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.
