1.4.2008

Goodbye Varanasi

Its been pretty intense here. Not only with what goes on by the banks of Gnaga but the constant hussle and bustle of the people trying to seel you things or begging or simply saying "hello madam" a million times. I was acrrying my bags to Assi Ghat to arrange my taxi to the airport and in need of money/business people were literally screaming at me from so far "hello madam, you want boat?". One m,an decided to run up after me and start talking so I took him up on his offer adn said "You'll row to Mumbai?", he didnt understand me "yes, madam boat". I said "well, ok then. How much to Mumbai?", he said "100rps one hour". I could tell that he didnt speak english, just knew what he had to sayu to get business. I insisted "Mumbai?? 100rps one hour to Mumbai". He finally understood, given that I was carrying 2 bags with me, looked hot and sweaty and said "no madam, no mumbai. Varanasi" so I wished him a good day and he left me alone.

I had a great day so far though. I woke up at 5.30am and did yoga on the rooftop to the sunrise, then took an hour boat in the calmness of Ganga, went to ATM humming songs to myself and smiling at people. I was in such a goodmood that when I bought myself a bottle of water I also purchased a handful of sweets and put them in the tins of sadhus and others sitting on the steps to the main Ghat. It was a way of saying thank you for their being, my being and this old ancient, beautiful city.

I had my last breakfast at the Lotus Lounge where I have been having pretty much all my meals with Sarah and Jessica. In fact we were only there last night for 3 hours, having dinner, just talking and laughing. Such great girls. I hadnt met honest, fun, doen to earth chicks. We talked a lot about the cast systmen of India. So called system that doesnt exist in the eye of the law but in real life still apparent everywhere you go. Jess said that even when they burn the dead there is a rule about who gets burnt at which ghat. Those who died in an accident or commited suicide do not get allowed anaywhere near the main ghat. Their place is way doen the Gnages at a smaller burning ground. And as for the Brahmins they have their ceremonies ore hidden to public eye, where by people passing by cannot disturb the ceremony. In India yoru cast cannot even be hiddin. We saw examples of it in Rajasthan with the turbans men wear, each colour symbolising a cast; we saw with women's nose rings, the bigger the hoop the lower the cast is; and definately by skin, the darker the skin of a woman the less desierd she would be into marriage.

In fact on our journey from Nepal when we stopped near a train station in Gorakhpur beacuse our drugged up english fellow passenger had to go to the ATM, I was talking to the stall owners on the side of the street. Because my father is a barber I take photos of any barber shop/stall I see as I travel and I ofetn tell people that my father is a barber. SO when I did the same with these men they gave me a very surprised look when they heard that my father was a barber. I guess for them it wasnt a job others would respect. They charged 10rps fopr a haircut, whereas the cheapest in London would be approx 500rps. It all makes sense now though, thinking back about the cast system and where people are placed in the society.

What makes me wonder is in a county of such history of religion and wisdom why cant they get over the fact that casts do not matter, what matters is humanity and that we are all equal?