I use
to hear the beauty of Subh-e-Banaras, since my childhood, and read much in
literature books. Varanasi “The City of Kaal Bhairav, the city of Nirvana” and Ghats along River Ganges was engraved in my heart like a love song since my
student life.
So one day, I packed my bag and reached there, and started to
uncover the: Travelogue-Varanasi Ke Ghats: The City of Kaal
Bhairav, the City of Nirvana.
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| Varanasi ke Ghat--A Man practicing Yoga |
Call it Varanasi, Benaras or Kashi: The City of Kaal Bhairava,
Kotwal of city, the
city of Nirvana. It is said that without his
permission no one can stay in Kashi. It is said that, death too is afraid of
Kaal Bhairav. The city where faith is intoxicating.
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| The Burning Ghats of Varanasi--Search of Nirvana |
It is faith that if a person’s ashes are
scattered here, then their soul will finally achieve nirvana. But to
liberate the soul to achieve nirvana, the worn-out body must first be burned.
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| Foreign Tourists -Boating in Ganga in Varansi |
The
story of Kaal Bhairava: goes that Shiva took the form of Bhairava to behead
Brahma who became arrogant after creating the world. Brahma’s head seared into
Shiva’s palm and he wandered the earth chased by Brahma-hatya, the infamy of
killing the creator.
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| Women at holy dip in Ghats of River Ganga in Varansi |
Shiva
finally descended from Kailas southwards along the river Ganga. A point came
when the river turned north. At this point, he dipped his hand in the river,
and Brahma’s skull became undone and Shiva was thus liberated form
Brahma-hatya.
My main charm to visit Varanasi was to watch the Sun Rise: The famous
“Subh-e-Benaras”. Hotel staff already informed me the timing of sun rise
that was 6:00 AM. So I left hotel room at 5:00 AM in curiosity to beat site
well in time
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| Subh-e-Banaras--Sun Rising |
On way to Ghats first I packed my stomach with special Kachauris of
Varanasi, jalebi and chai. Ghats were at walking distance from hotel.
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Pilgrims were busy in
spiritual rituals.Bathing in Ganges with a
belief to wash away their lifetime sins, meaning attainment of nirvana as
opposed to being endlessly reincarnated. These ghats are life line of Varanasi.
A solo travellor, I was feeling comfortable
with my camera. Moving alone on foot step by
step with a peaceful mind was a treat for me. New mystics appeared before me. These
Ghats proved paradise for my camera. People were
accustomed and habituated with photographers around the ghat.
I realized that people feel proud to be photographed.Every
baba, sadhu, tantric, and locals relaxing at ghat were used to be in alert
mode, seeing a camera man specially a SLR camera.
The whole area in front of me, as far as my look worked, was
open as a huge theater screen. Every few steps and stairs ahead, new action,
new story, new way of life was there.
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| A Naga Sadhu at Ghats of Ganga in Varanasi |
Most of
the ghats are bathing ghats, while others are used as cremation sites. Some where on stairs, pilgrims from all walks of life
were busy in bathing, taking a holy dip; some were washing clothes.Some
European ladies in group were seen reciting some religious book.
In some corner of stairs, Young, old, foreigners and sadhus
were intoxication of chilum filled with marijuana. On moving further I met a
local who was busy in various yoga modes.He gave my camera some wonderful yoga
shots.On one ghat: a feast of Pandits was going on as a religions part, they
call it Pind Dan.
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| A Naked Baba (Sadhu)at Harish Chandra Ghat in Varansi |
At Harish Chandra ghat I met a naked Naga Sadhu, asked his
permission for a smile please to my camera.He hinted me to wait. To my surprise
that Naga sadhu took 30:00 mt for his makeup.
He rubbed and polished whole body with ashes.Garlanded
himself with hundreds of beads of rudraksha mala, from neck to touching floor,
tilak on the forehead and a crown type cover over his guthee jata. After a photo
session I gifted him Rs 500:00 as dikhshna and got his blessings.
Sitting
in corner of a stair, sipping kulhad chai and watching the
stretch of ghat: Dozen of sailing boats in smooth water of Ganga. Pilgrim's cum
tourists enjoying boating rides.Water Guls were hovering over there; all were
lost in mystic and peaceful magic.
Opposite
to it, burning fires of the Manikarnika Ghats have been burning for thousands
of years.The burning Pyres: Breaking the Death and Rebirth cycle. Attainment of Nirvana. I realized that there is not only one mystery, many still to
discover.
My two days
stay passed away as a dream.Filled with memories of city, where people don’t
wish to hurry up, they are fine with what they do.
They are
bindaas in nature and always think that Lord Shiva will take care of them. This ends the blog titled Varanasi Ghats: the City
of Kaal Bhairav, the city of Nirvana.
Ending This Travelogue on Varanasi Ke Ghats with a poem of Nazir Banarsi over बनारस की गली: The City of Kaal
Bhairav, the City of Nirvana
बनारस की गली
हर गाम पे हुशियार बनारस की गली में
फ़ितने भी हैं बेदार बनारस की गली में
ऐसा भी है बाज़ार बनारस की गली में
बिक जाएँ ख़रीदार बनारस की गली में
हुशियारी से रहना नहीं आता जिन्हें इस पार
हो जाते हैं उस पार बनारस की गली में
सड़कों पर दिखाओगे अगर अपनी रईसी
लुट जाओगे सरकार, बनारस की गली में
दुकान पे रुकिएगा तो फिर आपके पीछे
लग जाएँगे दो-चार बनारस की गली में
हैरत का यह आलम है कि हर देखने वाला
है नक़्श ब दीवार बनारस की गली में
मिलता है निगाहों को सुकूँ हृदय को आराम
क्या प्रेम है क्या प्यार बनारस की गली में
हर सन्त के, साधु के, ऋषि और मुनि के
सपने हुए साकार बनारस की गली में
शंकर की जटाओं की तरह साया फ़िगन है
हर साया-ए-दीवार बनारस की गली में
गर स्वर्ग में जाना हो तो जी खोल के ख़रचो
मुक्ति का है व्योपार बनारस की गली में।
Written, photographed and
posted by Engr Maqbool Akram
