Holy City Take 2/ La Ciudad Sagrada Toma 2

Bueno, vamos de nuevo. Que decia? Varanasi es la Ciudad Sagrada de India, construida a orillas del Rio Ganges (Madre Ganga le dicen aca). Pero nuestro primer dia no lo pasamos en Varanasi, sino que nos fuimos a un pueblo a 10kms de distacias, Sarnath. Es una de las 4 ciudades sagradas del Budismo (las otras 3 estan en Nepal si me acuerdo bien...?). Fuimos al lugar donde Buda dio su primer sermon, y al arbol que crecio de una rama que sacaron del mismisimo arbol bajo el cual Buda tuvo su Iluminacion. Pense mucho en Linda (una companiera del trabajo, fiel seguidora del Budismo). Muy emotivo. Fuimos a varios templos budistas de distintos origenes- chino, tibetano, japones. Fuimos a un templo Jain donde nos explicaron sobre la religion y nos mostraron fotos. Parte de la creencia de los Jainistas es que las ropas impiden alcanzar el Nirvana, asi que los gurues mas grosos y ortodoxos andan siempre completamente desnudos. Vimos fotos de los gurues en sus visitas oficiales a distintos lugares, y hasta una foto de un guru reunido con el Dalai Lama, desnudo y abanicandolo. Otra cosa que no creen es en matar ningun tipo de organismo vivo, incluyendo insectos o bacterias- por eso no se banian, para no matar bacterias, y caminan barriendo su paso con un abanico con plumas de pavo real, para no pisar ningun insecto.
A la noche, ya de vuelta en Varanasi fuimos a ver una ceremonia en una de las Ghats (las escalinatas que dan al Ganges). Hacen esta ceremonia todas las noches, para purificar la Madre Ganga, y hacen ofrendas.
Al dia siguiente nos despertamos tempranito, tempranito, y fuimos a hacer un paseo en bote por el Ganges al amanecer. Impresionante, a lo largo de las Ghats mirando... mirando la vida diaria y privada de los Indios, expuesta en publico. Que en el Ganges se banian, se enjabonan, se lavan los dientes, lavan las ropas, hacen ofrendas, rezan, se purifican, tiran basura, nadan los bufalos, y queman a sus muertos. Hay 2 Ghats donde se hacen las cremaciones, y pasamos un buen rato mirando cuerpos quemandose, como preparan los cuerpos y los afeitan, y las ceremonias mojandolos en las aguas de la Madre Ganga. Muy impresionante. Despues me fui a encontrar con Folata- un amigo del colegio que esta viviendo en Varanasi hace como 7 anios. Pasamos el dia en su casa, charlando y recordando viejas epocas, y diciendo "que loco!" las vueltas de la vida.
El ultimo dia en Varanasi fuimos a ver unos cuantos templos, y despues todo el dia fue caminar y caminar a lo largo del Ganges. Y mirar y mirar a la gente, y de nuevo a las Ghats de cremaciones. A la noche vimos a una familia de 3 tipos y 2 chicos haciendo la ceremonia de purificacion. Lo mismo que hacen a gran escala con multitudes que vimos hace un par de noches, esa misma ceremonia es hecha por mucha gente mas, en pequenias ceremonias privadas. Nos sentamos a mirar, y nos invitaron a participar y comer con ellos las ofrendas. Un honor. De ahi, ya de noche, me fui a visitarlo a Folata un rato a la casa, y despues nos tomamos un tren tipo 11:30pm, camino a Nepal.

Ok, here we go again. What was I saying...? Varanasi is India's Holy City, built along the banks of the River Ganges (they call it Mother Ganga here). But we didn't spend our first day in Varanasi; instead we went to a town 10kms away, Sarnath. Sarnath is 1 of the 4 sacred cities for Buddhism (the other 3 are in Nepal if I remember correctly...?). We went to the spot where Buddha made his first speech, and to a tree which grew up from a branch taken from THE tree under which Buddha achieved Enlightment. I thought a lot about Linda (colleague from work, follower of Buddhism). It was very moving. We went to several Buddhist temples from different origins- chinese, tibetan, japanese. We also went to a Jain temple where they explained us about the religion and showed us photos. Part of the Jainism beliefs is that clothing is an obstacle to achieving Nirvana, so the most orthodox gurus are always completely naked. We saw pictures of the gurus during their official visits and even a photo of a Jainist guru, completely naked, fanning the Dalai Lama. Another of their beliefs is about not killing any kind of alive being, including insects or bacteria- so they never bathe or shower, not to kill bacteria, and they walk sweeping their path with a fan made of peacock feathers, not to kill any insects.
At night, back in Varanasi, we went to watch a ceremony (Puja) at one of the Ghats (the steps leading down to the Ganges). This ceremony is done every night, to purify Mother Ganga, and they make offerings.
The next day we had an early, early start, and went for a boat ride along the Ganges at sunrise. Incredible, along the Ghats, watching... watching the daily and private lives of Indians, exposed in public. In the Ganges they bathe, they wash themselves, they clean their teeth, do their laundry, make offerings, pray, purify themselves, throw their rubbish, buffalos swim, and they burn the dead. There's 2 Ghats where the cremations take place, and we spend some time watching the bodies burn, and how they prepared the bodies and shaved them, and the ceremonies soaking the bodies in Mother Ganga. What a sight... I then went to meet up with Folata- a friend from school who's been living in Varanasi for about 7 years. We spent the day at his place, chatting and reminiscing old times, and saying "how crazy!" life is and how our lives have turned out.
The last day in Varanasi we went and had a look at some temples, and then spent all day walking and walking along the Ganges. And watching and watching people, and again to the crematory Ghats. At night we watched a family, 3 men and 2 kids, doing the purification ceremony. The same ceremony which is done on a big scale for the crowds is also done by many many more people, in small and private ceremonies. We sat down to watch, and we were invited by them to take part and eat the offerings with them. It was such an honour. After that, and night time already, I went and visited Folata again, and we then got a train at about 11:30pm, towards Nepal.