“The holy city of India”

“The city of lights”

and

“The oldest living city on earth

…. from my notes :

“It is the city every traveller seems to want to visit. But once we reach this place, we find it confronting. Hard. Busy. Noisy. Different. Full on.

There is so much going on in Varanasi, for all of us. Even for those who lives here.  They say, it is the place where all Gods meet, this is a place where death is taking a huge part in the day of this town. Death is a part of Varanasi and also, its celebration.

What were your thoughts about Varanasi, before you even though to come here ? Were we all expecting something different ? Probably yes, or perhaps we came here with no expectations.  We came to  visit this place for many different reasons, to see the Ganges, watch The Ceremonies, stand by the Burning Ghats, take a dip in the Holy Ganga, taste the famous Bang Lassi or just be here and feel this town’s energy/

It is confronting place, for most of us. But this is a good thing. This experience lets us face the unknown, the things we are avoiding most of the time and are confronted by. Could it be death, grief, spirituality, poverty, our own beliefs….. there are many things.

Varanasi is not for everybody, but it is happy to welcome everybody, with no judgement and harsh expectations. When we come here, we are just the visitors, but we get much more out of this visit, then just a few snapshots and a sunrise boat ride on the Ganges if we care to find it.

As they say, India does not give you what you want, but what you need.

I would love everybody to find their way over here and feel its energy and let it change you….. ”

The post The Holy Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India appeared first on Images of India.

Hindus consider the waters of the Ganges to be both pure and purifying. Moving water, as in a river, is considered purifying in Hindu culture because it is thought to both absorb impurities and take them away.

What the Ganges removes, however, is not necessarily physical dirt, but symbolic dirt; it wipes away the sins of the bather, not just of the present, but of a lifetime.

The Ganges was ranked as the fifth most polluted river of the world in 2007, pollution threatens not only humans, but also more than 140 fish species.

Fancy a dip ?

The post morning bath, The Ganges appeared first on Images of India.