Taken from Back to the East, India, Nepal, Kashmir
23rd March: VARANASI
A while later when we were up and dressed, Rameshwar said his wife asked did we fuck on the bed!
So back to the airport again, hoping for a flight – third time lucky?
Varanasi was 88 degree Fahrenheit, that’s 31 degree centigrade but it felt even hotter as we left the airport just before noon. We took a taxi into town to our hotel and ended up booking some tours to see temples.
Sanarth, about 6 miles away, was lovely, calm and peaceful. It was said that the actual Buddha came here to preach, in what was now a deer park. It was close to where the river Ganges and the river Varuna meet.
“Sarnath had been variously known as Mrigadava, Migadāya, Rishipattana and Isipatana throughout its long history. Mrigadava means "deer-park". "Isipatana" was the name used in the Pali Canon, collection of scriptures in the Theraveda Buddhist tradition and means the place where holy men landed.
“The legend says that when the Buddha-to-be was born, some devas came down to announce it to 500 rishis. Another explanation for the name was that Isipatana was so-called because, sages, on their way through the air (from the Himalayas), alight here or start from here on their aerial flight.
“Before Gautama (the Buddha-to-be) attained enlightenment, he gave up his austere penances and his friends, the Pañcavaggiya monks. Seven weeks after his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Bodhi Gaya, Buddha left Umvela and travelled to Isipatana to rejoin them because, using his spiritual powers, he had seen that his five former companions would be able to understand Dharma quickly. While travelling to Sarnath, Gautama Buddha had no money to pay the ferryman to cross the Ganges, so he crossed it through the air.
“Ashok, a Buddhist emperor, erected monuments and stupas here.
“Sarnath was once populated by 1500 priests and monks and the main stupa was 328 feet high. A stupa (“stupa” was Sanskrit for heap) was an important form of Buddhist architecture, though it predates Buddhism. It was generally considered to be a place of burial or a receptacle for religious objects. At its simplest, a stupa was a dirt burial mound faced with stone.”
“The Dhamekh Stupa wast about 500 AD, said to be on top of a previous construction. It had geometrical floral patterns.
“In front of the main shine stands the Ashoki Pillar which once stood about 60 feet high and had four faces of lions. It was a museum. There are four creatures: the lion representing bravery, an elephant symbolising Buddha’s mother’s dream, a horse representing Buddha’s journey from home on horseback and a bull.
“The Dhamek Stupa is an impressive structure,128 feet) high and 93 feet in diameter.
“The Chaukhandi Stupa commemorates the spot where the Buddha met his first disciples, dating back to the fifth century or earlier and later enhanced by the addition of an octagonal tower of Islamic origin.”
There was also a Bodhi tree planted by said to have been grown from a cutting of the Bodhi Tree at Bodh Gaya.
Also there was the Maha Bodhi Society Temple containing Japanese frescoes of Buddha’s life.
It was certainly tranquil on the site and we spent some time just sitting in the shade of a tree.
Now we were back in town with its crowded streets of dustiness and noise, and off to see the Durga Temple and the Monkey Temple where monkeys hang out. Durga is the goddess of power and a terrifying form of Shiva’s consort Parvati. “You can look inside but you cannot go in”, we are told. So we took a peep. Outside was a pool of very smelly water where pilgrims wash! Also goats are sacrificed here at festivals. We were told that years ago children were also sacrificed here. Hinduism is not at all like Buddhism. I much prefer Buddhism, devoid of gods and bloody sacrificial rituals.
The new Vishwaneth Temple was however open to visitors. It was a replica of the original temple. Inside was a Shiva lingam. Women wanting pregnancy are supposed to strip and sit astride the lingam several times, praying for a baby. I don’t know if that works but pretty sure they also need a man.
“The Bharat Mata Mandir, or Mother India Temple, was erected by Mahatma Gandi. Anyone can enter and inside was a map of India and the Himalayas, Bay of Bengal and Shri Lnka (also known as Ceylon). You can go down some steps and view it from there.”
To be honest, we were both getting fed up being led around by guides or government spies or whatever they are, even though it helps to have somebody explain things to us. Today we were thankful that the guide just said goodbye, but often we ended up drinking chai or lemonade in shop. The shop staff were very good at getting sales when we had no intention or buying anything to start with. They were very polite and jolly, taking time to carefully show each piece as if it were a treasure, then asking which we like best. Then the inevitable bartering. One had to be careful not to buy stuff that we would not have room in our luggage to take home. But the quality of the goods was also excellent and prices cheap.
On the way back to the hotel we spotted several Naga (naked Sadhu) strolling down the street.
Meanwhile, even being clothed, we were both suffering from mosquito bites. Lesley reacted badly to them and was scratching.
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