Day 6 – Amazon Learns the Difference Between Cowshit and Bullshit

It seems the effects of an Indian public toilet are temporary at best. Having suffered a minor breach on the southern front overnight, I decided to once again send Amazon solo on the morning boat ride at sunrise. No one wanted to see what might happen during a full on breach while out on the water watching devotees trying to cleanse themselves. I’m sure the local constabulary might have taken a dim view as well. So Amazon set out alone for this event, vowing to return following it so we could both finish the day afterwards.

Amazon got up before dawn to take a boat ride on the Ganges. Every morning hundreds of worshippers bathe in the sacred and cold water. Stone steps- the ghats- stretch from one end of Varanasi to the other. Towering above the ghats are old palaces that have been converted into hotels and guest houses. Amazon’s ride included a visit to one of the 2 crematoriums on the banks of the river. Every day approximately 100 bodies are burned one at a time in a fire constructed of 3 layers of wood, the body and 2 more layers of wood. Female family members are not allowed at the crematorium for fear they will cry making the dead person sad as they pass into the next life. It takes about 3 hours for the body to turn to ashes. A handful of ashes is thrown into the sacred river and the rest are piled up to be removed at a later date. It beats the old days when they put the burning body on a wood platform and sent it down the river.

Following the boat ride Amazon walked through the inner city consisting of a twisted maze of narrow alleys dodging goats, bull, pig, dog and animal excrement. In addition to viewing the numerous home shrines there was the obligatory stop at a tea shop to taste chai tea with chai masala spice and be shown numerous oils used in treatment of many ailments. Fortunately, Amazon could use the excuse that her husband had not given her any rupees.

On the way back to the hotel Amazon and our guide, Harsh walked along the main road leading to the Ganges. Workers were busy setting up barricades in preparation for over a million worshippers arriving the next 2 days to bathe in the water and give alms to the homeless lining the streets of Varanasi. It was a good thing we were leaving the next morning.

Amazon rejoined me for breakfast at the hotel, where I confirmed my availability for the remainder of the day. We set out and toured the largest University in Varanasi and then proceeded to a small village on the outskirts to tour artisanal silk weaving centers. This time she had her husband with her, and with that excuse safely out of the way, proceeded to go wild buying woven products in the shop adjacent to the demonstration shop. However, that is not the purpose of this tail.

The purpose is to relate the multiple uses of Bovine manure. That’s right there is no difference between cowshit and bullshit. They have the same physical and chemical properties that permit the following interesting uses:

· Coating your front porch floor to ward off mosquitoes and unwanted company
· Mixed with dried grass, one can bake cow pie in the sun for later combustion purposes to cook in the home or shingle the roof (don’t know how they control runoff in Monsoon season.
· Mixed with certain fragrant spices, it can be used in religious ceremonies to both sanctify the occasion and ward off mosquitoes.
· Provide steady employment to street sweepers and income when they sell it in small villages. There are many enterprising villagers who bake and stack these pies in front of their homes presumably for sales purposes.

We returned to the hotel and went our separate ways. Me in search of an ATM, Amazon for a walk along the Ganges. Later, we happened upon each other down by the river with me going the wrong way. Amazon was able to sort me out and we returned to the hotel together.