Friday 28/3/08 - Sunrise on the Ganges!

Up at 5am and off on a short coach trip to get as close as possible to the Main Ghat on the banks of the River Ganges in order to watch the sun rise. Paused a while on the bank to see hordes of people arriving to perform their morning devotions - which for many included not only washing in the river, but cleaning their teeth in it as well. We discovered later that this has to be a hazardous exercise, as a local newspaper article informed us that the river water had just been classified as septic!

We all then clambered aboard a boat for the obligatory ride up and down the river to view the numerous 'Regional Ghats', and those who wished to launched floating flower candles to add to the overall pollution of the river. For some obscure reason we were then dropped off right by the main funeral ghat, where at least 3 open-air cremations were underway. We were invited to 'step closer for a better view, and to take photographs' - an offer I found it easy to decline.

We were then led through some narrow alleyways to a local rooftop restaurant for breakfast, which felt somehow inappropriate considering the sights that had just confronted us, though we did all seem able to manage a little something! On then to briefly visit an area of high tension, where a mosque was sitting right beside (and some claimed on land stolen from) an important Hindu temple - huge security and much barbed wire, to protect two small and apparently insignificant buildings. Surely highly significant, but only if you are either Hindu or Muslim!

Back on the bus then for an unscheduled trip to the local silk manufacturing co-operative 'cottage industry' where poverty stricken people work in sweatshop conditions producing beautiful silks that are sold by their 'masters' for enormous profit - none of which finds its way back to the 'workers'.

Back to the hotel then for a lazy afternoon, including the most thorough massage I have ever experienced. This was performed by the hotel porter, whose only two words of English were "off" (when I first arrived) and "good?" (when he had finished) and left no room whatsoever for modesty, as towels were apparently only provided for use after the shower at the end of the session! An unusual entertainment, but actually quite invigorating once it was all over.

Several of the group then hired rickshaws to return to the Main Ghat to watch the evening ceremony, which involved 7 holy men dressed in orange robes standing on a line of raised platforms performing flowing movements with a variety of flaming devices. This was accompanied by piped music, and numerous people playing drums (following no apparent rhythm) and the energetic ringing of bells by the faithful. Once the ceremony was over we managed to find our way back to the rooftop restaurant we had visited earlier, where we met up with the rest of the group for dinner before fighting our way back through the mayhem to find a group of rickshaws to take us all back to the hotel. One of the rickshaw drivers was so old and frail that Adam actually got out and pushed when he had to go uphill, but we all got back safely in the end and managed a quick beer before bed.

 
Saturday 29/3/08 - Last day in Varanassi in preperation for our overnight train to Agra!

Woke to find that Sue had been struck down by the dreaded 'Delhi Belly', so arranged to keep the room on until the last moment before we had to leave, then went for a late breakfast with Adam. Out for a short walk to a totally inappropriate marble and glass shopping mall, which had less people than staff in the whole building - nothing but vastly expensive, air conditioned designer shops (and a Pizza Hut) which none of the local populace could ever afford to buy anything from. Who decides to invest in such projects? Then back to find out if Nic and Adam suffered the same indignities when they had their massages as Sue and I had the previous day - judging from the glazed look in Adam's eyes, I would say his experience was similar!

Sue appeared a little better, and had managed to pack her bags in readiness for moving on, so we rested until about 4pm when we got a bus to the local train station.