Benaras, Kashi or #Varanasi as it’s now called, is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities on the planet, dating back to the 11th or 12th Century BC. Lord #Shiva is said to have made it this permanent abode and that is what became its initial claim-to-fame. Finding another city with greater antiquity, combined with uninterrupted ancient traditions, distinction and reputation, is perhaps an impossible task.
Today, Varanasi is popularly known as India’s Religious Capital and jugular of holy places. #Hinduism, #Buddhism and #Jainism, all ascribe it vital importance in the spiritual journey. The fact that its strongest association remains with Hinduism is because it is the oldest religion of the land, and one from whose womb all other Indian religions were born.
A Sacred City & The Holy River
Banaras is to Hindus what #Mecca is to #Muslims or #Vatican to #Catholics. This ancient dwelling was built around what the Hindus believe is the River of Life and Redemption. The #Ganges, the embodiment of life and purity. Its waters are said to wash away ones sins and purify any body they touch. This holy nectar, is revered as the mother who answers all prayers and liberates the soul from samsara, the ongoing cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. She bears a double-edged power of a living and transforming symbol, encompassing the entire circle of existence in one sweeping wave. These waters represent life in its entirety.
What makes the Ganga exceptionally revered in Varanasi
The #Ganga flows through a vast expanse of India, but it’s here that it gains extraordinary spiritual momentum. Its powers get mystically turbo charged because of an exceptional natural deviation -- its course towards the #BayOf Bengal suddenly turns north! This unique directional change and its flow from south to north is symbolic of the life cycle, starting from death.
Epitome of the Circle of Life
Varanasi is a far cry from the new-age, modern India. Elaborate and ancient ritual traditions of Hinduism still run in its pulsating veins. The presence of the Divine is everywhere. Life and death are seen as an integrated whole, with the entire circle of life, from birth to death, vividly depicted along the ghats.
All the significant rituals in the life of a Hindu take place by the banks of this holy river. Babies are brought here or their #naamkaran or #Christening ceremonies. Mothers from across the country come to pray for the well being of their children. Those who can't have any, come to ask the Holy Mother for her blessing to have a baby.
#Sanyasis ( people who have renounced a materialistic and familial life) gather here by the river to continue their lives as homeless wayfarers. Widows from orthodox Hindu families come here to take refuge in the temples by the river. Masses of people come on pilgrimages. Some come to commit the ashes of their deceased to the River Ganges, in order to improve their next life. Others move here in their old age or in times of terminal illness -- they wish to die in Kashi, as it’s said to end the pilgrimage of this life, and all lives, by #LiberatingTheSoul from rebirth.
#Sanyasis ( people who have renounced a materialistic and familial life) gather here by the river to continue their lives as homeless wayfarers. Widows from orthodox Hindu families come here to take refuge in the temples by the river. Masses of people come on pilgrimages. Some come to commit the ashes of their deceased to the River Ganges, in order to improve their next life. Others move here in their old age or in times of terminal illness -- they wish to die in Kashi, as it’s said to end the pilgrimage of this life, and all lives, by #LiberatingTheSoul from rebirth.
The Ancient City at Dawn
"Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together"
There are few places in India as traditionally Hindu and as symbolic of the whole Hindu culture as Benaras. All else turns pale when compared with the sun-kissed splendor of the riverfront at dawn. Especially around the ghats, where the temples, shrines, ashrams and pavilions stretch along the river for over three miles, glowing in the molten gold light. Standing here, it’s easy to understand how the city got it ancient name, Kashi - the #LuminousCity.
The first rays of light in Varanasi reveal a deep sense of the whole of #Hindu #India, in one sweeping glance. Long flights of stone steps or ghats, crawl like roots into the river, leading thousands of worshippers and pilgrims down to its holy waters to bathe. Some are old and feeble, weary with life’s long journeys, emaciated by maladies and saddened from losses and troubles. Well or ill, young or old, robust or sickly, they stand, breast deep in the cold river, taking the water and cupping it in their hands as an offering to their ancestors and the gods. They treat the river pretty much like a deity, softly confessing their sins, asking for forgiveness, and offerings her flowers, fruits and tiny little oil lamps.
In the backdrop, one can see students of all ages practicing yogic exercises, breath control, or meditational disciplines, and local body builders or pahalwaans practicing their muscular feats. Often one can also see classical Inidan musicians doing their #Riyaz by the river. It’s truly a sight like no other.
One City. Many Names
Varanasi as a city is so old, lively, and diverse that perhaps one name alone would not have been sufficient to capture its spirit. It’s really no surprise then that this city gathered numerous name with the meanderings of time. Its most popular and widely used names are Banaras and Kashi. The latter is perhaps its oldest and most spiritually significant one that also finds several mentions in the ancient Hindu scriptures, the #Puranas and #Rig Veda. ‘Kashi’ is derived from the word ‘luminous’ and was referred to as the seat of learning. Its other names include of are Brahmavardha, Anandakanana, Avimuktaka, Mahasmasana, Sudarsana, Surandhana and Ramya.
Varanasi is currently the official name recognized by the Government of India. This name probably originated from the names of the two river tributaries , Varuna and Assi.
Legend and History
According to Hindus, Banaras is the #CenterOfTheEarth as the place of creation and gathers the whole scared universe in a single symbolic circle, a #mandala. Kashi is said to sit above the earth as a ‘crossing place’ or #tirtha between the earth and the transcendent universe. It sits by the banks of a river that’s an earthly manifestation of Lord’s Shiva’s active energy – the Ganga -- exemplified in Hinduism as a goddess and a mother, resplendent with divinity. According to mythological legend, she descended from heaven and is the only river to have been touched by the #HolyTrinity of #Brahma, #Vishnu and #Shiva, and is therefore the #HoliestRiverOnEarth.
Varanasi found an important place in India’s most ancient scriptures such as the Puranas, #Upanishads and #Vedas. It also played its role in the greatest Indian epics – the #Ramayana and #Mahabharata. The #Pandavas, the heros of the latter, came here in search of Lord Shiva.
For over 3000 years, Banaras has attracted pilgrims and seekers from all over India and the world. Great sages and saints such as #Buddha, #Mahavira and #Shankara came here to teach. Ever since, thousands of young people have come here to study the Vedas, #Yoga, #Ayurveda, #IndianClassicalMusic and various other ancient forms of knowledge and wisdom from the city’s learned teachers.
Birthplace of Buddhism
Kashi is a place of immense sacred significance for Buddhists from across the world. It is one of the four most sacred places for Buddhists. The other three sacred places being #Lumbini in #Nepal, where #SiddharthaGautama was born and lived till he was 29. #BodhGaya in #Bihar (India) where he attained enlightenment. And #Kushinagar in #UttarPradesh (India) where he left his physical body and attained pari-nirvana (the ultimate state of nirvana) and samsara (freedom from rebirth). However, it was here, in #Sarnath (Kashi), that #GautamaBuddha delivered his first sermon, and set in motion the “Wheel of Dharma”, making it the birth of Buddhism.
The holy place where the voice of Buddhism was first heard, is marked by the #DhammekaStupa, originally laid by the #EmperorAshoka in 249 BC. Till today, Buddhists, from different parts of world, come to circumambulate the sacred stupa and commemorate the original lecture of Gautama Buddha.
Sacred Land for Jains
Sacred Land for Jains
#Jainism is an important Indian religion that has several holy sites in different parts of the country. Varanasi happens to be one such place of special historical significance for the #Jains. Four of the Jain #Tirthankaras were born here, including #Parshvanatha, in the 8th century BC and Mahavira in the 6th century BC. A Tirthankara is a human being who helps in achieving liberation and enlightenment. There are several sites and temples of importance to the Jains that dot this land. Among them the #BachrajGhat (also called the #JainGhat), is on the banks of the Ganga, and is close to the birthplace of the seventh Jain Tirthankara . Visiting this Ghat along with the three Jain temples here, is a vital pilgrimage in any Jain pilgrim’s spiritual progress.
There are various other belief systems, practices and things of immense interest that flourish in Varanasi, by the spiritualty and culturally fertile banks of the Ganga. I shall write abut them in my future posts on #SoulSherpa, as trying to pack them all in one post will be gross injustice. Till then, let me leave you with an apt quote from India’s first Prime Minister, #JawaharlalNehru, who despite his well-known scientific temperament wanted a handful of his ashes to be scattered in the Ganga. He encapsulated the essence of the river beautifully, “The Ganga, especially, is the river of India, beloved of her people, round which are intertwined her racial memories, her hopes and fears, her songs of trials, her victories and defeats. She has been a symbol of India’s age long culture and civilization. Ever changing, ever flowing and yet ever the same, Ganga.” The River Of life.
This is the first in a series of articles on #SoulSherpa about Varanasi, as it's impossible to grasp all its layers in just one post. This city has been a part of my spiritual journey and learnings. It is a fascinating place, where all is no what it seems. Many parallel universes and undercurrents exist here -- the holy, the unholy, the mundane, morbid and the profane. Yet, there is undoubtedly no other place in the world that manages the business of life and death as matter-of-factly as Benaras. It changed something in my internal ecosystem. It taught me many important spiritual lessons, and the greatest learnings just crept in very quietly.
For this post, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to #ClaudeRenault, whose images I have used here. Claude is an amazing French photographer who has captured the world and much of India through his stunning images. As an Indian, I have seen countless images of Varanasi -- it is after all a photographer's paradise -- a photo opp at every corner. Yet there are few images that have stood out and lingered with me, the way Claude's images have. He has a distinct style, voice and narrative. And I noticed an honesty and rare sensitivity in how he has captured his subjects. He has a special eye. You can see more of his work at http://www.clauderenault.com
All Rights Reserved By Soul Sherpa
For this post, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to #ClaudeRenault, whose images I have used here. Claude is an amazing French photographer who has captured the world and much of India through his stunning images. As an Indian, I have seen countless images of Varanasi -- it is after all a photographer's paradise -- a photo opp at every corner. Yet there are few images that have stood out and lingered with me, the way Claude's images have. He has a distinct style, voice and narrative. And I noticed an honesty and rare sensitivity in how he has captured his subjects. He has a special eye. You can see more of his work at http://www.clauderenault.com
All Rights Reserved By Soul Sherpa
