On to Varanasi

The Gathering in Sarnath was a nice introduction to India as I got to meet others experienced in traveling in Asia and learned a few basics like the difference between an auto rickshaw and a tuk-tuk, how to overpay for everything, and how to say no - not that saying no necessarily works.

Like Sarnath, Varanasi is a prime destination for pilgrims and tourists, both from inside India and abroad. As the area around Deer Park in Sarnath, the walk along the ghat's on the Ganga (Ganges river) is festooned with beggars and hustlers. In particular, here in Varanasi, there are many helpful people along the river who act very friendly and ultimately try to talk you into going to their friend's silk store, where they will get a finder's commission, or ask for a donation to an unnamed organization to help the poor, or go for a boat ride on the Ganges, or buy candles with flowers to make offerings on the Ganges; beetween them are snake charmers, sadhu's (a few may be real and others appear to "set up shop" every day), and professional beggars. Of course, as a holy place for Hindu's, there are many travelers from around India and the many tourists from the west and the east, among them seekers, travelers, the curious, young people having an adventure and modern hippies looking for a convenient place to smoke ganja. This is all intermingled with life and faith - from washing clothes and fishing in the Ganges, to ritual bathing in the Ganges, the burning ghat's where some 100 bodies are cremated each day and the evening Aarti ceremony performed to a packed audience. The constant hustle of "Hello, sir, how are you? What is your name? Where are you from?", "Boat, sir?", and pleas for baksheesh have come to make a walk along the Ganges exhausting and there is little place to quietly observe and contemplate. Becoming a bit cynical, I find little spiritual - the performances and ceremonies are highly ritualistic and the greatest act of faith is brushing one's teeth in the Ganges.

Still, there are also the passing bright spots. I have also met a number of nice and helpful people, both Indians and fellow travelers. The visit to Deer Park in Sarnath was wonderful. A small temple there has relics of the Buddha and murals around the inside walls depicting the life and teachings of the Buddha. Nearby is a great Bodhi tree nominally marking where the Buddha gave his first teaching to his first five disciples. As I entered the shrine area and stood beneath the tree next to statues of the Buddha and his disciples, there was a gentle flutter and a leaf from the tree fell next to my foot and the groundsman gave me permission to keep it...and then offered to sell me a Tibetan flag. Sigh. Between the pilgrimage spots, I just need to get away from the destinations a little more.

A couple more days for Varanasi to make arrangements and maybe see some of the town away from the Ganges and then I will be off to Bodh Gaya.