Ghat Life in Varanasi

Filed under Religious, SOLO TRAVEL by on October 7, 2008 at 11:57 am {no comments}
varanasi ghats
On the ghats of Varanasi

Today is my Rest day

It is my last day in Varanasi. I will let the Spirit of Varanasi guide me to where she wants and I humbly obey. Hopefully, she’s a bit more seductive and a little less buffeting this time.

First, the Spirit tells me to laze in the clean sheets of my ahhhhh AC palace. I enjoy time off from the heat, the stink, the cows and the scams. I hang out to the cafe patio, have a nice Thali meal (aka a dish comprised of small samplings of different curries, yogurt -for cooling- and rice) and spend time on the internet looking for a hotel in Delhi.

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Varanasi’s Holy & Humorous Underbelly Tour

Filed under I Survived!, Religious by on October 5, 2008 at 11:44 am {no comments}
uay
Uday

Sunday, Oct 5, 2008. Varanasi

As raw as Varanasi seems, there’s a humor to it. It  takes a while to find, but if you do, you might just fall in love with this city.

 This is something a fellow backpacker, a U.K. gent, told me on my first day in Varanasi after the initial culture shock had settled into me and I was contemplating getting the next flight back to Delhi. I’m glad I remembered what he said because I remember it to this day and this is the best way I can explain Varanasi to others.Afterall, what can you possibly find funny about a polluted city, dirty and raggedy streets occupied by lazy cows, dodging (more…)

Would you walk in a temple of rats? Rat worship in India (Video)

Filed under India, Off-beat, Weird... Reality! by on September 26, 2008 at 12:41 pm {8 comments}


Karni Mata ”Rat Temple”, Deshnok, India  (watch 2 min video above)

 
Who else can say they got a chance to walk barefoot over sacred rat pee and poop?

It’s customary to remove your shoes, when entering a temple in India and at the Karni Marta Rat Temple in Deshnok, as uneasy as it was, I had no option but do so.  Karni Mata (‘mata’ aka mother) is a reincarnation of the Hindu goddess Durga, and she’s also known as the ‘Rat Goddess’. She is the overseeing deity of this temple, where you’ll witness millions of rats nest and occupy free reign. Some rats nestle (more…)

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