The Holy City

I arrived into Varanasi junction atation at noon and headed straight for the tourist office within the station. I got a map of the city and asked where I could stay as I hadn't booked ahead. I also got train information for moving onto Darjeeling after. I went to get a rickshaw for the hotel and had to haggle the price. It was quite hot and the city was busy, with lots of pollution, noise and activity. It took 1/2 hour to get to the hotel thrugh the congested streets. A lot of the roads had potholes as well.

I checked out a few rooms at the hotel before settling on one with a balcony and reduced the rate down as well. I wasn't sure how long I was going to stay, it all depended on when I could get a train to Darjeeling. I checked in and went to have a shower (cold) as I really needed one. There wasn't any hot water between 10am & 3pm as apparently the electricity supply of the city is reduced everywhere. I then went grab some lunch at the rooftop restaurant. I also looked at my train options in my guide (Trains at a glance)

After eating I went to get a rickshaw to take me to a gurdwara that is special to us. It is where the saint we follow was born (Shri Guru Ravidass), so a gurdwara has been built there in his honour. Every year around Feb/March time thousands of pilgrims visit this place as we celebrate his anniversary. The gurdwara was quite far out and I was taken there along all the roads with potholes. I arrived in front of an impressive white building. I went in to say a prayer and chatted a bit to the Giani (priest). He said to come and have some tea, so I did. Some of the other people there chatted to me and asked where I had come from. It was pretty quiet though. After tea I had a wander around and took some pics. I coiuldn't take one of the whole building as the street was narrow. I then headed back. I was trying to get the driver to take me onto the station, but he was asking for too much money and we couldn't agree, so he took me back to the hotel.

I called a rickshaw to take me to the train station to book a ticket onwards. Unfortunately we got stuck in a traffic jam, because the festival of Durga Puja was happening and there wasn't anything I could do about it. I had to sit and wait. I got the the train station about an hour later and was having difficulty getting a seat in the class I usually travel in, so I had to go in a higher one (3 AC). I didn't have a choice unless I wanted to stay in Varanasi a week. I wasn't keen on that so booked the ticket for the day after tomorrow. It was quicker getting back to the hotel as the traffic had eased a little. I headed straight to the restaurant to eat. Soon after dinner I went to sleep. I had to be up early the next day for a 5.30am boat ride along the ganges.

In the morning there was another couple going on the boat ride with me (Tessa & Tom). We were rowed along all the ghats along the river from top to bottom and observed all the goings on. To Hindus the river Ganges is holy and Varanasi (the city of Shiva) is the holiest city in India and one of the oldest cities in the world. Hindu pilgrims come here to wash away all their sins. They believe the water of the Ganges is holy and from the gods. Along the ghats, people come to bathe, do yoga, sell flowers used for prayer, to do laundry, to take a dip in the holy water, to do puja (prayer) and also to cremate dead ones. There are several burning ghats where bodies are covered in wood and set a light and the ashes then scattered onto the river with a prayer. There are also many temples along the ghats.

After the boat ride the 3 of us went to get some breakfast at the Lotus restaurant. They had an excellent menu and had fresh coffee. I hadn't had any at all since arriving in India, so it was great to have some. We sat chatting for ages and relaxing along the riverside. It was so peaceful. Tessa & Tom said they would like to see a Hindi movie, so I made enquiries of where to go. There was a modern shopping centre within the city with a cinema so we headed for it by rickshaw. We arrived at noon, but the ticket office wouldn't open til 1pm, so we had a look round the shops. Tessa bought an Indian CD. After browsing the shops we went to get some lunch and all had pizza. For some reason they don't put tomato sauce on the bases of pizzas in India and instead give you ketchup with it. I had ordered a nice spicy one and quite liked it anyway.

We then went to get the tickets and decided to watch  Laaga Chunari Mein Daag - Journey of a Woman. It had my fave actress staring in it so I was looking forward to watching it. Also it was set in Varanasi, so it would be good to see if we recognised anything. There were no subtitles so Tessa & Tom asked me every so often what was going on, but they understood most of it, through the actions and facial expressions. After the film we headed back to the hotel to chill out. I went for a walk towards the river to see what was going on as the religious festivities were still going on. I just sat and watched people going by until it got dark and then I headed back to the hotel.

In the evening over dinner the cricket was on live from Mumbai, in the restaurant. India were playing Oz and it was quite an exciting match as the score was close. So I stayed to watch. The staff were all huddled around the TV as well. India did win the game but they lost the contest overall.

The next morning I checked out and left my rucsac to collect later as my train was at 6.30pm. I walked up the road just seeing what was about. I wasn't sure what to do. I knew there are lots of temples to see so decided maybe I should go check the main ones out. I ended up walking for ages and stumbled into a guest house (Soni) to ask the best way to go. I got chatting to the owner and his wife and had tea with them. They got their son to call me a rickshaw and told the driver where to take me. The owner also worked at the Benares University and told the driver to come there at the end so he could show me around himself. It was so nice and helpful of them.

The driver took me to the Viswanath Temple, the Hanuman Temple, the Durga temple and then the university. I couldn't take pictures of the 1st 3 temples. There were loads of people queueing up to go in and say a prayer due to the festival, so I just looked at the 1st 2 from the outside, but went into the Hanuman temple and had a look round.

On the way to the university I saw a gate named after Guru Ravidass so i took a photo of it. At the university Soni came to meet us and he showed me around the huge Mandir built on the grounds there. Apparently it was the dying wish of the founder of the university to have a huge Temple built. I had a good look round and saw quite a few idols of different gods and goddesses. It is a modern temple with lots of religious art on the walls. I then headed back to wards the hotel, but asked the driver to stop somewhere for lunch. He took me a place the locals go to and I really enjoyed my masala dosa. It was cheap as well (Rs 25). Back at the hotel I got them to get me a rickshaw as I had to go to Mughal Sarai railway station, which was approx 20km away. So off we set. I arrived there at 4.30pm and my train was at 6.30pm. So I went to get a cuppa and had a walk around the busy road. There was a market nearby, so I browsed.

I went into the station at 6pm, but there was no mention of my train on the noticeboard. I went to ask at enquiries and they said it is approx 90 minutes late, typical! Ah well, nothing to do but sit and wait. I went to find the waiting room and settled down with a book. After a while of reading I got talking to 2 Canadian women (Marie & Joelle), who were also going to Darjeeling on the same train. Our seats were altogether as well. Also in the waiting room was a group of women training to be policewomen. They asked if they could take pictures of us, so we all posed together and I took one of them as well. I chatted to them quite a lot in hindi and they asked me a lot of questions about the UK and life there.

Our train was further delayed so it was a good way to pass the time. Our train arrived at 9.30pm and it was good to get on. We met another couple (an aussie and british) on the train. Miriam also had a seat with us, but her husband had a seat further back. I asked the other guy if he wouldn't mind swapping so we could all be together, but he wouldn't. I don't know why, he was just being awkward. He kept asking me lots of things in hindi as his english was limited and we both had the top bunks. On the bottom bunk was a Japenese girl, Yuri. We chatted to her as well. Soon after boarding we received our bedding and all settled to sleep as we were tired. In the morning the train staff were selling breakfast & hot & cold drinks. But also other people kept coming through our carriage trying to sell us things, such as newspapers, magazines, books, kids toys & games, umbrellas. glasses, torches, flasks, clothes (saris, jumpers, salwar kameez, shawls, shirts, trousers, pj's). It was madness! Most trains are like this.