Varanassi, India
Some call Varanasi the city of the dead.
In India, Varanasi is considered sacred. Hindi people come from far and wide to participate in ceremony, bathe and burn their dead. I am on a small boat that is slowly making its way up the Ganges to take part in a Hindu ceremony. On the river bank beside me they are cremating their dead in a mass Hindi funeral. This is done in open fires for everybody to see. Over 200 bodies are burnt in these fires each day. The flames burn 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The dead are burnt according to their class. Those in the highest class are burnt with the most expensive wood. In the Hindu religion it is believed that if someone is burnt in Varanasi on the ghat (bank) of the Ganges their souls will go directly to swarg (paradise) and be relieved of the torment that is (reincarnation) moksha.
The flames illuminate the darkness, which sends a shiver shooting down my spine. The sounds of chanting and music can be heard in the distance. I am given candles to lay into the Ganges. I am told to make a wish. I place my candles in the river one by one and watch them float elloquently beside the boat, then sail into the distance. I am not sure what to wish for?
Since being in India I have developed a deeper appreciation of how lucky I am. I did not know what to wish for because I already have everything I need.
No comments:
Post a Comment