The Ganga is born in Uttaranchal, one of the most beautiful states of India. It flows along the north until its end at Calcutta. It is a beautiful river, and when you see it at Varanassi, at Rishikesh, when you see it at it's formation, you can guess why would it be chosen as the holiest river in the world. Unfortunately, it is also one the most contaminated rivers in the world, and myself, would not consider at all getting any part of my body in it. But Indians in Varanassi live their lives around the River.
Among their daily activities, they wash their clothes there. They wash their animals, their Holy animals. And they wash themselves. Working next to the river is a usual thing for different kinds of vendors. Boat riders, postcard sellers, chai stalls or flower sellers for the daily pooja depend on the river and its everyday visitors, tourists and believers from every part of the vast country.
As the holiest city in India, the pooja is celebrated everyday at 6:00 p.m. A ceremony that takes about an hour and is performed at the main ghat, the Dasaswamedh Ghat. Incense intoxicates your nostrils and covers the place with a dim gray air, while young men perform the ritual in sweaty tired faces. Meanwhile, totally unaware of the importance of the act, you run around the place taking photos of everything that moves, or just sit and watch the show. Because, that is the sensation I got of it. A mere tourist show, with colorful lights and nice costumes. Whatever the pooja was, I have the feeling it has been forgotten years ago.
Not far away, at the Manikarnika Ghat, another ritual takes place. Something not as beautiful, but equally significant. Something that can be even repulsive or perverse. The ritual of death. It's the burning ghat, where Indians go to die and get burned according to their believes. Logs and logs of wood are piled up in the ghat, behind the ghat, and in front of the ghat, in the boats that transport it from other regions of India. The smell is not appealing and the sight is not apt for all stomachs. But not everyone is burned. Pregnant women, kids under 10 or Sadhus can't be burned according to tradition. Their bodies are thrown directly to the river and can be found along its edge some kilometers away. Should you go to the other side, hidden in the white sandy beaches terrible images might appear. And altogether is surrounded by terrifying stories.
And back along the ghats, babas and sadhus flood the place with their colorful poojas on their fronts, remembering again a colorful India. And after a walk, you can see that the Sadhus with their conversations, sellers with their contact with tourists, tourist with their contact with locals, believers after their bath and their pooja, and even the animals, have learned a little bit more of the music of life.
