Varanasi: A Journey Through Time and Eternity

Kashi, also known as Banaras or Varanasi, has been one of the ultimate pilgrimage spots for Hindus for ages. Hindus believe that those graced to die on the land of Varanasi attain salvation and freedom from the cycle of birth and rebirth.

Mark Twain once said, “India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great-grandmother of tradition.” He described Kashi as looking “older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together."

While many mythological stories abound, one states that the mighty Ganges, after passing through Shiva’s tresses, expands into the city of Varanasi. Anyone who bathes in the waters of the Ganges in Kashi washes away their mortal sins.

In January 2023, while visiting India, I found myself drawn to Varanasi. Accompanied by my parents, uncle, and aunts, we took an overnight train from Delhi to Varanasi. Arriving in the early hours of the morning, the city was covered in deep fog that felt like an omnious shroud. It felt as though you’ve crossed the threshold into another world—a world where time pauses, and the air thrums with an ancient energy.

Up until my visit, I had always thought that Varanasi was a place to perform the last rites of loved ones. But as I spent time there, I found that it is a city of the living and the dead, perhaps a city of contradictions.

Life Along the Ghats: A Non-Stop Show

Walking along the ghats felt like being in the middle of a street performance. Pilgrims bathed in the Ganges with devotion. The distinct smell of tanneries near the ghats filled the air. Vendors hawked flowers, beads, fruits, candles, and chai with equal persistence. Sadhus, wrapped in bright orange robes, meditated undisturbed by the occasional cow, dog, or monkey stealing a snack. The last rites and cremations being performed right by the water’s edge in the traditional ways.

The 84 Ghats

The ghats of Varanasi are more than alleys and steps leading to the river—they are the heartbeat of this ancient city. Each ghat carries a story, a purpose, and an energy of its own. It seemed as if each ghat had its own story, its own rhythm.

Dashashwamedh Ghat: The Ganga Aarti here feels like a celestial dance performed to honor the river goddess. As priests raised lamps of fire and chants filled the air, I couldn’t help but feel mesmerized and overcome with spiritualness.

Manikarnika Ghat: Watching the cremation rituals at this ghat was humbling. It reminded me of the transient nature of life. In Hindu belief, the Ganga is considered the holiest of all rivers and is revered as a goddess. Immersing the ashes of the deceased in her waters is thought to purify the soul and aid in its journey toward moksha from the cycle of rebirth. 

However, when immersing ashes in the Ganges isn’t possible due to distance, logistics, or other reasons, any natural body of water can serve as a substitute. This is because all water is seen as a purifier and a connection to the divine. The underlying belief is that water, in its essence, has the power to cleanse and carry the soul to a higher state of existence, whether it’s a river, lake, or ocean.

Assi Ghat: At dawn, the Subah-e-Banaras program infuses the morning aarti with music, yoga, and the soft glow of the rising sun —a celebration of life’s renewal.

Note: We stayed at a hotel by Assisi ghat right by the water.

The Ganges: A Living Divine Presence

The Ganges is not just a river—it is life itself for those who live in Varanasi. Pilgrims flock to its waters with a faith that a single dip will cleanse their soul of sins accumulated over lifetimes. Watching the devotion with which people dip in the river (however polluted), I felt a ripple of spiritualism washing over me.

Even the simple act of sitting by the river, with the sound of water splashing the ghat stone, became a moment of meditation. The Ganges seemed to whisper age-old stories, a reminder of the generations that passed its shores.

A Boat Ride: Floating through Time

At dusk, we boarded a small wooden boat for a ride along the Ganges. The boatman, with his deep, melodic voice, sang devotional songs that echoed across the water, transforming the ride into an ethereal experience. His singing, blending with the distant chime of the temple bells and the hum of prayers from the ghats. Each song felt like a prayer to the divine, narrating tales of devotion, love, and spiritual yearning. The combination of music, the rhythmic drone of the motor boat, the golden glow of lamps from the ghats and the smoke from the cremation grounds created a moment of serenity— and spirituality that can only be felt and not expressed.

The Ganga Aarti: A show in itself

The Ganga Aarti is one of the most enchanting spiritual ceremonies, performed daily at the ghats of Ganga. A symbolic ritual that honors the Ganges River, revered as a goddess and lifeline in Hinduism. Held at several major ghats, the aarti is a mesmerizing confluence of light, sound, and intricate movements that captivates both the pilgrims and the tourists.

Performed in the early hours of dawn and as the twilight descends, priests dressed in traditional saffron robes take their places on elevated platforms. The ritual begins with the resonant chimes of temple bells, the rhythmic beat of drums, the synchronized movements and the collective chanting of Sanskrit mantras. The priests hold large, ornate brass lamps filled with burning camphor and perform intricate, synchronized movements, offering the flame to the river goddess as an act of reverence and gratitude. 

The aarti is more than a visual spectacle; it is an immersive revered experience. The air rich with the fragrance of incense and flowers, mingling with the sounds of conch shells and devotional hymns. Diyas (oil lamps) are floated on the river, creating a shimmering pathway of light on the water, symbolizing prayers and wishes sent to the divine. The sight of the glowing lamps drifting downstream, mirrored by the calm waters of the Ganges, evokes a sense of tranquility and connection with the universe. Whether you are a spiritual seeker or simply a tourist, witnessing the Ganga Aarti is an unforgettable experience that leaves a profound imprint.

 

The Labyrinth of the Old City

Wandering through the narrow alleys of Varanasi’s old city was an adventure in itself. The lanes twisted and turned unpredictably, revealing hidden temples, bustling markets, and cows lounging nonchalantly in the middle of the path. Whether shopping for Banarsi sarees, or the Banarsi paan, or eating kachori and subzi, the traditions and legends of the old city are unescapable. 

 

The Spirituality of Everyday Life

In Varanasi, spirituality isn’t confined to temples or rituals—it’s woven into the fabric of daily life. Sadhus sit in contemplation along the ghats. Families light diyas (tiny lamps) and release them into the river, their prayers floating on the water. The chiming of temple bells, the hum of the prayers, and the aroma of incense blended with the sights and sounds of life’s routine activities. It was as if every moment, no matter how small, was imbued with some divine purpose.

A Final Farewell

On my last evening in Varanasi, I returned to the Ghat for one final aarti. This time, I lit a small diya, placed it in the water, and watched as it floated away, joining many others. It was a simple act, yet it felt profound—a silent prayer to wash all mortal sins, a moment of gratitude, a celebration of life, a wish carried by the eternal waters of Ganges.

As I left the city, I realized that Kashi doesn’t just linger in your memory; it calls you and etches itself into your soul. It’s not a tourist destination but an experience—one that stays with you, urging you to return, to accept life and death.

 

 

Fight or Flight - Lessons from the Bush, Kruger National Park, South Africa (Part 2)

The term Safari originated from the Arabic adjective safar, which means 'a journey', travelling, touring, or voyaging. It was adapted into Swahili word safari meaning 'to travel'. Today, Safari has become synonymous with a trip to Africa to see the wildlife. Most renowned are the grasslands of Serengeti, the Masai Mara Reserve, the woodlands of Kruger, the Hwange in Zimbabwe or any one of the wildlife parks in Africa.

People say rainy season is the best time for a safari vacation. Perhaps that’s true since the woodlands and the savannah would be lush green. But I am glad our trip was in the dry season. We saw up close and personal every single wildlife in the Big 5, the Magnificent 7, the Ugly 5 and everything in between, much of it around the water holes, some of it in the woodlands but none hidden by the lush greens of the bush.

Everyday single day, we spotted every member of the Big 5, and much action within this wildlife. A few vividly seared in memory.

The very first view as we entered the gates of the reserve, we saw a big herd of elephants cooling off by a pond. The herd must have included 20-25 elephants from large males to what might have been a few weeks old baby elephants. It appeared as if a large community of elephants was socializing and picnicking. As we drove on to our camp, we spotted many large herds of Nyala and Kudu all over the reserve. These large antelope type animals are very common to the Kruger area.

Everyday we saw pride of lions sunbathing often with young ones. Once we sighted a Cheetah resting presumably after eating its meal (we saw an animal carcass not too far away). Another time we saw a mama leopard with two cubs walking about and another time a young leopard resting in the grass. The most memorable sighting was of two leopards mating. They say opposable thumb, bipedal gait and the ability to talk is what differentiates humans from other animals. I say, it's the ability to kiss and be intimate is what sets us apart. Seeing two leopards mate in the open grasslands, there was no shame and no hiding, it was us humans that seemed embarrassed like teenage kids at the sight. I guess life in the wild is so precocious, one day you are hunting for meat and the next day you are the meat, that mating is a cause for celebration. It’s what creates the circle of life!

We saw herds of Wildbeast, Water Buffalo, Zebras, Giraffe. Several vulture sightings sitting on bare tree tops. Elephants were plentiful in herds small and large. Leaving their trail identifiable by large droppings and many a Marula tree whose bark was stripped and chewed. There was a time we saw a mama elephant with two younger elephants, truly those two younger ones were behaving like teenagers. One of the two teenage elephants bullying and pushing the other into water. The other resisting and pushing back. I thought of my own kids when one would push the other and the other would shout “mom, he’s hurting me”. I guess dealing with brats is no different in the elephant kingdom.

While wild dogs are an endangered species, we saw them a couple of times. One of the most vivid memory is of two wild dogs who had chased a Kudu to a small island in a pond. The wild dogs tried swimming to the island, but retreated after only a few steps in the water. The two dogs circled and paced back and forth waiting for the Kudu to come ashore. The Kudu stood on this tiny island shaking with fear. Even from a distance, the shaking was very perceptible. The dogs waited for their kill for a long time. Us humans sitting at a distance watched this dance between the hunter and its prey like spectators. Finally, with the sun almost set, the dogs left their prey on the island. Wonder how long the Kudu stayed on the island, and whether it survived the night. The following day, when we drove past the spot, neither the Kudu nor the dogs were to be seen. How and if the young Kudu ever made it from the island is anyone’s guess. But, I guess the fear of death is universal. In the face of danger, life can do feats that are indefeasible. Regardless of whether you “fight or flight”, the death comes to all, it's just a matter of how each of us face the death in the end that matters.

In the pond, rested the Hippos and crocodiles. Hippos visible mostly by their snout and hump. Once we caught a hippo at dawn walking into the water, as a couple of others lay basking on the muddy shore. We saw a young Giraffe spread its front legs wide as it bent to drink water. Just the act of preparing to drink water took hours. Walk then wait, walk some more then wait some more (making sure no danger lurked in or around the water source), the slow task of spreading the legs without toppling over and then bending the neck to drink water. No wonder Giraffe’s drink water once every few days. The danger to life is so great, that evolution has prepared their bodies to retain water for extended periods of time. Wonder if Darwin spent time in Africa before he wrote the theory of evolution. Survival of the fittest indeed.

Rhinoceros, a solitary animal. As huge as its body is, a Rhino travels vast areas every day. It marks its territory by its pee. When he pees, it seems as if a sprinkler has turned on.. imagine an animal walking and peeing at the same time, the pee spreading in a circle of approx 3-4 foot diameter. While our Land cruiser had stopped several yards away, apparently we were perceived within the Rhino’s personal space. A bull charged us. The tracker (spotter) shit scared reached for his knobkerry. The driver furiously backed the vehicle out of the danger zone. The bull stopped a few inches short of the spotter. Us passengers sighed in relief. Had the bull not stopped, the spotter would have been dead. He would have used the knobkerry to either make noise by banging on the hood of the cruiser or hit the Rhino on the head like a club. I doubt either would have made a difference, but probably would have given the driver a bit more time to back out of the danger zone and us into safety.

September 2, 2019, dawned the last day of our Safari trip, a day celebrated worldwide by Hindus as Ganesh Chaturthi. The moment we drove out of our camp, we ran into a large male elephant. Being old and large and slow, he lived a solitary life without the protection of a herd and stayed close to the camp. I had seen him and heard him often from our tent. This day, he was standing just a few feet from the dirt road. I saw he had one large, unbroken and yellowed tusk, the other tusk broken close to his mouth. I named him Ekdant (the one with a single tusk). As we paused close to him, he looked upon us, and bid us goodby with the following thought: “You must, for the good of the whole, live in herds but there comes a time in life when you must walk your own solitary path.”

4 Day Safari - Kruger National Park, South Africa (Part 1)

Bags were packed, tickets were booked. I was ready to see the Big 5, the Ugly 5, the Magnificent 7 and any other category of wildlife normally included seen in the wild only in a safari.

The Big 5 refers to the five large mammals: Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and the Buffalo. These animals are known as “Big 5” because they were the hardest to shoot by the big game hunters and become more ferocious when cornered and injured.

The Magnificent 7, it seems that the animals in this category change depending on where you are and who you talk to. Some people say the magnificent 7 includes Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo, Giraffe and the Cheetah. Others include Whale and white shark to the Mag 7 (instead of Cheetah, and Giraffe)

The Ugly 5 are the underdogs of Africa that include Hyena, Wildebeast, Vulture, Warthog, and the endangered Wild dog.

A trip last year took us to South Africa. We were able to visit Johannesburg and safari at Kruger National Park. We had debated whether to fly from S. Africa to Serengeti for the safari or visit Kruger NP. Due to the fact that we were going to be in East London, the time-off constraints, cost, and time of the year, we decided to stay with Kruger. Both Kruger and Serengeti warrant iconic status when it comes to Safari. Serengeti dominates the northwest Tanzania while Kruger an equally large park dominates the southeast S. Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. I have not yet been to Serengeti, so this post will not compare the two safari experiences but I have heard Serengeti is renowned for its vast grasslands, and the sheer volume of wildlife that makes it a peerless reserve. Kruger and the adjoining private reserves make for near certain sightings of a huge variety of wildlife.

ThornyBush Nature Reserve
We stayed in ThornyBush Private Reserve. ThornyBush is a collection of private lodges in a reserve that shares fenceless border with Kruger National Park allowing for free roaming of wildlife among the park and various private reserves that surround the national park. The 14,000 hectare private reserve has many water holes, that encourages wildlife visits especially during the dry season. This makes for consistent sightings of iconic animals and the resulting success of private game reserves and lodges.

Lodging & Meals
Chapungu is one of the 12 lodges on ThornyBush reserve. Classified as a 4 star, these are 8 tented camps set in a small compound. The tented camps themselves are very comfortable. Each tent has its own permanent bathroom that includes a shower area and a tub right off the deck. You look out (and relax) into the wilderness as you shower or take a bath. The bedroom is very comfortable with enough space for two adults, the beds covered by mosquito net, with an AC and a fan in the room.

The Lodge had an open plan (a roof but no walls) lounge, and dining room overlooking a small swimming pool. Everyday we saw Kudu, Nayla and baboons visit the lodge, kept at bay by the staff.

The breakfast is served in the lounge on a long common table. The meals are no simple affair. The breakfast included various beverages including juice, tea, coffee, breads, pastries, eggs (made your way), toasts, and fruit.

Lunch is served in the open plan dining area overlooking the camp and the swimming pool. For lunch, there are smaller (family) tables and chairs. The food is prepared by cooks that come in from their villages and stay on site for a couple of days at a time. Usually there is salad, bread, 1-2 types of meat (chicken and fish) sometimes pork and steak. There are also 1-2 veg dishes. During check in, the staff asks for food preferences, and the lunch and dinner are prepared accordingly. For drinks there was a large assortment. However, be aware, the alcoholic drinks are not part of the “all-inclusive’ plan.

For dinner, the staff made great attempts to create an intimate and romantic ambiance. While we were at camp, there were 4 adult couples (no kids). So every day, there was either candle lit diner, or dinner by the firepit. Open plan allowed us to see any wildlife that wandered in. Around lunchtime we would get Nyala, and different birds as visitors. Geckos were all over the camp (thankfully none in our tent).


At night we would hear the sounds of hyenas, baboons, elephants and other critters. Supposedly, these animals were roaming from one reserve to another or one part of the reserve to another and the sounds were of them roaming and informing other animals about their whereabouts. In the morning we could see evidence of a herd of elephants having passed by. The camp itself was surrounded by an electric fence so there was less risk of large mammals wandering into the camp. The fence was not meant to prevent smaller animals from coming in. When asked about the early morning and the after dinner escort by an armed guard from the common lounge area to the tent, the reason was, it was for the protection of the animals. If an animal were to wander on premises, and got spooked by the human (or vice versa) and the animal were to attack the human, the staff would have to shoot the animal to protect the human. They did not want to shoot the animal, thus the guard. The guard could shoo the animal away or use the firearm to create sound to scare the animal away..

At night, you could hear the wind howl from the tent. The first night at the camp was very windy. The howling of the wind, the tent flapping with each gust and the elephant choir in the background, it felt as if the entire tent would either be blown away or stampeded by the elephants. We did not sleep a wink that first night. The other nights were calmer and felt quite luxurious, lying on a comfy bed under a canvas tent, covered by a mosquito net and drinking Gin & Tonic. Being of Indian heritage, I thought of the life under the British raj.

A Safari Day
Typically, all outfitters include two safari outings per day. One at dawn and another at dusk. The day starts at the crack of dawn at 5 am. You are woken by an armed guard. At 5:30 am, you are escorted to the Land Cruiser for the dawn safari. Sitting comfortably in the Land Cruiser with a warm throw, feeling the coolness of the morning and watching the sun slowly rise, you would imagine that the day has just begun. But watching the animals hunt, eating or resting as we drove, it felt as if the day was already half past.

Each Land Cruiser had a driver and a tracker. The safari experience really depends on these two guides. Their tales, their tracking of the animals, their explanations of animal behavior and the animal sightings, is what the safari experience is all about.

During the dawn trip, our guides would stop half way and would serve tea/coffee as we looking upon some animal. At the dusk trip, they would serve gin & tonic (or another alcoholic beverage of your choice) and some snack. At one of these dusk stops, we saw a big herd of Giraffe peeking out over the trees just a few hundred yards away. Imagine a sunset, with you snacking on Biltong and savoring Gin & Tonic while standing next to you is a Giraffe munching on Acacia leaves. That is a scene not from any movie, but from my S. African safari trip.