Benaras ,,-e-brahmand

Around the world in 80 days and around the Benaras in eight days. 

bनारस में राउर स्वागत बा!

Welcome Gargi to Banaras, I said to myself as I got down from the flight.

I bowed down to touch the dust of Kashi, The city of Shiva,Kashi evokes a sense of timelessness and spiritual depth, reflecting the city's enduring significance of Indian culture and tradition.

As I walked out of the airport, I was looking for my name banner  getting that feeling of a celebrity.The cabdriver instead choose to call  and spot me. I also chose to deduct ₹50 from the fair for not giving me that celebrity-like feeling.But then I let it go ...with name ... without name ...celebrities remain..!!! 

Though this was my second visit to Banaras but......Less is always more and more is always less. I wanted to know more about the city and I started talking to the cab driver.And there he sowed the seeds of Prayagraj.

मेरे मन की गंगा और तेरे मन की जामना का बोल राधा बोल...संगम होगा के नई.

The Sunaina Homes.

A good host is somebody who makes you feel like you're at home even when you're not, and that's what I always feel at my all time favorite place to stay in Benaras ...I went like a guest and departed like a family.

The local Gedi route.

Vasco de Gama discovered the Silk Route and I was after some time discovering the streets of Banaras.Umm, starting from Kerela cafe ....The Benaras HIndu  University, wow, it is just vast. And the greenery. And it was a pleasure to see people taking the evening walk.

The next morning I chose to give myself the experience of The Subah-e- Banaras,at the Assi Ghat ....The Ganga Aarti, classical music and the yoga...the joyful gift of early morning.

But I wish people had enjoyed the aarti more than just focusing on making reels. Anyways, I don't know if anyone chose  me as the subject... which seems unlikely .

In the daytime, I was absorbing the energy of the ghats ...Tulsi ghat has my soul.

The Ganga art in the evening is  fascinating.

With the Rudri....The way the priest recited mantras for two hours was quite impressive though I felt that sometimes the speed of the mantra was like Vande Bharat and sometimes like Jan Shatabdi.

The Prayagraj 

The next morning .....was my road trip to sangam.It was so beautiful early in the morning, calm. I spotted so many Kavar s. On the way.Prayagraj is the confluence of Three Rivers considered sacred in Hinduism, making Prayagraj a major pilgrimage site. The famous Kumbela and the prestigious Allahabad University is one of the oldest university in India.I was intrigued about  seeing the.High Court, but somehow couldn't get a chance.I was welcomed by a band of the local fishermen who wanted to offer a ride in their boats..And the rates.....they start with the price of an air ticket and come down to Chandigarh to Delhi Shatabdi.....you need to be good at negotiating. I was sad to know how the.Contractor, bullies the.Local people for some money.It seemed like a mafia to me.

 The sight of a man with long locks ,dust  immersed on his body and forehead. Neck ladden with  over flowing rudraksh beads was fascinating. Imitation is the sweetest form of flattery. The man asked me to buy him a plate of idly.I did. He asked for another one ..I did.

Now he asked for rupees 500 My compassion got confused. I was kind enough to ask for idly plate back.  He smiled and gave me one of the beads of Rudraksha.Now no exchange of money. But now if you want it from me, I will charge rupees 5000 plus GST. 

After all, there are no free lunches.

The dip in Prayagraj only made me realise how thankful I need to ... didn't drown.e

Benaras ki galiya.

You can't find the essence of the place without loafing . 

I saw the birth place of Rani Laxmibai.

At Dina's chaat I had the most famous tomato chaat .Palak patta chat.... golgappas.What happened to my lunch is still a mystery.

Some friends are guides and some guides are friends. Some two in one?? 

You cannot find the essence of a place without loafing. 

The walk from Dena chat to the Dashwmedh ghat was full of laughter and.. tomato Chats, golgappa and barish Wale  pakora which you're allowed to have even if it's not raining. The Heeng Samosa is something that may take me back to Varanasi.Imagine samosa cost is rupees 10 and the cost of Varanasi trip.I am still wondering what happened to my lunch.The lemon tea..... Few people would perhaps know that  Hajmola has multiple uses.

The light and  and the sound show in the museum....another highlight of the trip.I felt in the show the light was more and sometimes I felt the show was all about  sound .The Jantar Mantar.I was trying to take some pictures.The guard warned me not  to do that.And I also try to scare people not to do that.Because the fine was high Rs5000.So I said.The guard with his most spectacular smile said that if more pictures are clicked ..je will get a transfer...but Vibhor friendeee--- guidee .A Friend in need is always a friend indeed... I promised the guard that I would visit him wherever he's transferred.

There is something very earthy about the Benaras streets .Narrow streets, old houses........and खईके पान बनारस वाला...the streets and houses are of course progressing in terms of development, but I wonder about what cleanliness means to certain people. 

I saw some centers of performing arts,.....The sound of it was all classical but where the performance was happening I could not figure out the main door, so I said to myself, Gargi ... don't worry, of one door closes ...the next opens, and the door opened to the Tulsi Ghat. Visiting Tulsi Ji's house was a breathtaking experience for me. The window where he sat and wrote the scriptures was so small.Yes, but the intellect....larger than life and nowadays we have big places and who cares about the intellect?

 The traffic deterred me from going to Lanka, which I did halfway. There's always the next time.

The friends 

The real wealth  of spirituality I found in this group of people.All shades of people ....chirpy....stony silence.....excited....balanced ...caring....loyal....and  most importantly no pretence.The few of banter and laughter from the heart an experience in itself. 

Only what you experience is real.