Another 5 people have joined our group but we are yet to make the rounds properly. So far we have managed to chat to two of them. We will return with details soon, watch this space...
Our hotel in Varanasi is more like a compound away from the centre of town. We are more than walking distance out so it has been easier to eat at the restaurant in the hotel The food is yet to disappoint except for the breakfasts. Eggs Benedict and baked beans on toast have not been the greatest. Tomorrow morning shall be Indian for sure! Lunch and dinner over the last 24 hours has been amazing to say the least, cheap also. Last nights meal consisted of Paneer butter masala (butter chicken with cottage cheese instead of chicken), Daal (lentils in tasty sauce), 2 x garlic naan and rice. All of this plus 4 drinks for the equivalent of AU$12. And we were stuffed afterwards to the point that Toot almost had to roll Gordo back to the room. Today's lunch was excellent again. We had Aloo Dum Banarasi (a Varansi special which is potatoes stuffed with paneer and covered in a mild brown Indian sauce).
Enough with the food and now onto Varanasi itself and what it is famous for, The Ganges. This morning we had an early start. This meant meeting the group at 5:30am for a boat road on the Ganges. Even at that time of the morning it is filled with people bathing to wash away their sins, drinking, washing clothes and plenty of tourist on boats. We saw a hazy, smoggy sunrise along the vacant banks to east, and the hustle and bustle of what is Varanasi on the Western bank. Our boat ride took us past locals preparing bodies for cremation. Varanasi is India's holiest Hindu city and where people come to die. The reason being that one of the top 3 gods that Hindu's pray to is based around Varanasi. Bodies are prepared in a special way and this is the same except for 5 types of people.
1. Children under the age of ten (it is considered they have not sinned yet)
2. Holy men
3. Pregnant women (as they are carrying life inside)
4. People with leprosy
5. People bitten by snakes (they are thought to be blessed as Shiva, the god in Varanasi is pictured with a snake)
All people except the above are wrapped in white cotton, tied to bamboo ladders then orange or pink silk is laid on this, they are then bathed in the Ganges, then decorated with perfume and garlands, they are then ready fro cremation. Once cremated the family waits for 13 days then a chosen family member (usually the first born son) then scatters the ashes into the Ganges. The above mentioned people however are weighted down and thrown into the Ganges without cremation.
After all this excitement we took on the labyrinth of the alleys of Varanasi. In this time we saw not one but two dead bodies pass us and Toot stepped in not two but one pile of sacred cow shit, she is unsure whether to clean her shoe or not. On the evening boat ride, which you will hear about in a minute, Gordo tried to outdo Toot and accidentally managed to dunk half her hand in the lovely brown water of the Ganges. Yuck! Needless to say copious amounts of sanitiser was placed on said hand and she shall now be ever known as Ganges Gordo. Watch this space for Gordos third to appear for holy water.
After our morning boat road we returned to the hotel and ate the disaster beans on toast and Gordo had a chocolate pancake, yummo! After breakfast it was time to shower then head to a silk weaving community. We saw manual vs machine weaving and had the opportunity to purchase any silk items we may have required. You will be pleased to know that no purchases were made today!
Once finished at the silk community we returned to the hotel to eat once again. Today was the tasty dish of Aloo Dum Banarasi mentioned above. After lunch it was time for a little rest and a trip down the road to the shop for some drinks and snacks. We then headed back to the banks of the Ganges for an evening boat road to see sunset rituals and more burning of the bodies at the cremation ghat.
That just about sums up our day with no dinner tonight (too full from lunch still).
Cheers for now
Toot and Gordo Xx.
Our hotel in Varanasi is more like a compound away from the centre of town. We are more than walking distance out so it has been easier to eat at the restaurant in the hotel The food is yet to disappoint except for the breakfasts. Eggs Benedict and baked beans on toast have not been the greatest. Tomorrow morning shall be Indian for sure! Lunch and dinner over the last 24 hours has been amazing to say the least, cheap also. Last nights meal consisted of Paneer butter masala (butter chicken with cottage cheese instead of chicken), Daal (lentils in tasty sauce), 2 x garlic naan and rice. All of this plus 4 drinks for the equivalent of AU$12. And we were stuffed afterwards to the point that Toot almost had to roll Gordo back to the room. Today's lunch was excellent again. We had Aloo Dum Banarasi (a Varansi special which is potatoes stuffed with paneer and covered in a mild brown Indian sauce).
Enough with the food and now onto Varanasi itself and what it is famous for, The Ganges. This morning we had an early start. This meant meeting the group at 5:30am for a boat road on the Ganges. Even at that time of the morning it is filled with people bathing to wash away their sins, drinking, washing clothes and plenty of tourist on boats. We saw a hazy, smoggy sunrise along the vacant banks to east, and the hustle and bustle of what is Varanasi on the Western bank. Our boat ride took us past locals preparing bodies for cremation. Varanasi is India's holiest Hindu city and where people come to die. The reason being that one of the top 3 gods that Hindu's pray to is based around Varanasi. Bodies are prepared in a special way and this is the same except for 5 types of people.
1. Children under the age of ten (it is considered they have not sinned yet)
2. Holy men
3. Pregnant women (as they are carrying life inside)
4. People with leprosy
5. People bitten by snakes (they are thought to be blessed as Shiva, the god in Varanasi is pictured with a snake)
All people except the above are wrapped in white cotton, tied to bamboo ladders then orange or pink silk is laid on this, they are then bathed in the Ganges, then decorated with perfume and garlands, they are then ready fro cremation. Once cremated the family waits for 13 days then a chosen family member (usually the first born son) then scatters the ashes into the Ganges. The above mentioned people however are weighted down and thrown into the Ganges without cremation.
After all this excitement we took on the labyrinth of the alleys of Varanasi. In this time we saw not one but two dead bodies pass us and Toot stepped in not two but one pile of sacred cow shit, she is unsure whether to clean her shoe or not. On the evening boat ride, which you will hear about in a minute, Gordo tried to outdo Toot and accidentally managed to dunk half her hand in the lovely brown water of the Ganges. Yuck! Needless to say copious amounts of sanitiser was placed on said hand and she shall now be ever known as Ganges Gordo. Watch this space for Gordos third to appear for holy water.
After our morning boat road we returned to the hotel and ate the disaster beans on toast and Gordo had a chocolate pancake, yummo! After breakfast it was time to shower then head to a silk weaving community. We saw manual vs machine weaving and had the opportunity to purchase any silk items we may have required. You will be pleased to know that no purchases were made today!
Once finished at the silk community we returned to the hotel to eat once again. Today was the tasty dish of Aloo Dum Banarasi mentioned above. After lunch it was time for a little rest and a trip down the road to the shop for some drinks and snacks. We then headed back to the banks of the Ganges for an evening boat road to see sunset rituals and more burning of the bodies at the cremation ghat.
That just about sums up our day with no dinner tonight (too full from lunch still).
Cheers for now
Toot and Gordo Xx.
Well I was dying to know how the trip was going ..........!! Sounds like you are having fun (or maybe a blast with the fireworks!) with no talk of jet lag. Weather here has been near perfect with ideal conditions for tennis!! Managed to win 9-0 today so big smile on my face. Have fun!! Love from Sue
ReplyDeletehave you seen any bot bots???? sounds like you are having fun love Dad, Sue, Jarryd and Emma
ReplyDeleteNope no jet lag here. Well done on the tennis! Yes India is definitely a lot different from home. Makes us appreciate everything we have. We are about to leave Varanasi tonight on another overnight train, which is a shame as it appears they are setting up for a wedding here on the lawns of the hotel.
ReplyDeleteThat's a pity - a wedding would have been great to see. We read some more and decided that Ganges Gordo could get a berth on Liba Liba 23 and a turd any day!!! Sounds like Carrie is making a play to get on the same houseboat by stepping in the sacred turd. Just bring your plungers!!! What is the time difference from where you are to Adelaide? Dad and Sue xox
ReplyDeleteHi My Girls, enjoying the blogs from you, very entertaining, as you have seen Mary my cousin in Florida is enjoying them too. Oma sends her love to her girls and she is glad to hear your both having a great time.
ReplyDeleteLove yous.xxxxx
Mummy Hoppo
Time difference is 5 hours behind adelaide! Just got in Agra from another overnight train ride. Will update the blog again tonight oxo
ReplyDelete