As I wander around Varanasi heedless, along the banks of the River Ganges, past the Ghats where shrivelled shadows squat to watch the ashes of their loved ones catch the wind and join the haze of death drifting down the river to Patna. I can't help but be overwhelmed.I have written many times of the despair, the dirt and desperation of this haunted place, and in my agnostic negativity appeared bitter and lost.
(Above / Two Musilm men herd their cattle through the streets. In the top right you can see the derelict Mosque I showed a few weeks ago that is being renovated to it's formely glory by a solitary muslim man).
(An example of compassion. A Hindu man feeds an emancipated Kid, baby Goat. As another looks on with curiosity).
Despite the burden of death, Varanasi is full of life. The cities older neighborhoods and population seem to have a renewed respect for animals that is pivotel to Hinduism; a tradition that seems to have been lost in the rubble across modern India. Perhaps it never left them. In order to see clearly you need to apply hypothetical filters to your eyes and just ignore all the bullshit. Touts will follow you for miles, in an attempt to earn some commission, they are connected to every merchant in town and have infinite brothers and cousins with shops here and there touting your every need as a visitor. It is hard to ignore someone who is talking to you, but I assure you it is the only way to freedom in a place like Varanasi. Just keep moving in waves and forget how to trust.
(Something of high significance is in the air as hundreds of Hindus fill a small passageway out of the main tourist area and rush towards a small temple).
Depending on what you encounter, Varanasi can be either charming or dramatically fanatical. It is common to get caught up in an act of mouring, red-faced against a wall in a narrow street, I've never felt so ignorant as groups of men parade bodies of loved ones, wrapped in white and wailing. I couldn't help but stare, and I found myself realizing how depressingly morbid death is in our culture of wearing black, in silence we remember... Here, there is magnificent colour and explosive noise and song, a chance to release yourself and move on.
(Families have a ritual bath in the dirty water, seemingly unbestowed by the danger of infection).
I spoke before about why pilgrims travel to Varanasi. The ill and the old come here to die and their families accompany them. It seems ironic that a final dip in the Ganges is considered to cleanse the soul before death, it is more likely an assistance or an escalator to the otherside. The bacteria and parasites clutching to the drags of life that remain. It is sad to see babies and children being dipped into the dirty water, in a country like India, life is hard enough without the added effects of dysentery and this behaviour is only encouraged by Prime Minister Modi's Pro-Hindu Government. If I was to swallow hard and consider any positives that come from such extreme beliefs, it would have to be the Placebo effect of having faith in such a dangerous world or dog eat dog or die.
(A Macaque grooms another on the rooftops of the city.).
Tired and confused I retired to the rooftops. At the top of the Ganges Hotel, one of highest points in the city, the noise and chaos disperses and the silence is refreshing. The rooftops are littered with Macaque Monkeys who roam like gangs of teenagers alongs the terraces disturbing everything they pass. As night falls they find a spot out of our reach and begin a grooming process that can only be described as awe-inspiring. I love apes, I love how human they are, and how primordial they make me feel as a species.
(A nice example of the tall narrow buildings and pastel colours that dominiate the sunburnt city).
(A fisherman prepares his boat in the morning haze).
Solitude is not entirely lost here. Peace and tranquility are skills we can harness anywhere in the world. Buddhism, which has a deep history in Varanasi and the surrounding area teaches us that happiness and content are deep within the human spirit, it is a part of us that is infinitely ours and can't be taken away. I am not Buddhist but I am constantly drawn towards it the older I get.
(A devout Hindu attents to his duty of feeding the streets dogs in the evening).
I will finish this article off with the rest of the images I prepared. I recently got access to my hard drives and portfolio of work I've never published. I hope you all can enjoy India via my stories and photographs over the next few months as I work through my vault of Gigabytes.
(After a hard day tending to the tourists theworking class organise a huge game of Cricket by the river).
(The train to Patna is frequented by buskers like this young woman who sings traditional India folk songs and plays a hand drum).
(A final gesture to the holiest place in India, as Pilgrims bid farewell to the ashes they once knew, the train out of Varanasi seemed to unleash the sadness missing from the city. Families cried among themselves in the carriages whilst others wandered aimlessley up and down the carriages, hanging out the windows for a final glance and some fresh air).
Thanks for reading,
Cotton Lazarus.
Great post and stunning shots! I will for sure follow your next posts! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks a million!
This was a really interesting read! This is the first time I've heard of Varanasi, and I'm glad to have come across this. 😊 It's amazing how you managed to capture the living in Varanasi in both words and photos.
Thank you @erangvee Varanasi is where the Holy river Ganges flows through, and it is where Hindus go to die and be cremated on the banks of the river. Really interesting place! Glad you like'd my photos and story!
You're welcome. And thanks for the info! This just makes me all the more agree with you that "despite the burden of death, Varanasi is full of life." (That sentence from your article makes so much sense now.) 😊
Upvoted & RESTEEMED! :)
Thank you @spyru
What an interesting place, so much going on! Love your photos <3
Thanks for this good picture
You are welcome, thanks for stopping by!
Lovely writeup, reminded me of my visit at the beginning of the year. Arti at the Dasaswamedh Ghat, the chants.....the inner peace! The Jelabis and rabris......this is such a beautiful place, you inspire me to visit again and do a photologue this time.
Thanks for nice comment. Yes it certainly is a beautiful and strange place. Get yourself some disposable cameras next time, they work a charm.
beautiful pictures/info, I haven't made it there yet. to be honest, I found the place to be quite intense, I have read many people like it there though.
It is very intense. A crazy mix of religion and cheating. Definitily worth a visit!
Very nice images and writing, thank you for sharing!
Thank you Joey. Apprieciate the kind words!
My pleasure!
Wow, I love the image of the cows in the city!
One of my favourite things about India is the cows. They are everywhere, but their not as chilled out as you'd think/ hope.
A very good post very good achievement greetings from me @abupasi.alachy
Hi @cottonlazarus
I like your history [pictures too]
keep up posting, it's really interesting.
If you want to see my histories @faowna
I follow you 👌
Peace 🕊️
Nice post. Very informative and useful to the reader. The pictures are candid and natural. You geta good feel of the culture and inhabitants. Good work and good content. Will continue to follow. Enjoyed your post.
You have amazing way of writing... it was like reading a novel. With all the photographs it's like begin on a journey.
Thanks for that! Waiting for more :)
Inspiring to read your thoughts on life in Varnasi. Very different from the desertness of people where I was traveling last week in Iceland. But it reminded me a bit of a phonecall I had two weeks ago with my friend that´s staying in Marocco for a while. This descripton of how you have to avoid eye contact while walking on the markets streets and she described it so similarily "Just keep moving in waves and forget how to trust". Love the photographs as well. I´m following your blog :)
Excellent work, CottonLazarus! I feel like am there. You created a great sense of depth with your camera work, and I especially like the photo showing the narrow corridor created by the tall buildings. Upvoted! I will be following your work.