After writing yesterday I went out and explored Godowalia(Varanasi). I'm finally proficient enough navigating the streets, which are unmarked but thankfully often in a grid. It comes down to trusting instincts, and local merchants or policemen.
I went to the burning ghats yesterday and got scammed into funding someone's alcohol, thinking that I was donating money for old people waiting to die and wood to build the funeral pyres. My book wasn't explicitly clear that that whole thing was a scam, but even locals in other parts of the city will let you know that it's a bunch of bull. So I'm down $2: mistakes are cheap here. The actual cremations were fascinating, and not nearly as gruesome or pungent as I had prepared myself for. Pictures are highly taboo. Sorry, you'll just have to see for yourself.
Found Aaron at 3, then cruised around the city for a while. We went to the Golden Temple around 5:30 to see the Hindu ceremonies. We made it through the first level of security (metal detectors and groping, nothing I'm not used to, thanks TSA) but were shooed away from anything further "Gentlemen not belonging to the Hindu religion are kindly asked not to enter". Fair enough.
Mother Ganga Puja Ceremony at 730: boats crowded in the river fully loaded with onlookers, with huge lanterns and acting on a balcony above the river.
I went to the burning ghats yesterday and got scammed into funding someone's alcohol, thinking that I was donating money for old people waiting to die and wood to build the funeral pyres. My book wasn't explicitly clear that that whole thing was a scam, but even locals in other parts of the city will let you know that it's a bunch of bull. So I'm down $2: mistakes are cheap here. The actual cremations were fascinating, and not nearly as gruesome or pungent as I had prepared myself for. Pictures are highly taboo. Sorry, you'll just have to see for yourself.
Found Aaron at 3, then cruised around the city for a while. We went to the Golden Temple around 5:30 to see the Hindu ceremonies. We made it through the first level of security (metal detectors and groping, nothing I'm not used to, thanks TSA) but were shooed away from anything further "Gentlemen not belonging to the Hindu religion are kindly asked not to enter". Fair enough.
Mother Ganga Puja Ceremony at 730: boats crowded in the river fully loaded with onlookers, with huge lanterns and acting on a balcony above the river.
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