The Great Gangetic Plain & The "Kumbh Mela"

 "Kumbh Mela" and the Great Gangetic Plain

 The "Kumbh Mela" that was held this year could not extend on for the full time duration because of a global pandemic. This unusual turn of event triggered me to write this travelogue. It is about my trip to the great Gangetic plain and the "Kumbh Mela" in January 2019 .The Ganga is one of the largest rivers of the world. Since water is a life giver people have flocked here to the Gangetic plains over centuries. So I suppose it is quite natural that the pot ("Kumbh") of nectar  should be found here in these waters. The background story  describes how, God Vishnu was carrying the pot of " amrit" (nectar) and the nectar spilt over in four places. Prayagraj was one of those four places. Consequently the "Kumbh Mela" (which is literally the gathering of huge mass of people trying to take a dip in the river Ganga and  ingesting a bit of that nectar), is held here. This region  of the Gangetic plain was populated since 1000BC or may be even earlier.  There were small kingdoms and large empires , that developed over centuries and therefore  a culture and way of life thrived here. Then there were conquests and  settlement of people from neighbouring areas of the globe, who brought in their  way of life.  This Gangetic Plain has grown into a unique culture of its own and this is what I aspired to see. ---A small portion of the huge fertile Ganga plain in a short span of time.  I travelled through Lucknow, Prayagraj and Varanasi.

     My first place of visit was Lucknow  and it was for the wedding of a dear one. I flew in to Lucknow from Mumbai and stayed at a cosy  three story building  nestled in a leafy quiet area of Lucknow. It was a homely "bed and breakfast" type of a place run by a friendly family. We were preparing for the wedding day and other related functions and also going around the city during breaks in the wedding preparations. The famous tourist spot here is the Bada Imambara and Chota Imambada. This architecture of the Mughals is well preserved for tourism. The point of approach to the  Bada Imambada is the Rumi Darwaza . The Rumi Darwaza is a beautiful arched gateway, built across a wide street. Vehicles pass under this archway. It is basically a busy street leading to the gates of the Bada Imambada. The Bada Imambada has the characteristic Mughal style, with small and large arches, minarets and gardens. This region in the centre of the great Gangetic plain was known as Awadh and Lucknow was its capital. The piece of fertile land containing the two rivers Ganga and Yamuna (also known as Ganga Yamuna Doab) was a prosperous area , ruled by the Nawab of Awadh towards the end of the Mughal era. 'Imambada' literally means a congregation hall. The high point of this place is the huge longish hall that appears to have no support structure like pillars or beams.  It has been built in such a way that the support comes from the elaborate and complex built up area surrounding the great hall. Perhaps somewhat like a honeycomb structure. This is the basis of the labyrinth or the " Bhulbhulia", that is advertised in all tourist brochures. One can walk through the labyrinth guided by a guide. Without a guide one could get lost here in these dark "alleyways" of the maze. The labyrinth has two openings. One opening is the entrance and the other opens on to a huge terrace. The view from here is  gorgeous and un-obstructed  for miles.  The garden below can be seen in totality. The breeze is reviving and the numerous arches form a nice border for the terrace. Another interesting place within these premises is the "Bouli" or the step well. We walked down to the step well. It was a big place, dark in many sections but distinctly cooler than the  garden outside.  The "Bouli" is a three story built up area below the ground level and is almost a "maze" too. So we did take help of a guide to explore this space. This "Imambada" also houses the tomb of  Asaf-ul-Daula, the Nawab of Awadh in the 18th century. It is said that he ordered the construction of the "Imambada" to generate employment for the famine stricken people of Awadh and it took a decade to build the place. Next we took an auto-rickshaw and went to the "Chota Imambada". As the name suggests (chota= small) this is on a much smaller scale than the "Bada Imambada"(Bada=Big). This too has the same architectural style , with domes, turrets and minarets, gardens , chandeliers and calligraphy on the walls and roofs. This was built by another Nawab of Awadh--Muhammed Ali Shah.

"RUMI  DARWAZA"

"BADA  IMAMBADA" built by Nawab of Awadh--Asaf-ul-Daula.

1.Entrance to the great hall of Bada Imambada.2. View of the hall from near the roof of the hall.

ASIFI  MOSQUE within the premises of the "Bada Imambada".

Arches, that form the border of the terrace of the Bada Imambada.

View from the terrace of the "Imambada".

"BOULI" or Step well.

"Chota- Imambada" built by Nawab of Awadh- Muhammad Ali Shah;

Calligraphy and decorations on the "Chota Imambada"

Inside the "Chota Imambada" premises.

The Awadh region flourished and grew. The "sound, sights and feel" of this era was brought out beautifully in the film "Shratranj Ke Khiladi" by the famous film director Satyajeet Ray. The film is based on the story written by well known author Munshi Premchand. The Nawabs of Awadh encouraged literature and the arts. Some of the Nawabs wrote poetry themselves.   All this came to an end with The British annexing this part of India. The cuisine continued to flourish  and as a result today we can taste this in the variety of available eateries along any street in Lucknow. The food here is very good with a large variety. This variety happened over centuries particularly because this is a fertile land .The Awadh region  flourished culturally as well as culinarily.  Although I cannot go back in time to enjoy the great ambience of the bygone era, I can enjoy the variety of dishes and delicacies now. These have been perfected over the years. The" Kebab" variety is just astonishing and the "Chaat" variety is simply too diverse and tasty to enjoy in a day. Every street has many small outlets dishing out this variety.  We of course had  in addition to the "Street Food", the wedding functions too, to enjoy the culinary delights . In between the wedding functions I could squeeze in a trip to a shopping area that is well known for "Lucknowi Chikan" ( a type of embroidery) work. Though this kind of embroidery done on apparel, is widely available all over India and also found in all shopping malls of Lucknow,  I wished to purchase from a particular area of Lucknow. The Hazratganj Janpath Market  has many shops,  with a huge stock of "Lucknowi Chikan" work, garments. I browsed and shopped to my hearts content for three hours before returning to my place of stay. 

My next place of visit in Lucknow was the "Mayawati Park" or formally known as the  "Ambedkar Memorial Park" (Exactly, " Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Prateek Sthal"). It is  close to a posh area of Lucknow called Gomati Nagar. The local name for the park is "Mayawati Park" because Ms. Mayawati got this place built during her tenure as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. It appeared to me as a vast granite park with lots of statues of elephants. It is a sprawling place with an approximate area of 108 acres. There are elephants every where---not real ones but elephants carved out of stone. There are elephants on the ground , elephants on pillars and elephant galleries. On the far end is a concrete structure (inspired by the Buddhist stupa style) that houses a statue of Baba Saheb Ambedkar (one of the architects of the Indian Constitution) sitting in a "Abraham  Lincoln" like pose on a chair (inspired by Abraham Lincoln statue at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington) . On another end of the park is another structure or housing that has the statues of Ms.Mayawati installed. It did seem a bit strange to me  because Ms.Mayawati is still alive and to have ones statue installed during ones life time is pretty quirky. Though wide and large spaces are beautiful, this polished granite and sandstone park  could have done with a few plants and trees. I wonder why the architect envisioned the "desert look". After all this is the fertile Gangetic plain and not  a desert. We roamed around till sun set. Sitting on the granite steps we did enjoy the beautiful pink hued sky and the gentle breeze. I just wondered how this plain polished piece of land could be utilized. May be it could be used  as a roller skating rink. I returned home with mixed feelings. Was it a great tourist spot?  I suppose  I was glad that I got a glimpse of the old and new architecture of Lucknow.

"Mayawati Park" in Lucknow. All pillars have carved elephant heads.

Stupa styled structure at one end of the Park.

Structure at one end of Park,
housing a statue of Dr. Ambedkar(Baba Saheb Ambedkar-
the writer of the Indian Constitution)

Four statues of Ms.Mayawati facing 
four directions. 

Standing statue of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar.
A social reformer and former Minister of Law 
and Justice.

I said goodbye to my friends, who dispersed after the wedding. I moved on to Prayagraj. I took the road route to Prayagraj (formerly known as Allahabad). The bus journey took about six hours.  Then I asked for  directions from the local people, in order to find my place of stay. The Harish Chandra Research Institute (my place of stay for the next three days)  is located slightly away from the main hub of Prayagraj. It is in the town of Jhunsi. A lovely place, right on the banks of the Ganga . The atmosphere here is perfect for study and research, with beautifully manicured gardens and trees. The buildings are carefully nestled amongst trees. The most attractive part about this place is of course the remarkable view of the river that can be seen and enjoyed along the rear fence of the Institute. This place is not exactly for the general public. I was privileged to have a comfortable stay there. Early morning and evening walks around the Institute  was really rejuvenating. I walked along the rear fence keeping the river in sight. At one point along this path is a large tree with a cemented sitting area around it. This is the Kalidasa Point. I spend a lot of time here and could well imagine how the great ancient scholar Kalidasa would have been inspired to write, with this great view in front of him. Actually from here I could spot the tent tops , floating bridges, barricades and long poles with coloured flags, in the distance on the river bed. These were the "Kumbh Mela" related temporary structures. It was so close to the Institute. I felt like going there instantly. There was a gap in the fence and I had a strong desire to wriggle through the gap, negotiate the gravel, rubbish and dirt and be there inside the river bed. Good sense prevailed over me and I finally walked out of the Institute gates, hailed an auto-rickshaw and reached the "Kumbh Mela" site. It was a very short ride. My first day at the "Kumbh Mela " (more specifically "Ardha Kumbh Mela") was in the twilight.

The Ganga as seen from the permanent "Shashtri Bridge".
The two other "river crossings" are floating bridges.

Tents erected for the "Kumbh Mela" can be seen at a distance.

The "Mela" area at twilight.

"Shashtri Bridge" lit up with bright lights at a distance.
The birds frolicking in the Ganga waters, as darkness engulfs Prayagraj.

View of the bridge at twilight.

The arrangements for the "Kumbh Mela" was spread out in the dry sandy area (river bed), between the Ganga and the Yamuna. It is the patch of sandy area just before the meeting point of the two rivers at Triveni Sangam. Triveni Sangam is the holiest spot , where one should take a dip in the water , though taking a dip in the  the rest of the river is auspicious too. The State ( Uttar Pradesh) authorities are well versed in managing such huge events. The authorities are used to managing the annual "Magh Mela" and they have been managing the periodic "Kumbha Mela" too over decades. The " Kumbha Mela" ( or "Ardha Kumbha Mela") is held after a period of 12 years ( or 6 years) and is linked to the revolution of "Brihaspati" (Jupiter) around the sun. 

    The area was well lit during the night. I roamed around this place during the daylight hours too. There were sand bags in place to prevent flooding in unwanted places. Bamboo and sturdy plastic barricades were installed for ease of crowd flow. Different areas of the river were demarked with  plastic floats . The waterfront and the embankment areas were neatly separated , so that people could bathe or take a dip in the holy water in an orderly and comfortable fashion. There were speed boats too that patrolled the busy "Sangam" region. 

     The railway station was cleaned and organized to help regulate the multitude that was travelling by train. The area around the railway station had points where "first aid" was available, points where drinking water was available and points where the police was stationed. In short, it looked pretty well organized and no major mishap was heard of during the two month long festivities of the "Kumbh Mela". The day I spent the full daylight hours at the riverbed , the crowd was relatively less because it wasn't one of the holiest of holy days when taking a dip in the river is considered absolutely spiritually satisfying. Yet there were many people splashing about in the river. There were one or two shacks where the bathing public could change their clothes. Most of the people were happily removing their clothes, jumping into the water and then drying up and putting on a dry set of clothes , all in public view. Some were surrounded by their loved ones or relatives so that their bare bodies were not fully visible. Actually no one was looking at the other. Each one was busy getting along with their own business of bathing, praying, contemplating and completing their rituals. I found it quite difficult to take a dip in the river at that moment. First of all I did not have a change of clothes and I did not have relatives or friends with me to shield me from public gaze. I preferred to sit on the sand in the sunshine and enjoy all the activity around me. I did step into the river and smear my face with the holy water . Then I trudged along the sandy river bed towards the boat mooring area. There was a big crowd there waiting to take a ride up to Triveni Sangam. I  took a boat ride too. It was a large row boat with around thirty odd people in it. The boat glided gently down the stream towards Triveni Sangam. The large flock of sea gulls were a beautiful sight. They fluttered on the water surface, dived into the water, balanced gracefully on the gentle waves created by the boats and generally flew about creating a wonderful picture. These birds are the Siberian migratory birds. The boat reached the holy spot in a short while and every body got busy taking a dip in the water or bathing or doing a quick "puja"(ritual prayer). There were a large number of boats here all clustered together. There was some makeshift platform arrangements, to assist the people gain a foot hold on the floats and take a bath at this very holy confluence of the Ganga ,Yamuna and mythical Saraswati.  While everyone else went about their business I continued to sit in the same position on the boat. I did stretch out my legs because now there was more leg room. The boat man was surprised to know that I did not intend to take a dip. So while I waited for all to get back on to the boat , I peeped over the edge of the boat. There were a few smaller boats with teenage boys selling jerrycans. They were making a quick buck selling their ware to the public who were buying them in plenty. They  were going to carry the water from the Ganga (Sangam) in these jerrycans back to their homes to different parts of India. I asked those teenage boys to sprinkle the holy water on me and they did so with a lot of gusto and mirth. After about an hour or so I returned back to the banks of the river to the boat mooring  area.

Sand bags at the water edge to help people take a dip in the holy water of the Ganga.

Row Boats at the mooring area

Siberian Migratory Birds adding to the picturesque scene of the Ganga.

"Seagulls"(Siberian Birds) sitting in a line on the floating barricades/ markers. The tents and temporary shacks on the opposite side .

    The next day again I was at the "Kumbha Mela " venue to see and enjoy everything.  I wonder what people achieve by coming here. Faith does a lot to humans. There definitely must be something here at these gatherings of humans on the river bank. I do not know if I achieved the elusive something, but it was definitely a good experience to be here. I did enjoy the mundane stuff that is easily understood. I trudged on the sandy area looking at the small time vendors. There were utensil sellers, balloon sellers, bead jewellery sellers, fruit vendors, pickle sellers, dry snacks sellers and more. Some had smalls carts , some sellers had spread out their ware on the sand, some had large baskets that they carried on their shoulders or backs and the tea sellers moved around with a big kettle and disposable cups. I also found a man selling the famous "Sanjeevani Plant". I was curious. This is the leaf  & root paste("Sanjeevani Booti") that saved Lakshman's life (Ram's brother from "Ramayana") at the battlefront. The epic "Ramayana" tells the story of "Hanuman"(Ram's devoted follower) who uprooted and carried a complete hill to the battlefront, because he could not identify the "Sanjeevani plant" that grew on the Himalayan slopes. I purchased a bunch of this "Sanjeevani Plant" for twenty rupees. The man told me that it was easy to grow anywhere. I was prepared to get duped for just twenty rupees.  I took it back home with me. ( The plant did survive my week long journey.  It did not grow  later. It withered away slowly in spite of regular watering). 

Entrance to a series of "pandals" in a well 
lit area of the "Kumbh Mela"

       In another section of this vast space, there were  quite a few fancy "pandals"(temporary sheds made of bamboo poles) and "shamiyanas" (ceremonial tents) set up. Some of them belonged to the different "Akharas". "Akhara" roughly means a league of "Sadhus"/Monks or people who follow a sect of Hinduism. In some "pandals", "bhajans" (devotional songs) were being sung and in some, food was being distributed to the needy and in some "shamiyanas" religious sermons and discussions were going on. The "Sadhus" were in different hued orange robes and turbans. These "pandals /shamiyanas" were decorated with elaborately patterned coloured lights at night , and there was a lot of activity inside till the wee hours of the morning.  Some "pandals" housed the  Naga sadhus and they are a big attraction at all "Khumbh Melas". The Naga sadhus wear no clothes and are completely covered in ash and most of them have long locks of matted hair. Their long hair locks  either flow down their shoulders and back or are tied in a topknot. The Naga Sadhus are Shaivites or followers of Shiva. They live in the Himalayas and come down to the plains during "Kumbha Melas".

       Towards the later half of the day I took another boat ride and crossed the Yamuna to reach  Allahabad Fort.  There was a long serpentine que here for entry into the fort . After a long wait I could enter the fort premises. A large part the fort was out of bounds because renovations were taking place. I was able to explore a few parts of the fort high wall area and a few interesting nooks and corners.  The upkeep of the fort is the responsibility of the Archaeological Survey of India. The fort was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in the 16th century and later in the 18th century the British East India Company garrisoned it . The main attraction  in the fort I found was the "Patalpuri Mandir". Hoards of people were beelined to walk through the underground  temple of many Gods.  I followed the crowd to this area below the surface. This underground area (hence the name "Patalpuri") of the fort  is more like a maze and full of deities in  different forms and textures.  There is one entry and one cannot exit half way through , because there is only one exit point. It is a holy shrine with the deities placed along the walk path and also in small caverns and enclaves. There are statues and forms that depict "Lord Ram, Lakshman, Sita, Hanuman, Shiva, Bhairav, Saraswati, Durga" and many more mythological characters.  Another "holy" attraction within the premises is a very old tree --" Akshaya Vat". I spent about four hours here inside the fort. By evening I was dead tired. I returned to the Harish Chandra Research  Institute, enjoyed a quiet dinner and went to bed early. My tour of Prayagraj ended and the next day I travelled by a luxury bus to Varanasi, the famed city that has been growing and growing for centuries on the banks of the Ganga.

The "Kumbha Mela" venue--Sandy area between the Ganga & Yamuna rivers. Small time vendors are spread out selling their ware.

Boat mooring area on the Yamuna river.

Patrol Boats  keeping an eye on the  functioning of traffic in the river.

Rowing towards Allahabad Fort.

Allahabad Fort as seen from the boat.

  The journey to Varanasi took about four hours. The bus dropped me at one of the bus depot of Varanasi. I had to pee and was desperate to find a toilet. An auto rickshaw driver was kind enough to take me to a somewhat clean toilet. I finished my business and hired the auto-rickshaw for further drive into the city. It turned out that the driver was a guide too. He guided me to a clean , spacious and reasonably priced hotel where I stayed for the next three days. I toured the city in this auto-rickshaw for the next three days and the driver was my guide during these three days. By the time I had washed and bathed  and settled in my room it was evening. So I decided to just sit around in the balcony and have tea , biscuits and snacks. 

      The next day I was ready to tour the city. I could see the driver with his auto-rickshaw waiting below the balcony in the portico. The first place of visit was the cottage industrial area of the famous "Banarasi weaves". The auto-rickshaw driver knew this area very well. Once the auto-rickshaw was safely parked, we walked through gullies, by-lanes, and open spaces between dilapidated buildings . I skipped over open drains and other rubbish strewn around. All this acrobatics, to witness the process of making "Banarasi weaves". "Banarasi silks" are one of the finest in India. "Banarasi Saris" are famous. They are made with gold and silver brocade on silk and the opulent embroidery  is inspired by the culture here. Varanasi was formerly known as Banaras . Therefore the textiles from this region are called "Banarasi". I saw the weavers working at their looms  in dark corners of their homes probably. I saw the stacks of yarn and the dyeing process in large vats containing liquid dye. The near bye open drains were full of waste coloured water. There were artisans making elaborate patterns on special paper, so that the weavers can interpret the designs and transfer them to the weaves. I just marveled at the way the artisans produced such beautiful textile , while living and operating in such dismal conditions. 

Silk threads for "Banarasi" sari.

The weaver and his loom.

At the end of this tour I entered a retail outlet that had a variety of products made of the "Banarasi" textile. I spent some time here looking through a variety of sarees, cushion covers, bed covers, shawls, scarves, tablecloths and a lot more products. Needless to say that I wanted to buy all, but restrained myself because I would not be able to carry all this with me. After this tour, I had a quick lunch and headed for the river. The auto-rickshaw had to negotiate the crowded city before reaching the river front. A boatman agreed to give me a ride (for a sum of 350 Rupees) up the river and then take me to the "Dashashwamedh Ghat" , in time for the "Aarati". The boat ride took me along the "ghats"(embankment) of Varanasi, along the west bank of the Ganga. There are a line of "ghats" along this bank of the river while the east bank does not have as much paved or constructed areas. I could see the off white sand across the wide river on the other bank. The view from the boat was beautiful and I could get a sense of the wide expanse of this river. The sand bar on the other side looked like a pale yellow strip disappearing into the horizon. The boatman talked continuously and I listened. He complained about the new  eco-friendly, small cruise boat, that most tourists preferred to take a ride on. The cruise boat has solar panels and the engines work on clean electricity. This effects his lively-hood because very few people are interested in a slow moving row boat. Though this mode is eco-friendly too. He cursed the  present government but continued to row thankfully. He pointed to the well known "Manikarnika Ghat" and "Harishchandra Ghat" where there is a continuous burning pyre. The pyres burn all day and night as the corpses flow in continuously. Those who are lucky enough to be cremated at the Ganga banks , are believed to achieve "Moksha"( freedom from the eternal cycle of birth and death). These two "ghats " looked small. Much smaller than what I had imagined. The sand here was black with ash, in contrast to the off white sands of the east bank. It was getting dark. The sun had set. The boatman stopped rowing and told me that I could perform my "puja"(ritual prayer) here for the well being of my family. So I lit a small oil lamp and placed it in the flower filled bowl made of leaves.  I placed my offering (that I had purchased on shore) on the water surface and gently pushed it along the river. I watched as the tiny lamp floated away and said my prayers in my mind. Then the boatman rowed to Dashashwemedh Ghat and docked his boat . A large crowd had gathered on shore as well as on other docked boats, to witness the "Aarati"(ritual of moving lamps in prayer , performed for the Goddess Ganga). It was about an hour long "puja" and a mesmerizing event. The set of priests("pujaris"---seven of them) who perform this elaborate "aarati" have to wield big and heavy, layered brass lamps, with layers of burning wick soaked in ghee. They stand on  elevated pedestals and face the Ganga river and perform this one hour act devoted to the Ganga. This "Aarati" is performed every evening. The huge gathering of spectators / devotees watch in total awe. I had to witness this again and did come back the next day.

The light yellow sand bank visible afar, on the east bank of the Ganga

The west bank "ghat"

Harishchandra Ghat where the pyres burn 24x7.

View of Varanasi Ghats (west bank)  from the river at twilight

The burning pyres of Manikarnika Ghat after sundown.

Devotees watching the "Aarati" at Dashashwamedh Ghat

The mesmerizing "aarati" performed by "pujaris" at the Dashwamedh Ghat

The next day I visited the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple. I reached there at about 11am. The city was crowded and the traffic was slow moving. The temple is located in Vishwanath Galli and the main deity is Shree Vishwanath (That is Lord Shiva). Since Varanasi was known as "Kashi" in ancient times, this temple is popularly called "Kashi Vishwanath Mandir". The narrow lanes and by-lanes leading up to the temple were crowded .These lanes will definitely not be more than seven feet in width. There was a constant flow of people moving up and down the lanes, going about their daily business. I was in one of these famous/infamous lanes ("gallis") , waiting for a priest cum guide to take me inside the temple. A price for this job was negotiated by the auto-rickshaw driver cum my city tour guide. The entry to the temple is for all and it is free of any charge, but one has to wait patiently in a long que. The serpentine que elongates into the narrow lanes. There  are flower sellers, sweet shops, incense sellers, loin cloth ("dhoti") shops, "gamcha" (towel) shops and lots more. All that a devotee needs for his prayers and rituals, is available here. The shops are tucked away between the tightly packed buildings that line both sides of the narrow lane. The buildings belong to householders and families and people who have lived here for generations and who will continue to live here . They do not find it odd  or difficult to live in such congested conditions. The present day government is working on a project called the "Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor Project", that will decongest the area , revamp it and create a grand pathway from the temple to the water front. The owners of the real estate and land surrounding the temple have been handsomely compensated and coaxed to move away and live elsewhere. In fact while I was there one of the entry gates and portions of the wall of the temple was being demolished. This led to increased crowd in the "gullies" leading up to the other three gates. I was just pondering over these thoughts when the priest cum guide interrupted my reverie and led me through the crowded narrow lane. I had to squeeze by a  standing cow,  avoid a rash cyclist in a rush, and the long que of waiting , patient people.  The priest knew the place well enough and helped me to bypass the long que and enter the temple. I carried with me the offering (for Lord Vishwanath) of flowers, incense sticks , "sindoor" (vermillon), honey and a tiny pot of milk for the rituals. As expected  a big crowd was surrounding the main deity ( The Shiv Ling) . Everyone was jostling with each other to get a glimpse of  Lord Shiva, touch him and pray. I managed to get a peek at Lord Shiva (in the form of "Shiv-Linga"). I placed my offering there and move away with "prasad"( holy blessed gift from the Gods--a mix of flowers and sweets) in my hands. All this was achieved with the help of the priest. He, then took me to the less crowded parts of the temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Lord of the Universe, and all powerful. There were many "Shiv-Lingas", the abstract representation of  Lord Shiva, within the temple premises. Most of them were covered with flowers and leaves and were wet with milk and honey.  Some of them, were in use with ongoing rituals. I spotted one  "Lingam"  that was cleared off the flowers, leaves, milk and sweets. It was a silver plated "Lingam" with carvings on it. I was drawn to the designs carved on it. Wish I could have photographed it(my mobile and other belongings were deposited with the auto-rickshaw driver before I entered the temple)! The yoni ("the source/origin" and the lower , longish part of the "Shiv-Linga") had delicately carved fish like creature. It could even be an eel. It distinctly had a wide head and a long tapering tail. Could it be the sperm? After all Lord Shiva is represented by the "Lingam" and is revered as an emblem of generative power. Lord Shiva the mysterious and powerful, who has the power of procreation and who is the originator of life and humanity! So did the ancient civilization of this  subcontinent have the ability to "see" the microscopic sperm? This kept me thinking, while the priest took me around the temple and rattled off legend after legend. The temple was destroyed several times by invaders from the north and west of the Gangetic plain. Each time it was rebuilt and restored. It was destroyed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb for the last time. The "pujari" pointed out to me the neighbouring mosque that was built on the destroyed part of the original temple. The present temple structure was built by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore . Legend has it that the when the temple was being destroyed by the marauders, they broke off a large "Lingam" and dropped it in a well ( the well still exists inside the temple). The "Lingam" flowed down some subterranean water ways and appeared on the banks of the river Narmada in the present state of Madhya Pradesh. The" Lingam" was brought back and placed here and the temple in its present form is in existence since the 18th century. 

   It was almost evening by now. I walked out of the temple gate and slowly made my way to Dashashwamedh Ghat for the "Aarati". I waited on the "ghat" steps for sundown. The place was slowly beginning to get crowded. People were choosing the best spot to sit in for the "aarati". I also walked around to look for the best spot from where I would get the best view of the spectacular "aarati". Then I found that the best view would be from the docked boats. The larger boats had plastic chairs arranged in them. Some urchins were making a quick buck by guiding the tourists/devotees to the best positioned chair and putting a price tag to the chair. As the chairs started getting occupied the price started reducing. I got a good comfortable chair and a nice position of view and also some friendly and talkative devotees around me. The "aarati " commenced and the sound of  blowing conch shells , ringing bells and sonorous chants filled the air and I remained glued to my seat  almost hypnotized and enjoying every moment of the next hour.

Policing the "ghats" under the guidance of Lord Krishna. Arjun in his chariot with Krishna as the

charioteer ("Parthasarathy"), perched up on top of the police station!

The "Aarati" being performed at Dasheshwamedh Ghat by the priests.

 I returned to the hotel by 8.30 pm. I was up early next morning and prepared  to visit  Sarnath. I could not have left the Gangetic plains without visiting Sarnath. Sarnath is a holy place, because Buddha tread this region and his first sermons were given there. As an ardent admired of Buddha's teachings, believer of "Dharma" and the philosophy of "middle path", I had to visit Sarnath. It is about 10 kilometers from the city centre of Varanasi and the auto rickshaw ride took about 45 minutes. The road was wide, smooth and relatively a new one. I was surprised to see how tourist friendly the place is. The approach road is good, the surroundings are clean and small eateries were there. A wide range of tour guides were available. Some of them could speak in French , Spanish and Japanese in addition to English. Tourists and followers of Buddhism, from all over the world visit this place. There are souvenir shops selling statues of Buddha, Ashoka Pillars, Banarasi textile products ,trinkets and inspirational books based on the teachings of Buddha. 

Angarika Dharmapala--
Founder of
The Mahabodhi Society

Front view of
 Mulagandha Kuti Vihar Monastery

     

       

An interesting request to temple visitors----"Please avoid photography turning backside
to the Buddha statue"

I headed for the  Mulagandha Kuti Vihar Monastry, which is almost at the centre of Sarnath. It is a nice looking building with well kept surroundings. It was built by donations from the international Buddhist community. The driving force behind this was Agarika Dharmapala, who is the founder of the Mahabodhi Society. Just next to this place is the Ishipathana Deer Park,  where it is said that Buddha gave his first sermon. Buddha imparted his first teachings to five disciples,  after attaining enlightenment. He taught under the "Bodhi" tree ( the tree of awakening). Here a very big "Bodhi" tree is enshrined with statues of Buddha and his five disciples, in a seated position. The " Bodhi" tree is popularly known as the "Peeple" tree ( type of fig tree). This tree is considered sacred all over the Indian subcontinent.  I walked around the paved area, bare foot, as did all other visitors (as a mark of respect and reverence). This area is maintained very well by the Mahabodhi Society. The surroundings have lots of other trees too. It is a serene and quiet place in spite of the flow of visitors. The paved pathway is lined by the Tibetan styled prayer wheels. A longish oval structure here , has a series of granite plaques  cemented on to it. Each of these plaques have the inscriptions of "Dhammachakkapavattana Sutta" (text of the first sermon given by Gautam Buddha). Along with plaques  containing inscriptions in Hindi, Bangla and English , there were several other plaques with inscriptions in many other languages (from around the world) too. All the plaques with the detailed inscriptions have been donated from countries (or individuals around the world) like Nepal, China, Japan, Mongolia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. All these countries have a large Buddhist following. In fact some of these countries have also installed temples around this area of Sarnath. The Japanese temple (in a pagoda style of construction) is in a small compound that has a well manicured cute garden. The garden has a bonsai "Bodhi" tree, complete with a granite Buddha statue in a meditating pose. The Chinese temple dedicated to Buddha, displays the travels of Huen Sang, who came here to learn the teachings of Buddha from China. The Thai temple is  built in a very big compound and is designed in the typical Thai style. The temple  is surrounded by a vast park area that has ponds and fountains and a larger than life sized statue of a standing Buddha. 

Buddha and his disciples under the "Bodhi" tree at Ishipatana Deer Park Complex

     

Thai Buddhist Temple--SARNATH

Standing Buddha inside the
Thai Buddhist Temple compound

 

Inside The Chinese Buddhist Temple---SARNATH

Japanese temple dedicated to Buddha at SARNATH

Sleeping Buddha inside the Japanese Buddhist Temple

The Bonsai "Bodhi" Tree in the Japanese Temple compound

Another interesting place to see here at Sarnath is the "archaeological excavation site" , that is maintained and preserved beautifully by the Archaeological Survey of India. It is a vast area which has  excavated objects all over the place. Pathways criss-cross the whole area so that visitors can move around and look at the excavated objects. It is more like an open museum in a garden. This region of Sarnath has been excavated from the early 19th century. It has been found that this place has Jainism related structures as well as Buddhism related structures. The excavations have unearthed a number of stupas, temples , monasteries, inscriptions, sculptures and other antiquities. These objects range from the 3rd century BC to the 12th century AD. Noteworthy amongst the excavations in this region are Dhameka Stupa, Ashoka Pillar and Dharma Chakra Jina Vihar. The Dhameka Stupa is an unusually shaped stupa (somewhat cylindrical)  that dominates the skyline of Sarnath. Dharma Chakra Jina Vihar is a place thought to be donated (inscription found on a stone slab) by queen Kumar Devi of Kannauj from the 12th century.  In short this place is definitely a place worth visiting , whether one is interested in archaeology , a follower of Jainism , Bhddha's devotee, or a plain tourist.

Dhameka Stupa

Devotee, prostrating at the base
of Dhameka Stupa

      

The next day I returned to Mumbai. The auto-rickshaw driver who was constantly with me during the last three days, dropped me at the airport. The road to the airport is the same one that I had taken the previous day to visit Sarnath. I think I would like to travel down this road again to Sarnath whenever I get a chance. As I was flying back to Mumbai I had a satisfied and contented feeling, partly because this trip turned out to be a sort of pilgrimage.

Garden and excavation site maintained by Archaeological Survey of India.

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