Sacred Flames and Ganga Aarti: Memories from Varansi- Part 1

As Mark Twain famously said once – “Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together”. My family trip to the spiritual charm of Varanasi, also known as Benaras, was a truly unforgettable experience. The rich cultural heritage in the city left a lasting impression on all of us. I still remember and feel the sound of ghats, temples, and bustling streets that enveloped us. Hindus believe that it is possible to attain salvation by taking a dip in the Ganges of Benaras and visiting the Kashi Temple.

As soon as we reached our hotel, I was eager to step out of my room and visit the ghats. Aah!! The “so-called Banarasi ghats”. Benaras has around 88 ghats. While most of the ghats are used for bathing and puja rituals, Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghat are used for cremation of dead bodies. In the evening, we booked a boat and we were a part of the picturesque evening. We came across “Assi Ghat”, which looked overcrowded with a mix of western and eastern sensibilities, both domestic and international tourists. Exploring the ancient ghats of Benaras is something that adds spiritual charm to your life. As the darkness kicked in, we stopped near Manikarnika Ghat. The scenes of the flames dancing over the dead bodies covered with piles of wood was a surreal experience. It is said that the fire for Manikarnika Ghat is never set off. Soon, we were startled by the sound of bells in Dashashwamedh Ghat. The iconic hymn to the river ceremony was about to start. I was amazed at the vibe of the place. The aarti during which the fragrance of sandalwood fills the air. As soon as the Sandhya Aarti started, hundreds of people carrying little diyas with flower petals came up to the ghat. The priests started to sing the bhajans, as everybody started to join in, making it all the more surreal. I still remember how we lit flower-scented diyas and left it to sail in the river.

It was 3 a.m. in the morning. With positive vibes and energy, we went to visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple, a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Kashi Vishwanath temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest of Shiva temples in India. The darshan was worth remembering as we offered water on the Shivalinga, symbolising gratitude and spirituality. After returning back to the hotel and having “Dal-Kachori” and “Lassi” at breakfast, I walked around the streets of Benaras. The roads were packed with people and vehicles; the sounds of numerous engines made the place chaotic. And this chaos made me feel more alive. I was mindful to not step on the cow dung for as long as I could, then gave up to save my behind from a menacing bull attack. Later on, we visited Benaras Hindu University where the sprawling campus with its old architecture buildings are a pleasure to see. In the evening, I ate flavoursome Papdi Chaat, Aloo Tikki, and Samosa Chaat from Kashi Chat Vandari, And, how can I forget the paan of Banaras?

Birla Mandir was another tourist site that we visited. Pandit Malviya wanted to construct a replica of the main Vishwanathji mandir or Kashi. The Birla family undertook the construction and foundation of Birla mandir. We had a wonderful darshan and pooja. The walls of the temple have various teachings of our scriptures inscribed on it. Varanasi might seem a lot when one first comes here, but it does have some magical spell that makes you used to everything after a day or two.

Did you know? Hiuen Tsiang from China named Varanasi as Polonise in his travel account !!