It was important for me to get a real feel of Varanasi, which is why I decided to embark on a journey around the ghats of the city. I stay quite close to Assi Ghat, which is one of the best places to be. It is situated on the banks of the Ganges, and one can take a boat across the river from here. That is the best way to see and enjoy the view of the ancient ghats of this city. Although I have taken this boat ride many times before, the fun part is that each time, it feels like a brand-new experience for me.
Facing Death: Manikarnika Ghat
I wanted a long ride and paid Rs 1500 to the boatman. He asked me to hop into the boat, which was very basic. Fortunately, we had life jackets for safety, and I made sure to wear one. The boat wobbled a bit when I jumped in, but I soon got my balance and a feel for the boat. I found a safe and quiet spot and settled there. Soon, the boatman started to row, and I felt lightheaded, drawn to the sight of many migratory Siberian birds. They were flying overhead, and their flight path was low enough for me to get some clear pictures of them.
They were all over the river, hundreds of them, white like doves, flying overhead with carefree abandon. These birds fly all the way from Siberia to the temperate climate of Varanasi. I loved taking pictures of them while my friend Tiwari chatted with the boatman.
The ghats looked very neat and clean, as did the water of the Ganges. It was obvious that the town was undergoing a cleaning drive. I could see huge boats cleaning and filtering the water of the Ganges. These boats, like massive motorized vessels, would gulp large volumes of water, purify it, and then expel the trash, leaving behind clean, filtered water. It was clear that the city was preparing for the Maha Kumbh, which will begin in January 2025. I had never seen a machine that could purify river water just by floating on top of it, but this was a novel experience.
The boat gave me a clear view of the ghats, and I got a panoramic view of the Ganges, with hundreds of colorful boats floating around.
After forty minutes, we decided to get off the boat and walk across to the most important ghat of Varanasi—Manikarnika Ghat. Being here felt like staring death in the face. There were four or five funeral pyres burning, and at least half a dozen bodies waiting to be cremated. I managed to climb up to the ghat to see the dead being cremated. It is said that for thousands of years, funeral pyres have been burning here, and this cycle of death has never stopped. This is the holiest cremation ground of the city. Only men can visit this ghat, and the entry of Hindu women is forbidden. There are huge logs of wood piled on top of each other, as wood is always needed for cremation. One can see huge stacks of wood waiting for a new body to arrive. Indeed, being here is like facing death up close and personal. It is a very humbling experience, and I waited for a while just to absorb the atmosphere.
More than 28,000 bodies are cremated at this ghat every year. It is a place where you can sense and feel your mortality, and one can see how fickle life is. Sadashiv Naik, with the help of Peshwa Baji Rao of Maharashtra, paved the ghats in 1730. This ghat is also known as the Mahashmashan, as anyone cremated here is believed to receive moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth).
