Varanasi (Utar Pradesh) - March 2nd, 2007

The city of Shiva, is one of the holiest ones in India. The pilgrims come to wash away their sins in the Ganges River. Many people come here to die because ity offers liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Intimate rituals of life and death take place here in public by the ghats (steps by the river).
Today I spent the day walking by all the ghats along the river, and watching a very unique way of life and death.
I stopped by the Harishchandra Ghat for about 3 hours. This is the cremation ghat and one of the oldest ghats. The body wrapped they brought from accross the Ganges River was lower cast, therefore, the burning stack they prepared for burning the body on top was much shorter than the one they prepared for a brahman higher cast. After all becomes ashes the very poor search in the ashes for the charcoal pieces and they pick several until they fill up a metal shallow bucket to bring home and prepare dinner with the hot charcoal. Other poor people get some of the burning logs and take them to make a campfire by the street. The children try to find something as well.
The family and friends of the deceased sprinkle flowers and ghee (caw grease) to the stalk so it burns evenly while the prist does ceremonial rituals.
These cremations take place all day long every day. The sadhus (ascets dressed on orange mostly) bathe in the nude by the river and afterwards rub their bodies with ashes from the pile, they explained it creates a coat to protect them from cold, since they do not have much clothing and hundreds of them live within a few of the ghats by the riverside with tarps to protect themselves very lightly.
A couple other ghats have very special evening celebration with fire and bells and dance by the river, blessing celebrations every night, and of course, they sell their CD's of their own performance.
Some ghats are used for women to wash big loads of laundry, like saris, towels, sheets from hotels, men's shirts, etc. They spread it on the steps and flat surfaces as people walk by. Others are washing their buffalo herds, scrubbing them with big brushes. The young girls try to sell flowers in little bowls to sit on the river for goodwishes. While all is happening people can take a boat ride and watching from the waterside.