Spirit Quest

As we forced ourselves away from Varkala Beach, our last stop in India was to be Madurai, and for one reason only, the  Meenakshi Temple. As we arrived by train into Madurai, we found ourselves once again going through the streets of this town late in the evening in search of a place to stay. We don’t know if this was to test us or just bad planning on our part. In the end, we chose to take it as a test of overcomming our false core belief and  fears of our ego mind and to be able to do this in the conditions India offers, we know we have become stronger and more courageous people because of these experiences.

The following day was pretty laid back, well, as laid back as one can get going through the streets of an Indian town, I guess. However, as it neared late afternoon, we made our way towards Meenakshi Temple to have an outside look and to admire the lavishly decorated towers with the countless colourful and eccentric Hindu figures covering the towers of this complex.

Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple or Meenakshi Amman Temple is a historic Hindu temple located in the holy city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva (in the form of Beautiful Lord) and his consort, Goddess Parvati (in the form of Meenakshi). The temple forms the heart and lifeline of the 2500 year old city of Madurai.

The complex houses 14 magnificent Gopurams or towers including two golden Gopurams for the main deities that are elaborately sculptured and painted. The temple is a significant symbol for the Tamil people, and has been mentioned since antiquity in Tamil literature, though the present structure is believed to have been built in 1600. The tallest temple tower is 52 metres (170 ft) high. The complex is around 45 acres (180,000 m²) and the temple is a massive structure measuring 254 by 237 meters.

The temple is the geographic and ritual center of the ancient city of Madurai. The temple walls, streets, and finally the city walls (ancient), were built around the temple in squares. Ancient texts mention that the temple was the center of the city and that the streets radiated out like the lotus and its petals. It is one of the few temples in Tamil Nadu to have four entrances facing four different directions.

The Thousand Pillar H all of Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple was built with the oldest Nellaiappar Temple as a model and contains 985 (instead of 1000) carved pillars. It is considered culturally important and is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.

The Thousand Pillared Hall was built by Ariyanatha Mudaliar in 1569. He was the Prime Minister and General of Madurai (1559-1600 A.D.). At one side of the entrance, we can still see his statue; the majestic pose of Ariyanatha Mudaliar seated on a beautiful horse-back. The statue is still periodically crowned with garlands by modern worshippers. Each pillar is carved and is a monument of the Dravidian sculpture. There is a Temple Art Museum in the hall where icons, photographs, drawings, and other exhibits of the 1200 years old history are displayed. Just outside this mandapam, towards the west, are the Musical Pillars. Each pillar, when struck, produces a different musical note. The kalyana mandapa, to the south of the pillared hall, is where the marriage of Shiva and Parvati is celebrated every year during the Chithirai Festival in mid-April.

In the middle of this enourmous complexe, was what appeared to be an important worshiping place, as Hindus gathered in numbers performing all sorts of rituals in the company of this special place reserved for the Hindu Gods.

Among these rituals performed in this central complex, was Hindus going up to this large Indian elephant, placing coins in the elephant’s trunk after which the elephant would automatically give them a blessing on the head. As one Hindu after another came up to the elephant, they left with a grin on their faces, either in joy of having been blessed by this elephant or some more casual way. Nevertheless, it was quite entertaining for the tourists watching, and perhaps to the Indians as well.

The next day we were making our way to Chennai to take our flight to our beloved Thailand, but before getting on the train one more time, we decided to take a stroll up and down the streets of Madurai one last time, only to have the most amzaing encounters with the Indians living in this town. It seemed that for every 20-30 steps we took we came across someone. This was so rewarding. The first such encounter was with a lady sitting on the street making and selling flowered garlands in an array of beautiful coloured flowers; however, she was not to be outdone, as she wore a beautiful vibrant turquoise-coloured saree that simply jumped out at you. By the time we left her company, Lori Ann was adorned with a garland on her head and around her neck.

We then moved on passing by many shops with beautiful sarees in the most amazing bright colours that completely lit up the streets, it simply stopped you in your tracks and invited to go in to simply be surrounded by this rainbows of sarees.

Continuing down the street, we then encountered this lady and five beautiful children of various ages with the most spectacular smiles. It was so refreshing, to meet such a group of joyful Indians, not wanting anything from you but mear conversation and to enjoy interacting with a few Westerners. They were a great gift for us!

As we got to the Meenakshi Temple one last time, we met a mother and her three young children, who interestingly enough all had their heads shaved, no doubt having some Hindu meaning for this family. Two of the children were twins and were rather shy or maybe this encounter with two Westerners was somewhat bizare to them as our appearances were different from the ones that would surround them. Finally however, they did come around for the beautiful picture below, with the help of their mother who seemed to want us to have a nice picture of her children, we are assuming this was simply an expression of this mother’s pride and joy for her beautiful children.

With this most amazing experience of meeting some more local Indians down the streets of Madurai, this truly capped off our Journey into Amazing India, as India wished us off by showing us how beautiful its people are when we can let go of the fear and see that those positive and joyous experiences continuously surround us.  India has provided us with the most amazing experiences that have touched us in a myriad of ways and that we shall carry with us for the rest of our lives. It has taught us many lessons not only about ourselves but life on our planet. We truly feel like different people than we were four months ago when we left Thailand to come hear. Regardless of the difficult and challenging experiences we have been thrown into, we come out at the other end better and stronger people because of it. This foreign and exotic land has provided us with a most unique experience which has us tired and weary, so as we say farewell, we now look forward to making our way to the solitude of Thailand where we shall bring this 2009 year of exploration to a close.

After a wonderful journey down the Backwaters of Allepey, we made our way by bus to the lazy sea cliff beach town of Varkala. With one main narrow road running for no more than a kilometre along the cliffs edge, which drops down steeply for about 500 feet to the sandy beach below, it all makes for a spectacular setting to simply veg out as we approached the end of our Journey through India.

There is really no hurry to do anything here but simply relax and take in the beautiful Varkala coastal beach scene, which is set in a coconut grove that covers the whole state of Kerela, along with huge crushing waves on a beautiful crested beach which you can hear continuously from any of the cafes, bistros, restaurants and accommodations perched high above on the cliffs edge.

When we say there is no hurry to do anything here, it’s really a part of the reality of the Varkala lifestyle. What makes it so is the fact that there is no “tourist attraction” to run off to…period. Therefore, nothing to plan your day around or to organize, no tickets to purchase, no means of transport to find or anything else for that matter. So why does one come to Varkala? Well to RELAX of course, and with a beautiful tropical setting to boot, Varkala is just the place to do just that. So we settled in at the Hills View Beach Resort and did just that. So what does a typical day look like when in Varkala? Well, first of all, it all starts up by getting up when your body chooses to, and not by a loud and obnoxious alarm clock that jolts you out of your PJ’s.

Afterwards, comes the beauty of being in Varkala, what one does next is completely up to you, you get to do what your little heart absolutely desires. On most mornings that means strolling out of bed and down to our regular breakfast hang out, the Harmony Bistro, where we enjoyed having our favourite breakfast, pancakes topped with yogurt and an assortment of fruits along with granola, nuts and raisins, and honey drizzled on top for good measure. This, of course, accompanied by a refreshing cool lemon mint drink to get us started on the right path for another great Varkala day. Afterward, from the comforts of the Harmony Bistro, one could simply gaze out to sea and admire the pounding waves making their way onto the beach, read a good book, talk away for an hour or two, or write away as I am choosing to do now.

What follows after that, whether it be through your own will or not, you are most likely drawn to the allure of the sand and water below, yes the BEACH! After finding your spot to get comfortable and lounge around for part of the day, or the full day for that matter, you’re instinctively drawn to jump into those refreshing waves to cool off from the days’ heat and have some good FUN and exercise. Yes I said exercise, since there is nothing simple about getting into the water here at Varkala Beach, it’s actually a skill, and some people have acquired the manner in which to enter the water, and some unfortunately have not.

Actually, it’s quite entertaining to see people inching their way towards the water only to have them be picked up by a huge wave and deposited back up on the beach on their bum or flat on their back. Entering the water at Varkala Beach is all about confidence and timing and simply running in and diving strait into and underneath those imposing waves to get beyond the crashing surf on the beach. From then on, it’s just good FUN, where one second you’re in water up to your chest and the next it’s three feet over your head, or you can simply float or ride the waves up and down and eventually have them carry you 10-15 feet forwards towards the beach, to the point where you then find yourself in water up to your knees. Oh, and no time to rest here, because if you do the next crashing wave will simply deposit you onto the beach in its own way, true the force of nature. So yeah, one can get a workout and have FUN all at the same time while at Varkala Beach.

Once that you’ve made it safely back to the beach without being carried on to it by one of those giant waves, and are resting comfortably on your towel or beach lounger, it’s quite entertaining to simply sit back and watch a bunch of beachgoers bopping up and down to the rhythm of the waves. How simple it can be to have a little FUN sometimes. I guess the lesson in all of this is to not take ourselves so damn seriously, we would all be well served to let the “Kid” in us come out more often for some good old fashion FUN, after all, laughter certainly has its benefits, we all know that!  

We also found it interesting to observe how just about everyone on the beach was reading a book. It seems that being part of the beach scene and reading books goes hand in hand very well. From an “Insights” perspective, many of these people must be predominately “Green”, as a “Red/Yellow” wouldn’t be able to quietly lounge around all day like this without socializing up a storm or getting something done, it would simply be unproductive time to get some worthy task accomplished or to make a lot of new friends and invite them all for supper this evening.

After spending two or three hours down on the beach, your body instinctively knows that it’s time to make your way back up to the cliffs edge and veg out at one of the cafes or restaurants, and I do mean “veg out”, as in a good vegetarian meal. India is a great place to dabble and experiment in vegetarian food if you haven’t previously done so like us, and we’ve found the Indian cuisine to be quite appealing and tasty, much to our surprise actually. Some of the restaurants and cafes that we enjoyed during our stay in Varkala included the Hillview Restaurant at the beach resort in which we were staying, as well as the Kerala Coffee House, Cafe Italiana and the Abba Cafe. A few hours can go by during this mid-day lunch break from the beach, simply sitting back and relaxing all while gazing out to the sea and the beach below, watching people stroll up and down the cliff side road along with the beat of the drum merchants, all while enjoying some good chatter and something refreshing to drink.

Afterwards, it may be back down to the beach for another three to four hours and to cap the day by watching the setting sun fall into the Arabian Sea as it slowly changes from a bright yellow, to a burning orange, to finally melting away in alluring reddish-purple glow. Or it may involve going back to your room for a quick mid-day nap, going shopping at the many little beachfront shops, e-mailing or calling family and friends back home to say hi and catch up on what they are up to, or perhaps to indulge yourself with an Ayuvedic message that Kerala is so well known for (Bamboo Hut Ayuvedic Centre pictured above). Regardless of what you choose to do, it’s always comforting to know that if you didn’t quite experience something during the course of the day, there is always tomorrow, or the next day for that matter, as that’s the pace and lifestyle down in the seaside beach town of Varkala, where “Time and Life” are the great “Luxuries”, and not the resorts.

A unique cultural experience in Kerala is the Kathakali traditional temple dance. A costumed performance with elaborate face painting, much of the story in communicated to the audience through facial expressions of the dancers, especially their eyes, along with simple hand gestures.

Once your initial attention leaves the costumes and face paintings and you begin to focus your attention on their facial expressions, you discover how talented these dancers are at conveying the different emotions required along with the story line of this love story.

The undisputed main attraction and the emerald jewel in South India’s crown, is travelling through Kerala’s 900 km network of waterways that fringe the coast and trickle far inland, called the Backwaters. These Backwaters have literally put Kerala on the map of international tourism more prominently than ever before. 

As more and more people are craving for serenity in this fast-paced world, the Backwaters offer a welcome breath of fresh air and rejuvenation. With an array of shallow and narrow palm-fringed canals and lagoons and open lakes and running rivers to admire. Life on the Backwaters is as unhurried as the slow moving water of the canals themselves that seem to nourish an infinite number of rice paddies and coconut groves along with a vibrant community life.

As sleek little boats cruise deep into the water highways from one small village to another, one can appreciate the simple and unhurried lifestyle of the people living in these Backwaters. Going about doing the essential things, from cooking, to washing cloths or pots and pans, business, schools and places of worship, all happens along the canals for the people of the Backwaters, which is the blood of life in these small communities of the Backwaters.

Along these shady canals, one can also observe coir (coconut fibre), copra (dried coconut meat) and cashews being loaded onto boats. Long before the advent of roads, these waterways were the slippery highways of Kerala, and many villagers today still use paddle-power as transport, which is why Alleppey has often been referred to as the “Venice of the East”.

As we sailed down these tranquil waters on our Backwaters journey, with the gentle sways of the coconut trees and the gentle sunrays fighting their way through the lush greenery, just to kiss our faces and wake us up to the abundance of beauty that surrounded us, this was Kerala’a way of saying “Good Morning and may you have a most plesant day”.

As we stopped at one of the many islands to quench our turst on freshly-cut tender coconut water, we could not but be drawn to the coconut trees taking  a dip into the water like cranes looking to quench their own thirst. We were told that by drinking coconut water we would be kept cool on this very hot day.

At our stop for the fresh coconut, we were also fortunate to view the Saharan White Heron which had made their migration to the rich infested rice fields of Kerala to feed on the plentiful small fish and insects.

As you gaze around in this nerver ending network of canals which occasionaly find their way to prestine lakes, where we enjoyed a refreshing swim, the coconut trees seem to form grand awnings, adding drama to the harmony and tranquility that are these beautiful Backwaters of Kerala.  

As we paddled our way through the vast and endless corridors of canals in these coconut grooves, we often felt like we were moving in a painting, with blue skies, greenery all around, and the reflection of the palm trees on the water, as the boat moved us slowly through this most stunning scene.  

For our Backwaters experience, we rented a private boat to take the two of us down the canals for the day, this way we could thoroughly and truly experience the Backwaters and be able to simply sit back and relax in complete peace and tranquility.

We choose to rent a smaller boat, since it was able to go in smaller more remote canals that the larger boats are not able to, and man were we pleased with our decision, as these smaller remote canals were without question the hightlight of our day, the time we spent in them was simply blissful! 

A Backwater journey is without question a cherished and most unforgettable moment in one’s life. We now understand why floating leisurely down these Backwaters has been referred to as one of the “Top 10 Experiences to do Before You Die”.

When your on the Backwaters, it’s no surprise that when it comes to having lunch that the recommended dish is fish. Barbecued with herbs and spices, it all makes for a tasty dish, which is accompanied with rice, of course, and an assortment of veggie side dishes.

As we sailed slowly along the canals, we noticed that there were also a network of pathways that villagers use. As we saw children going and coming home from school, men going on about conducting business or going to some village meetings, others going to temples and churches, while others simply played along the canals.

Some interesting facts that we discovered about the state of Kerala was that it was the first in the world to “freely” elect a communist government in 1957, which has had a pretty impressive track record. In addition, Kerala has been labelled “the most socially advanced state in India” by Nobel prize –winning economist Amartya Sen.  While another impressive observation that peaked our attention was the fact that Kerala’s literacy rate is 91%, the highest of any developing nation in the world, fuelled by a long history of education.  Furthermore, the infant mortality rate in Kerala is one fifth of the national average, while the life expectancy is 73 years, 10 years higher than the rest of the country. Kerala is certainly doing a number of things right that is positively effecting people and their lives.

The Backwaters are highly recommended to anyone making their way to southern India, you will undoubtably not be disappointed, especially if you are looking to simply kick back, relax and leave your fast-paced life behind…Two Thumbs Up for the Kerala Backwaters!!!

From Varanasi we embarked on a train ride to the spiritual town of Rishikesh as we were sensing a need for some more down time and self renewal. The small town of Rishikesh is found in the north of India and considers itself to be the yoga capital of the world. The fact that the fast flowing Ganges runs through this spiritual place and that it is surrounded by forested hills attracts many Indian pilgrims and foreign spiritual seekers alike, to practice yoga and meditation.

The town has an abundance of ashrams, yoga classes (including laughing yoga!), traditional music lessons, crystal healing, ayurvedic treatments and massage, and meditation classes, including gong and humming meditations, which really intrigued us. Sounded like a great place to explore different types of meditations and enjoy our first ashram experience. The most famous Ashram, which made Rishikesh what it is today, is the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi where the Beatles rocked in the late 60`s. This is apparently where they wrote most the `White Album’.

We arrived late at night and were immediately put to our first challenge which was finding a guesthouse in a particular area we had chosen. We hired an autorickshaw at the train station and tried to explain where we thought this guesthouse was, as the driver then went on to informe us that the bridge that traverses the River Ganges to our guesthouse is a pedestrian-only bridge, so he could only take us as far as this bridge and we would have to find our way from there. OK! The feeling of walking over the River Ganges near midnight by ourselves under the moon and stars with the sound of the fast flowing Holy River Ganges below us is undescribable. It is moments like these that make travelling in a country which poses so many challenges worth it.

Once on the other side, we walked along the Ganges past a big clock tower and a large marble statue of Shiva out over the water and then made our way through a maze of narrow alley ways until we found a guesthouse we were happy with and crashed for the night.

We spent our first couple of days searching for an ashram that appealed to us where we could spend a week. We also searched for the different types of yoga, meditation, etc, that we read about in our guide book and on the numerous posters around the town, which were suppose to be available there. Well, after three days of searching in this town, which has no road signage and where you practically have to run into something to find it, we were getting very frustrated and gave up! When things prove to be this hard, we have learned to accept it as a sign that we are not on path and change course rather than stress ourselves out trying to make something happen.

At this point, we just surrendered and let whatever Rishikesh had in store for us just happen. I enjoyed some morning Hatha and Iyengar yoga classes offered in our area and we sat around this beautiful spiritual town reading, journaling, meditating, and watching hundreds upon hundreds of Indian pilgrams bath themselves in the Ganges both day and night. 

We spent time in some of the numerous small, cozy, outdoor cafes overlooking the Ganges with spiritual music playing in the background which served delicious vegetarian meals, healthy drinks and natural herb teas.  This was yet another big lesson for us on our journey of exploration to cut down on expectations and be open to any experience that may present itself. We had made a picture of what it would be like based on things we read and when we couldn’t find those experiences, it caused unnecessary pain. Lesson learned…. we hope!

One evening we ran into a very interesting gentleman who certainly caught our attention to say the least! He was propped up on a little altar-like stage on a chair outside a restaurant. From what we could gather, he is the mascot for this restaurant and has been hauling people in there for the last 40 or 50 years. All we can say, is that he is certainly makes enough of a statement to make you stop and notice the restaurant!

Every evening around 6 p.m., temple bells rang as Sadhus (Hindu spiritual men), pilgrims, and tourist alike, started gathering for the nightly ganga aarti ceremony (Hindu ceremony also called puja and described in the Varanasi post) directly on the Ganges where the huge Shiva statue sits above this holiest of rivers and looks peacefully onto the people surrounding her to give worship at this electric ceremony which takes place while the sun sets.

Sitting amongst these crowds of people, including a large number of young boys learning about the Hindu religion and serving at each and every ceremony, singing and chanting their hearts out, as a fire was lit in a pit near the reiver and then spread amongst the crowd one by one, this was one of the most beautiful experiences we had witnessed this year.

The energy vibrated through our bodies and we got the sense that some emotional healing was taking place within us. Thank you, Rishikesh, for this memorable experience.

Music shops blaring spiritual music and chants dot the narrow streets of Rishikesh. The array of incredible music and chants at these shops makes you stop in your steps and your heart sing. We are very happy with our purchases of music in Rishikesh and listen to them on a regular basis. The streets of Rishikesh are also dotted with a number of bookstores selling masses of some of the best spiritual and self help books (in English, too!) available. These were also hard not to give into which is part of what caused the need for a new large suitcase along with Ricky’s Tibetan bowls purchase.

At this point we decided we had had enough of the north of India and it was time to head south to the province of Kerala to finally experience the Backwaters of India, which are suppose to be one of the highlights of India….. but no expectations this time! ; >)

After a 15-hour train ride, we arrived in Agra in the height of the Dubali Festival. We were told by our hotel upon leaving Varanasi that not too many people sleep on this night, whether you want to or not, as fireworks and firecrackers go off all through the night and into the early morning. The nice thing about staying at the Hotel Sheela was that it was in a quiet area near the East Gate to the Taj Mahal and that it was set back from the road. So the noise of the Dubali celebrations were not so bad, affording us to get some sleep, contrary to what we had been told.

The principal reason for our stay in Agra, of course, was to see the iconic symbol of India, the Taj Mahal, plus the imposing Agra Fort, which is romantically connected to the whole story of the Taj. As much as one can’t come to Agra without laying eyes on the impressive and massive Agra Fort along the Yamuna River, which for us was as soon as we arrived into Agra by train as we crossed over the river in the early morning hours. As we arrived at the entrance gate to explore Agra Fort’s palaces, temples and courtyards, we were immediately taken back by its sheer size.

As we entered Agra Fort, we were dwarfed by its tall red sandstone walls that rose 20 meters high into the sky, as we stood in its shadows feeling somewhat like ants.

Apparently this outer wall goes on for 2.5 kms to fortify Agra Fort, in addition to the moat that surrounds it for an additional defence measure, and as if that was necessary…really!

At one point as you go through one of the palaces and onto a small courtyard next to this imposing wall, one can gaze out into the distance through one of the many stone-cut windows to appreciate a splendid view of the great Taj Mahal, as many visitors were doing. Considering that construction of the various buildings in Agra Fort commenced in 1565, it is remarkably well preserved and is an impressive site to visit.

Of course the lure to Agra is without question, as much for us as for many people, whether they be tourist, Indians or Muslims, is quite essentially the great Taj Mahal. As we passed through the gateway and into its manicured grounds, one leaves the noise, dust and busy streets to be quickly enveloped into this tranquility and beauty of green gardens and trees, and of course the imposing monument as its most striking and captivating feature at the far end, the Taj Mahal.

At first sight, chills came upon us, as its majestic beauty takes your breath away. There is literally no words to describe the Taj Mahal, you simply are taken up in an array of emotions and feelings. Many have tried to sum up its beauty “a teardrop on the face of eternity” according to Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, “the embodiment of all things pure” according to British writer Rudyard Kipling. Immediately, it casts its spell on anyone who lays eyes on it, you are memorized and captivated by the Taj Mahal’s simplistic beauty and elegance.

Perhaps this is one of its great features, in its pure and simplistic design, one can absorb its grandeur, compared to other temples and monuments that overwhelm you with their decor, statues, use of colors and varied stones and materials, symbols and intricate designs, enabling you to truly appreciate the magnificence that is before you. You feel as if you have fallen in a trance, as your eyes are constantly drawn to gaze at it, and why wouldn’t you. As you stand before it, you quickly understand why it is considered one to the greatest world wonders along with the likes of the Great Pyramids of Egypt and the Angkor Wat Temple of Cambodia.

The Taj Mahal was built by Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his second wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child in 1631 (no wonder!:>). The death of Mumtaz left the emperor so heartbroken that his hair is said to have turned grey overnight. Construction of the Taj Mahal began in the same year and wasn’t completed until 1653. Not long after it was finished, Shah Jahan was overthrown by this son Aurangzeb and imprisoned in Agra Fort where, for the rest of his days, he could only gaze out at his creation through a window. Following his death in 1966, Shah Jahan was buried here alongside Mumtaz.

In total, some 20,000 people from India and Central Asia worked on the building. The spectacular mausoleum was designated a World Heritage site in 1983 and looks as immaculate today as when it was constructed. The only unfortunate impact that has occurred over time has been the recent atmospheric pollution which has begun to gradually discolour the white marble and erode the fine carvings and inlays.

The Taj Mahal is all about symmetry, and one can appreciate this by observing the monument itself, as well as the surrounding grounds, in great detail. An interesting fact that we discovered was that the height and the width are the same, which is contrary to most buildings. It stands 1002 feet in height, while its bulbous central dome having a height of 213 feet. The four minarets stand 40 meters in height, and after three centuries they lean slightly outward, which may have been purposely part of their design in the event of an earthquake, so that they wouldn’t fall on the precious Taj Mahal. Standing on any side of the Taj Mahal, you basically can appreciate the same design which is repeated on all four sides, pure symmetry. Impressive vaulted arches embellished with pietra dura scrollwork and quotations from the Quran in a style of calligraphy. You can also appreciate beautiful carved flower patterns inlaid with thousands of semiprecious stones in the white marble.

However, it’s from the front of the Taj Mahal and its manicured gardens that its beauty truly abounds and is embellished. It’s the ideal postcard picture, in every sense of imagery. Looking into the long narrow ponds of water, one can savour the reflection of the Taj Mahal which is simply magical as the sun rises to light it up in a golden color before the light of the day exposes the purity of the white marble. Interestingly enough, the white marble in which the Taj Mahal was constructed from came all the way from (Ragistan), by elephant express of course.    

On both sides of the Taj Mahal is two rather large red sandstone buildings, one of which is a mausoleum while the other served travelling visitors. Later on, this building was used as an area to host gatherings as well as a guesthouse for important guests of the King. We have to say, it’s one big guesthouse!

Apparently, the story goes that they build the mausoleum on the left hand side first, and then soon realized that the symmetry had been broken, so they built the second one on the right to rectify the situation and re-establish the perfect symmetry of this magical place.

There is also another story that the King wanted to build another Taj across the river in black marble for himself, ying and yang  if you will, but that never materialized obviously, but may have very well have been the reason he was imprisoned as the story goes.

As we were leaving the mausoleum, we encountered an Indian couple who stopped and were trying to make some kind of interaction with us but did not speak English. We suggested a picture together and they seemed quite happy with that, as most are and are often asking if they can take our picture as though we are the first foreigners they’ve encountered.

After spending five hours in company of the Taj Mahal, at the end we couldn’t seem to bring ourselves to leave. We would start to make our way towards the exit, but would quickly find ourselves either sitting on a bench or  a ledge gazing at the Taj once again. Its seduction is simply relentless, but hey, what’s wrong with that, it’s not every day that you get the privilege to spend your morning in the company of the world’s most extravagant monument ever built for LOVE!

So voila, the last segment of the «Fabulous Forsome», it’s been a blast going from Hangin with the Buddha in Bodygaya, to being in the Great Himalayas, to experiencing the amazing Holy River Ganges to the memorizing Taj Mahal monument, all in a very short span, it’s seemed that we’ve been spoiled with the abundance of life during this last month, an example to us both of how wonderful life can truly be everyday!

As we boarded our Air India flight in Kathmandu (Nepal), 45 minutes later we arrived in the Holy City of Varanasi, and into the intensity and chaos that is India. As we hopped into our taxi, we made our way to the Sita Guesthouse directly on the Holy River Ganges. The guesthouse has two men meet us on the street to lead us into a 10-minute walk through a maze of small narrow streets, where we got our first big taste of Varanasi as we met cows, chickens, and anything else you can imagine, until we finally arrived to the steps of the guesthouse which rose from the actural Ganges! This was another pinch me moment! As we unloaded our bags in our room, we immediately made our way to the rooftop restaurant to get our first bird’s eye view of this most holiest of rivers which took our breath away. We were really there in person which was so hard to believe. It was a truly surreal moment. Varanasi is also a most auspicious city for most Indians, as the city of Shiva is one of the holiest places in India, and many come here throughout the year on pilgrimages. It just so happened that this was a very special time for us to be in Varanasi, as this was the time of the Dubali Festival, in which many Indians were choosing to do their pilgrimage to Varanasi to bathe in the Holy River Ganges during this festival.

Our first night in Varanasi was highly fascinating, as around 7 p.m., we took in the elaborate “Ganga Aarti” ceremony with puja (giving of offerings, respect or prayer) to the rising and setting sun, fire and dance. This elaborate ritualistic ceremony was conducted by five Brahmans (monks or priest) on the edge of the Holy Ganges River at the Dasaswanath Ghat and lasted for a good hour.

The Ganga Aarti ceremony consists of numerous rituals, from bell ringing, incense burning in a perfusion of smoke, flowers thrown in the air, over a small temple and into the Holy River, candles burning, and so on, all for the benefit of the Holy River Ganges.

Another enjoyable and essential experience when in Varanasi, is to walk along the Ganges and along the many bathing Ghats that dot this most incredible scene along the river’s edge.

One thing that is for certain when doing this walk, is that you never know what you’ll see or experience. Such as meeting many of the “sadhus” that stroll up and down the Ganges in their striking costumes, and I do mean costumes, as some of these are what you would call “tourist sadhus” who are dressed up for the benefit of tourist and to get some free and easy money, while others are the real thing, with spiritual intentions. Our guess would be that the one in the background of this photo meditating is the real thing and the one asking for money and wearing Lori Ann’s sunglasses was not! :>)

Another daily scene is the washing of clothes in the holy Ganges river, we are not quite certain if it’s the fact that it’s a holy river or the intense beating of it on concrete that gets the clothes so clean, because we can’t comprehend washing clothes in water dirtier than the clothes themselves. Regardless, it makes for a very colourful scene as the sarees are laid out to dry on dirty concrete to create a rainbow of cloth along with the rest of the wash. 

As we walked along the Ganges, we observed in silence our first cremation ceremony on this holiest of rivers. The river Ganges in Varanasi is a very auspicious place for any Indian to be cremated, as after the body is burned with approximately 300 kg of wood, preferably sandalwood if the family can afford it, the remains of the body are wrapped in a cloth and sent down the Holy River Ganges, back to the earth.

At the top of another of the bathing steps, a large Hindu temple stood as a fixture of the religious nature of the Ganges. 

Below was an ongoing number of people going in and out of the Ganges to bathe, while others prayed and meditated on the steps or prepared to go worship in the temple among the variouis Hindu Gods. 

On another occasion, on a very hot day, which are very common here we should add, we noticed a very particular scene along the edge of the bathing steps to the Ganges, as we made our way to check it out, we discovered that it was water buffalos bathing themselves in the water, to escape the days heat no doubt. All lined up in a row, they looked like a bunch of kids taking swimming lessons from their swimming instructor at the city pool.

Afterwards, we made our way to the nearby Lotus Restaurant, where perched up high, we enjoyed a lovely breakfast as we gazed down this amazing river, which was the Ganges and its many ghats. This was a great place to simply relax and take in this most amazing experience that we felt privileged to experience, a pinch me moment you could say! With good food and service, a relaxing quiet atmosphere and an amazing view, we visited the Lotus on many occasions during our stay. One thing that we’ve discovered on our travels, is when you find a good place to eat, enjoy its benefits, especially in places where they are not plentiful and easily accessible.

Leaving the restaurant we made our way down the back narrow allies of Varanasi, never really knowing where we were going but believing that we would eventually find our way as we were meant to in order to find an ATM of all things. The next thing we knew we were in a meditation centre doing a shaking and dancing meditation which was inspired by the teachings of OSHO. As we shook our bodies for about 20 minutes and then subsequently danced for another 20 minutes, when we came to doing the sitting meditation, we felt as if all the tension and stress within our bodies had melted away to allow us to meditate in a state of mind of complete peace and calmness. After having meditated for 20 minutes, we got into a sleeping pose in order to attain an even deeper state of rest and relaxation, so much so that Ricky fell asleep and snored (as per the account of Lori Ann Hitchcock).

An hour and a half later, we were once again going down the back allies of Varanasi discovering and seeing the true India, and a way of life that we previously never thought of experiencing and seeing with our own two eyes.

Every corner of every building on the back streets of Varanasi are plastered with directions to yoga centres, and other forms of healing practices.  

The next morning we woke up at 5 a.m. to go down for our boat ride down the Holy River Ganges, which is the most essential of experiences when in Varanasi. Already at this time, in the morning darkness, we could hear the Indian people chanting, bells a ringing and see people bathing in the Holy River. At this early time of the day, the air was cool, but within four to five hours, the day’s heat would be upon us reaching between 30-35 degrees, as Varanasi is known to be a very warm place.

As we hopped into our boat, a version of a large dore, we set off up the Ganges, appreciating the views of this ancient holy city with its perfusion of bathing steps, ghats, and palaces that were once occupied by the emperors, oh what it would be like to go back in time to see this place. An interesting element of a day along the Ganges is the noticeable changes in light that brings a different effect on the scene before you.

As you set off, the early morning darkness soon changes to a dim light, until the sun appears over the horizon on the other side of the Ganges to transfer this amazing scene in an array of colors. Going from an orange to an inspiring golden color, which is the most striking, the clear light of the day seems to quickly make its appearance, as one is completely drawn into this most amazing of spectacles. All of this of course happening in a morning haze which eventually seems to dissipate by mid-day.

As we floated by one the main cremation ghats of Varanasi, we could see a body ready to be cremated already at this early hour. As we turned around to make our way back, we leisurely flowed down the Ganges to the Dasaswamedh Ghat, where there was an absorbant amount of people who had come down to bathe in the river. This is without question the most surreal river experience we have ever had the joy and privilege to experience, even more so than our Ghondola ride down the canals of the great city of Venice in Italy. It simply felt like a very special moment for us, or as they say, a very “auspicious” moment.  

We also had to occasion to send off a lit candle down the Ganges…

As we disembarked from our boat, we made our way to the Dasaswamedh Ghat to be amongst this most magical scene we had appreciated from our boat on the Ganges.

As we walked around the Ghat and along the river, we could observe in silence and respect, groups of women all gathered in a circle performing a ritual prayer. The whole prayer was a very colourful display of Hinduism. There were also a large number of priest under these large straw umbrellas performing prayers at the request of people.

Everywhere we looked was this most incredible morning experience, we could see the faces of India down on the bathing steps of the Holy River Ganges…these were the faces we had expected to see in this Holy City.

Afterwards, in the mists of all this, something quite unexpected happened, Ricky got a most needed shave in this most auspicious of places by an Indian barber, a very unique experience to say the least.

After a short retreat back to our hotel and a mid-morning breakfast back at the Lotus Restaurant, we escaped the afternoon heat by going to the Surya Hotel to enjoy their refreshing pool and enjoy an Indian Ayurvedic message at the Centre Point Message Shop adjoining the hotel.

In the evening we walked through more narrow back streets of Varanasi to make our way to the Manikarnika Ghat, the main cremation ceremony ghat. As we got there in complete darkness, with only our head lamps to help us find our way down to this ghat, we were immediately struck by the scene before us. (sorry but no pix as it is strickly forbidden to take photos of cremations and understandably so)

The whole ghat was simply filled with flames, as 12-15 bodies were being cremated all at once. All these fires were creating a very noticeable heat. There were three different areas where bodies were being cremated. In an elevated platform, bodies of the upper cast of the society were being cremated, while down below at the waters’ edge, bodies of the lower castes were cremated.

The cast system is very predominant and apparent in Indian society, and I guess it applies from the day you are born to the day you die. Everyone knows their place in society according to this caste system, and they don’t hold back in reminding others when they are a higher caste.

We also learnt that there are basically five castes in Indian society, with the Brahamn being the highest caste, to the untouchables, being the lowest caste. The untouchables were in fact the men which we could see before us this evening burning bodies for cremation in the constant heat. The shocking thing that we discovered as well was that the fathers and grand fathers of these men were also untouchables. Unfortunately, even sadder yet, was the fact that the children and their children’s children of these men would be as well, their destiny was already defined for them, they wouldn’t have a choice in the matter, they would simply be pegged into this profession. 

As this was the most auspicious of all places for an Indian to be cremated, which was rendered quite obvious by the fact that on any given day, a minimum of 100 bodies could be cremated and up to a maximum of 200. From dawn to dusk bodies are continuously being cremated at this ghat. During the brief time we were there, bodies were regularly making their way to this place in a procession of men carrying the body to the Holy River Ganges all while they chanted away.

Walking down the side streets of Varanasi, one can’t miss the bangle shops, it’s like going to a jewellery store, but these shops only carry bangles, and in every colour of the rainbow. Every Indian women, from the infants to the elderly, wear bangles, and some in large numbers, too.

So Lori Ann decided to get her own bangles, and after 15 minutes, the shop keeper had her all decked out with an assortment of beautiful orange and green ones inlaid with some semi-precious stones to boot, another happy customer.

Another thing that we discovered while in India is that they truly enjoy shopping, just as people in North America or anywhere else for that matter, do. The only difference being that 80% of the shops are either selling sarees, bangles, jewellery or clothes. It’s a shopping chaos with people filling the streets and more signs and banners that you can wave a stick at, it’s simply overwhelming to the senses, with the perfusion of colour, chatter of the people, horns honking and smells of street vendor stalls, etc.

The next morning we ventured to Sarnath, which was the place where Buddha gave his first lecture and teachings to his followers. Many people make their way to Sarnath as part of a pilgrimage, coming from many countries throughout Asia. On site are the ruins of an ancient monastery as well as a huge stupa that marks the spot Buddha gave his first lecture.

Many groups surrounded this stupa singing chants together. There are many countries that have established monasteries in Sarnath. Apparently, there are nearly 1500 monks that actively reside in these monasteries at any given time. This is also the home of Deer Park, a great place for meditation and reflection, but unfortunately it was closed on this day, which was somewhat disappointing. 

As we made our way back to Varanasi, we had our last lunch overlooking the Holy River Ganges before making our way to Agra by train. All in all, our Ganges experience has without a doubt been a memorable one which will mark the rest of our lives.