Namaste!

Ah, I couldn't have thought about a more invigorating way to start my trip to India than to begin with the (holy, colourful, chaotic) city of Varanasi! Talk about throwing myself into culture shock.

Sailing shortly after sunrise on the Ganges River, Varanasi, India

So after 3 flights (Toronto to Abu Dhabi; Abu Dhabi to Delhi; Delhi to Varanasi) I finally arrive. My host family picks me up at the airport (Ashish) with a German girl I messaged online to confirm his authenticity (Christiane). We're driving back to his guest house and I can only describe the traffic in one word: WILD.

I've been to Italy and I thought the traffic was bad there; narrow cobblestone streets, vespas zooming around, pedestrians... but that looks very tame in comparison now.

Honking all around us. Bollywood music blasting. Weaving in and out of bicycle rickshaws, tuk tuks, bikes, pedestrians walking and talking in the middle of the street, dogs, cows, goats; the roads seemed more of a place for social gathering than a way to get from point a) to b). There are no lanes in a lot of areas. By day 1, I had already experienced a few close calls where a car was driving right at us - head on - and a few where they nearly ran into our tuk tuk on the open side (read: no doors)! These drivers have to be on their A game. They merely rely on their quick reflexes.






People tuck in their side mirrors to be as narrow as possible. It’s not like they need to use them to check their blind spots or anything… pfft. In fact, instead of checking their blind spots, they honk while they’re trying to pass the other car to “let the other driver know they’re there”. It just feels like a whole other world. One day, a cow even stuck his face through our tuk tuk during a traffic jam. I PET HIM. You see, a cow is regarded as more holy than a person here.

Ganges River, Varanasi, India

Well, I thought to myself, this definitely explains the notorious behaviour of the Indian taxi drivers in Toronto.

I went to the Ganges River that night (for 40 rupees, which is like 75 cents) and caught one of the Burning at the Ghats ceremonies where it is custom to burn the bodies of those who have deceased. I watched from a small clay buildings' rooftop with a monkey perched beside me and a friendly Indian man (Aadi) who explained the whole process. Only the men of the family are allowed to watch usually so I was an exception. There are also rules on certain individuals who cannot be cremated: children under 10, pregnant women and people with leprosy. They usually have several mounds of sticks each night where different families say their prayers before laying the body down. They come from all over the country to be buried here. The whole process takes several hours. A woman's hip bones and a man's chest bones do not burn so a family member tosses them over their shoulder into the holy Ganges River. Their ashes are then put on rafts made of sticks, covered in yellow and pink flowers, and sent into the divine river. There were candles everywhere; it was quite beautiful. He told me it happens every night and that no photos are permitted as it’s a sign of disrespect. To say I felt humbled would be a serious understatement.

Then my new friend, Aadi, and I went to watch the other ceremony called Ganga Aarti. This devotional ritual - which also happens every night - uses fire as an offering. Picture five platforms with seven outfitted men. Each performer flails a variety of objects (fire, feathers, human hair!) in sync. This was an insanely beautiful performance. The boats were all lined up in front, watching. After it finishes, they light lamps and small “diyas” (candles and flowers float that down the river).

Beautiful nightly ceremony "Ganga Aarti" on the water - Ganges River, Varanasi, India

My new friend would not accept a tip from me but I wanted to thank him for his company somehow, so I insisted on buying a beautiful burgundy silk tunic or “salwar kameez” from his friends' shop. It will always remind me of the good karma associated with giving and not expecting a damn thing in return, for all he wanted was to "fulfill his dharma (moral duty) and live a righteous life", he told me. They believe this increases your chances of being born into a higher caste and thus, into better circumstances.

I yielded a bicycle rickshaw to take me back to my homestay. I weaved through crowds of people (and animals), with the turmeric-scented breeze running through my hair and the energy of the city filling my soul. To my left, I passed a man driving a small rickshaw attached to a parade float. It carried a statue of the god Shiva and speakers on each side exploding with Bollywood music. It also had – the best part – 20-30 children running behind it, dancing, smiling, holding their heads and kicking up their feet while their entire bodies shook to the music. It was just any ol' Tuesday night there but they were celebrating as if the city had just won the World Cup. I saw several floats like this on the streets before I got back to my place. It’s truly how we should be living; celebrating each and every day of life.


Spiritual celebrations are mixed with everyday life in all areas of India, not just Varanasi. It’s humbling to watch people who are so devoted to something.

Lord Shiva 'bindi' on my forehead

A 'bindi' on a woman's forehead or a 'tilak' on a man's forehead, indicates the individual is married when worn higher up. If lowered, it signifies the individual's spiritual (or “third”) eye. Through this, Hindus believe to see all which cannot be seen through the two physical eyes. It also helps them to cultivate spiritual vision. The Hindu saints constantly meditate by focusing their energies towards the spiritual eye. It is believed that when the individual's spiritual eye opens, is when he attains true enlightenment and gets closer to God.


Of course, there are still many issues in the country. Many dowries are expected from arranged marriages; from the bride’s family to the groom’s, and if they can’t pay up, many deaths occur as a backlash (over 7000 a year). There are 350 million people living below the poverty line with an average annual wage of $710 US or $1.26 US a day (about 50 rupees). Many blame this on the high rate of illiteracy and population growth. Yet, the country has its own nuclear weapon that is worth billions!

sailing in Kochi, India