The city of Varanasi was confusing at first. The solemn and melancholic image of the holy city Varanasi I had in my mind was nothing like what I had in front of my eyes. Its first impression on me was overwhelmingly lively: a burst of colors, the cacophony from the perpetual honkings, and the constant flow and congestion in alleys. We struggled to navigate through the complicated passageways and try to not get run over by rickshaws and cows. It was overwhelming, so most walks through the city were accompanied by silence and preoccupation with our concern about survival.

What amazed me the most was the calmness of the local people and animals, which drew a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle. There was no tenseness in their bodies, almost numb to the passing vehicles, and they peacefully carried on with their daily lives. To me, this behavior appeared as the embodiment of the acceptance of eventual death and their will to spend the last days of their lives in Varanasi. There was an apparent sense of peace achieved through the liberation of themselves from the fear of death, which was fascinating and admirable.

By Sharon

It is 6.30 am in the morning and the streets of Varanasi are already buzzing with life even though the sun is barely up. At the banks of the river Ganges life gets no less chaotic and as we head out on the water in a wooden paddleboat we get a better view of the multitude of activities going on along the riverside. Along the ghats, narrow steps leading down to the river, people of all genders and ages are bathing, washing clothes, meditating, chanting, singing and dancing.

A child is crying out as she is being held by what is presumably her mother and grandmother.

In Hinduism, the river Ganges is considered sacred and is believed to be able to wash away the sins and facilitates moksha for those who plunge into the frigid water.  

Mythology says that Lord Shiva, the hindu god of destruction, unleashed the Ganges from his hair and it therefore has holy properties. And in our time there, we repeatedly heard “Varanasi is the Mecca of Hinduism”; pilgrims travel for miles to immerse themselves in the sacred river. As much as it is believed this body of water is holy and pure, it was also evident that it was heavily polluted. Faith is what binds all these people together. Moksha, the soul’s liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth, is the goal in Hinduism. Our guide explained that moksha can be achieved traditionally through either way of knowledge, devotion or good karma. According to a Hindu legend, those who are cremated in Varanasi will achieve enlightenment and will also be freed from suffering – that is the cycle of death and rebirth. This belief is evident as we further down the river see black smoke clouds rise. It is coming from the burning ghats where relatives burn their loved ones.

So much life and so much death in the same place and all at once. In fact, in Hinduism they are not binaries as we tend to perceive them to be but two sides of the same coin where death is an illusion. With that said I will sum up by paraphrasing Ajid, our knowledgeable guide: “it is a misconception that people come to Varanasi to die”.  

by Anna

On the other hand, the indigenous people are perceiving death as an inevitable and most natural of all part of human existence – one that is actually a path on its own leading to transcendance of the soul.  This concept of embracing and accepting death is merely fascinating as it is hard for people of origin different than Indian to view dying as a ‘normal’ way of being.

One aspect of understanding this notion is realizing how important it is for one to be ready and willing to pass the knowledge they have accumulated throughout their life to someone in order for their soul to be ‘liberated’ and transcend. Life and death in Varanasi seem entangled or even bear the same meaning in a way that pilgrims and foreigners come to the City of Light for search of peaceful, ritualistic and spiritual death while simultaneously living in Banaras stands for seeing dying, sick and starving people on the streets daily. Nonetheless, this brutal of aspect of harsh reality and everyday struggle to survive does not push you away, on the contrary – it draws you closer almost too much so as to transform your being in numerous ways. Experiencing Kashi and each of its many aspects – from death rituals and bathing in the river Ganges to purify and reborn the higher Self to the reality of hectic life and survival.

by Katrin