Varanasi

[anshjain97]

I am in Varanasi right now. Frankly speaking, this city of 1.5 million, located in the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) is a shithole. It confirms many stereotypes related with India: entire roads are series of potholes. Lots of substandard, often ramshackle housing and shops are located on filthy, dusty streets.

Varanasi is a very holy city. From Wikipedia:
"It is the holiest of the seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri) in Hinduism and Jainism, and played an important role in the development of Buddhism. Some Hindus believe that death at Varanasi brings salvation. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the oldest in India."

The airport is quite modern and organised.

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It was night upon arrival, so seeing the city only began the next day.

Random pictures of the city.






Have to go now. More later.

[anshjain97]

The picture below is the gate of the Banaras Hindu University, the main university in the area. My dad is an alumnus- the reason we came to Varanasi is his batch reunion- 25 years after graduation. The university was earlier called Kashi Hindu University- the name still on the gate.


Inside the university campus is a temple, the Vishwanath temple. This is the gate to the temple, with many shops outside, mostly catering to students.


More later.

[Deleted]

The temple looks like it should be nice, but the city does indeed look rather ramshackle.

I have read enough about the condition of the Ganges there that I am surprised that people do not immediately die when they bathe in it, but I imagine that local people have some of the strongest immune systems in the world.

[anshjain97]

Inside the temple complex:




Leaving the university campus, we were going to the town of Sarnath, 13 km from Varanasi. This is the town where Buddha gave his first sermon, and the town is known for its Buddhist temples.

However, because of the combination of bad roads, heavy traffic and some VIP movement causing a diversion, the journey took almost 2 hrs.

En route, here is Varanasi Junction train station:


Sarnath is a popular place of pilgrimage. Many countries have established Buddhist temples in their respective styles. First, the Tibet Temple






More later.

[bjd]

Hi Ansh, welcome back. Glad to see you posting some new photos.

Hmmm, I can't say I disagree with your comment about Varanasi -- at least, not by looking at the pictures.

Did your dad see many changes in the place after 25 years?

[anshjain97]

Hi bjd, yes, according to him there have been some changes- there is greater development around (new apartment complexes, shops and malls). But there has been less change than in some other places, eg Bangalore has seen great changes in 15 yrs.

[fumobici]

Not to threadjack, but I suspect the cities of the west will resemble this in time if the corporate globalists have their way--and they are having it pretty much unchecked.

Interesting photos nevertheless, thanks.

[Deleted]

This is one city I dearly wanted to see, but did not have time to. The history of it fascinates me.

It is much like I imagined it to be. Very interesting indeed.

[anshjain97]

Next was the China Temple.




And from the outside:


Next was what was called the Main temple.






Next we went to the Japan temple.

[anshjain97]

Next to the Japan temple was a stupa.



Now to the deer park, which was the exact spot where Buddha gave his first sermon. There were certain ruins here.



Located here is Sarnath's principal attraction, the Dharmek stupa.


It was constructed by King Ashoka in 249 BCE and it marks the exact spot of Buddha's first sermon upon enlightenment.



Just a short look at the Thai temple.





That concluded our visit to Sarnath. Luckily, going back to Varanasi didn't take as much time.
A view of Varanasi from a flyover.


Much of central Varanasi consists of tiny lanes where cars cannot go or have a tough time. These rickshaws are commonly used.

[anshjain97]

Varanasi is famous for its ghats, which are a series of steps leading down to the Ganga river. These are used by people bathing in the river, burning of dead bodies, and the evening aarti (a ceremonious prayer of sorts). These are done by priests and people are allowed to watch.

We went to Assi ghat, where a smaller aarti is done- there is only one priest. On the main ghat, the aarti is done by 7 priests (which we didn't watch).

Entrance to Assi ghat.





The priest in his ceremony:

[htmb]

Wonderful night photos, Ansh.

[anshjain97]

Next day in Varanasi:



Varanasi's most famous Jain temple, Parashnath temple.




A mall. An ocean of cosmopolitanism in Varanasi?


Err, not quite. Nothing to eat there; besides the mall doesn't seem to do well at all (it was a weekend). It was a sad place, a far cry from the malls of Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai.

It was back to the hotel now.

Many kids playing on and beside the railway track here.


Some Western friends of friends visited the city and went back depressed. Understandably so- poverty is everywhere in Varanasi. More than in many other Indian cities.

[anshjain97]

We were flying out to our next destination in the afternoon. What to do in the morning? Should we step out, risking getting stuck in 10km/h traffic?

We decided to step out for a while to the heart of the city.


It was early, many shops were still closed, but it was crowded. It gets mad in the evening, according to my dad. This area has barely changed in the last quarter of a century.



The picture below is the main junction in central Varanasi, locally called Chowk (which just means junction).


The centre is a foodie paradise, lots of paan (betel nut) and sweet shops. Legal but restricted, bhang (marijuana) is used in very small quantities in some food.

This is some bhang.




It was time to leave for the airport now.

Streets bubbling with commerce in the centre.


That concluded our visit to Varanasi. The city seems wasted- it seems to be in a poverty trap. Bad infrastructure, so many kids working in shops and even the aarti ceremony. Where is the investment for the future?

We can only hope things improve. How likely is that is anyone's guess.

[htmb]

What an education for you to visit this area while taking note of issues with such a critical eye, Ansh.

[Deleted]

Very interesting because I never expected Varanasi to be in that condition. I guess as a "holy" city, it must attract more than its share of poor.

[anshjain97]

I would have thought a prestigious university in Varanasi would tend to improve the city's condition.

[bjd]

I don't think one prestigious (or any other) university is enough to pull a large city out of poverty. And, indeed, Waranasi is mostly known for the bathing of pilgrims in the Ganges and the burning of bodies along the shore -- hardly activities that will contribute much to economic or social progress. On the contrary, many foreign tourists might come simply to see a place considered picturesque.

[Deleted]

I agree with bjd, I don't think a university alone will change much for Varanasi. It's known as one of the most ancinet cities in the world and that alone makes me want to explore it. But in all honesty, after seeing the photos you have put up, ansh, I do wonder how well I would handle being out there, walking the streets. It would be a challenge at the very least. But I know, really, that is the only way to really see it probably. Passing though in a car or bus and watching the scenes from behind a glass pane just doesn't' appeal to me.

Hopefully, when I go to India next time, I will go there, but I can see how I would have to brace myself before hand for what awaits. It is a shame that this city doesn't seem to be progressing at all, like other cities in India are. It seems to have been left behind somehow. Hopefully that will change.

[anshjain97]

Well, seeing that you have managed many other Indian cities, Varanasi shouldn't be a complete shock, as would be for a complete newbie. Lots of foreigners come here, many Buddhist pilgrims (there was a big Japanese group in our hotel).

[Deleted]

Some places in India were easier to be in than others though. And from what I know of Varanasi it is extreme in many ways, the ancient traditions, the poverty and poor infrastructure for instance.

Next time I may have to go alone, hopefully not though. But you are right, in that I doubt being in India will be such a shock to the system the second time around.