotels but is marked with small but cozy lodges and 'Dharamsalas'. We dumped ourselves into one of the lodges near the 'Vishwanath Galli' and went out to venture around.
Twirling streets, Old.. Older... Oldest of houses, and the sweet smell of rabri was enough to invite your senses to be part of an experience of lifetime. The evening is marked with the famous Ganga Aarti at the Dashashwamedh Ghat.
The ganga aarti is best viewed from the banks. One can easily pay a minimal amount to the boat-wallahs and enjoy the aarti. The age old mantras bring out your spiritual you. Okay it could get a little boring to some but then which Indian ceremony is a 2-minute thing.
Esp. for foreigners, it all begins with "OMG this is amazing", "What an amazing culture" to
"When is this gonna end!!!!!". Lol.
The next morning began with a cup of tea in a clay pot near the ghat, listening to locals talk about the next prime minister or the wedding celebrations at their house and then EXPLOREEE. Look at the following photograph.
The first one was taken in the Vishwanath Gali and the next on was some colourful street. Its amazing how the light makes the old look mysterious. I think thats what divides the Old from historical. "What we see depends in which light we see".
Varanasi, Benaras, Kashi, the city has been given many names through the centuries but to me it has been one of the "Best One".
Rest in the next one..
