Day 5 – Amazon Achieves Enlightenment

In the morning I accompanied a somewhat worried Amazon to the Delhi airport for our flight to Varanasi. I monitored every little grumble suspiciously, but the chemical bung seemed to be holding well. We found some gravol at the airport pharmacy, and further bolstered my defenses on the northern front. The Ciprol seemed to be helping. Then the flight was delayed due to “fog”. Indian fog is very new to me. Normal fog dissipates when exposed to dry air. This stuff has some serious hang time and a distinctive smoky odour. But everyone says it is fog.

Upon boarding the flight, we quickly noted that all barf bags in our row of seats had been removed. Talk about flying by the seat of your pants!

We arrived safe and sound in Varanasi and eventually made it to our hotel near the western shore of the Ganges River near where one of the two sites of daily holy ceremonies and cremations take place.

Our first course of business to visit the Buddhist city of Sarnath, the place where Buddha gave his first sermon after achieving enlightenment after meditating for 49 straight days under a Ficus religiosa. It was a fascinating visit and Amazon and I tried to explore the concept of “enlightenment” in our own minds. I am still somewhat fuzzy, but she continued to pepper our guide with questions. Good luck getting her to sit still (meditate) for 49 seconds let alone 49 days (as Buddha had reportedly done). We don’t have a fig tree, and it would take medication not meditation….

Back in the car we headed to Ganges Aarti (largest and more popular place to bathe in the Ganges) for the sunset service. Enroute, I felt some rumbles suggestions my southern defenses may be buckling. Clenching tightly, I hurried after the guide to what he said was the cleanest washroom in the area. One look inside and I was cured. No TP, only a water hose was available for cleansing and I wasn’t about to start experimenting with that! Amazing what a really filthy toilet will do to inspire the soul.

We pressed on to the show and we enjoyed a very interesting service by 7 priests using all sorts of props and fire. Much more entertaining than attending church. There was even standing up and sitting down, bell ringing and other forms of audience participation.

Then back to the hotel to catch some shut eye for the early morning (6:00 am) boat ride to witness the sunrise ritual, bathing, laundry, cremations etc.