Varanasi :The luminous eternal city

 Although Rome is often referred to as the eternal city, it is Varanasi known as Kashi or Benares  that deserves that epithet. Pilgrims have been coming there since at least four to five thousand years ago, and still do, to justify the comings and goings of life and death .

I was on a official meeting to  Varanasi ,the land of Varuna and Assi , the tributaries of River Ganga. But I had  planned to stay back for an extra  day to experience the ‘City of Light’ . It is said that  Varanasi is older than history. A city which is older than traditions. Older than legends. Even if all these are added together, I felt that this  city and its ghats  looks twice as old as that.

In the journey from the destination of life to another goal , this city is chosen by traditions and beliefs of many for  death and salvation . It is said that  Varanasi ends where another journey begins. Thousands flock to this city from all corners of the world  seeking eternal liberation or moksha . Elsewhere, even a terminally ill patient longs for one more day of life, but here they want to be freed from their shackles as soon as possible. May be here in the Ghats, death has a calming influence.   

As I walk along the banks of Ganga , I find thousands of devotees,  most of them are here to  wash away the sins ofmany births and attain salvation through a pilgrimage

 .

River Ganga is the soul of Varanasi. She wakes and sleeps inextricably linked to the ups and downs of the city's societal life. On this night, with the full moon high in the sky, thousands of  earthen lamps are lit and float in the River Ganga, creating an unforgettable spectacle. At the Ghats one has to see the spectacle of  Ganga Aarti, a daily thanksgiving ceremony performed by thousands of people, who offer thanks to the river . Devotees  and many more spectators flock to the Ghats on the riverside to participate in the rhythmic drum beating and hymn chanting. Most of them would have waited for  their entire lives to participate in the ceremony. It was moving to see so many elderly people along the water during the ceremony and to think about their lives that brought them to this point.

My boat takes me to Manikarnika ghat , an open  crematorium where bodies are always cremated. Here the wounds inflicted by baptisms of sin among the dead are going up as dark smokes. Karmas are flying like lead moths as the lights dim. No journey ends. All the journeys take you to return.

Varanasi raises the question of what is left in the reckoning.  Eventhough  Varanasi and Ganga give the delusion that everything is falling apart. But it gives a realization that everything can start from scratch and the confidence to start all over again if given one more chance.   

I sat down on the steps of the Ghat and asked myself  . Death. What kind of feeling does this word instill in you? Does it create a sense of panic or fear or restlessness or sadness?  Watching the mortal remains of fellow humans burn to ash in front of your eyes. For someone who lost a dear one, it must be an hour of deep emotions. On the other hand, to that man helping the fire burn, it would not be any more than another day in the office. However, a visitor like me, would be somewhere in between these two extremes. It must be a sense of self realization....

As I walked along the steps and took in these sights, the only sound was that of pilgrims praying as they moved into the river to bathe in a sacred ritual that affords moksha. Every footfall seemed to bring a connection to something ancient, alive. It was as if the very soul of Varanasi was whispering  with each step. 

Banaras is not just a place for sightseeing but an accumulation of experiences that comes naturally if you open your senses and assimilate the mysticism, the sights and sounds surrounding it.   Standing on the banks of the Ganges, I felt the river’s spiritual vibrations. The river transcends religious, ethnic, and cultural boundaries. It filled me with peace and helped me reflect on my own life. Such is the power of Varanasi and its river. I don’t know whether I will come back here, but the light of that night sky at the banks of Ganga would stay bright in my heart.

Dr FAIZAL CP

Kannur