Mysterious sacred river

Dawn on the Ganges River

Perhaps nowhere else do life and death exist so closely together! I walked along the sandstone pavement, the pungent smell of urine rising from the walls mixed with the acrid smell of smoke from the river. Only later did I learn that this was an open-air crematorium. The Dashashwamedh Ghat (ghat in Hindu means steps leading down to the river) is always the busiest place in Varanasi. While Hindu priests meditate in hidden corners, here and there, pilgrim families immerse themselves in prayer in the sacred river. Their reverent prayers are mixed with mournful cries by the crematorium. Right at the water's edge, the wooden pestles of diligent washerwomen rhythmically beat like the beat of time. Each person has their own job, calm and composed to the point of coldness.

Along the path down to the river bank are tents covered with canvas of yoga teachers and fortune tellers. They only wear loincloths, their beards and hair covering their faces, adding to their mysteriousness. My personal experience is that to avoid being held back, you should not look into places where many priests gather. I only approach people sitting alone, asking their permission to take pictures, of course there will be a cost for this cooperation.

Ganga Aart

There are many rituals on this sacred river. I focused my attention on observing and recording a routine but very important ritual. It is the river worship ceremony called Ganga Aarti.

4pm is the time for preparations such as sweeping and spreading carpets, setting up ritual tables along the Dashashwamedh Ghat path. This is a nightly offering ceremony, performed by the priests (pandit), with rituals of offering earth, water, fire, flowers to Mother Ganges... To get a prime position, I had to sit quietly at the corner of the first offering table for 4 hours. The priests were initially visibly annoyed but later they became friendlier. When it got dark, thousands of devotees had packed Dashashwamedh Ghat. They looked exhausted, tired but also very eager and excited.

Offerings

At 7 p.m., when the prayer chants begin, the priests wave their whisks in unison, drawing streaks of light across the dark sky. To the music, prayers, and incantations, they perform the ritual of offering the purest things to the gods, such as incense, flowers, candles, etc.

It can be said that this religious ritual is worth experiencing when setting foot on the banks of the Ganges. For some people, this is a polluted river, but for others, immersing oneself in the Ganges will wash away all sins. They dream of being cremated and scattering the ashes here with the strong belief that the soul will rest forever. I understand why Hindus always dream of going to the holy land of Varanasi once in their life.

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