I took a 12 hours bus ride from Agra to Varanasi. It was a pleasant ride. I was at the very last row that had 5 seats in a row with 3 other backpackers so we had plenty of space.

I went to Stops Hostel and they have quickie offer for backpackers who weren’t going to spend the night. I took it for 3.50 USD because I was leaving to New Delhi the same night. I dropped my bag, and went out to explore the city.

Stops hostel is perfectly located with only couple of minutes walk from the ghat. Ghats are the steps along the Ganga river bank. There are more than 80 ghats on the stretch of about 7 km. I walked along the ghats and there were 3 ghat that I wanted to explore; the small cremation, main ghat, big cremation.

As I walked along, I noticed the ancient and unique architecture the city has. It turns out that Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world. The people believe that the city existed before history and found by Lord Shiva which makes it one of the holiest and most spiritual city for Hindus. Just like how Muslims have the two holy cities; Makkah & Madinah, Hindus have Varanasi.

The first ghat I stumbled upon was Manikarnika Ghat, the small cremation. When I got there, they were about to begin the funeral ritual, I sat there for awhile and there was a lot of discussion and nothing happened so I decided to leave and watch the ritual in the big cremation.

Walking along the ghats was such a self awakening moment.  It opens up your eyes to appreciate different religion, beliefs and practices. It’s such a spiritual city that you can see many Hindu rituals from dawn to dusk along the ghat. It’s a busy area with people doing prayers, preaches, cremations, washing clothes, busy barbers, masseuse giving ayurveda massages, people taking a bath, swimming, or simply relaxing by the river.

The walk along the ghat exerted a lot of energy from me especially after a 12 hours bus ride, didn’t have any meal for more than 24 hours, busy area and the sun was striking. Nevertheless, I kept walking along and I kept on stumbling on interesting action, buildings and temples that distracted me from feeling like I was about to collapse. And there was an amazing little shop for the freshest and most delicious lassi! It’s called Blue Lassi. I desperately needed that for some energy boost. Do not miss out on that!

While I was sitting in the shop and enjoying my coconut chocolate lassi, I heard a loud chant and quick steps of a large group of people. I pulled out my phone anticipating for an interesting action. They were carrying a deceased body to the big cremation. A couple of them went by while I was still indulging on my lassi. I quickly finished up my lassi so I could witness the ritual from start to finish.

I walked down to Harishchandra ghat which is the big cremation ghat. Turned out, I did not have to worry about missing out on the ritual because there were more than 1 body, not 2 not 3 but 5! I was stunned! I can’t describe how I felt at that moment. I was pretty much out of words. I couldn’t digest or comprehend the situation at that moment. I just sat there next to a deceased body wrapped in white cloth and getting prepped up.

A local came by and started sharing information that this goes on 24 hours, 7 days a week, nonstop, regardless of weather or climate. They cremate up to 200 bodies per day. While the man speaks, I couldn’t fully concentrate with him as I was contemplating on the sacred and spiritual moment. Here’s what I’ve picked up on the process.

This ritual is to break the life cycle in order to achieve nirvana. In Hinduism, they believe that if the body of the deceased is not burnt, the soul is still attached and it would get reincarnated.

To achieve nirvana, the deceased is wrapped in golden cloth, placed on top of sandalwoods, they stack up more sandalwood above the body, and they pour ghee and sandalwood powder. There wasn’t any bad smell from the cremation, this is because they use only sandalwood which is quite expensive to their standard.

To begin the burning process, the male relative of the deceased holds a handful of long twigs, catches the fire from the eternal flame that is said to have been burning for over 3,000 years. Then, he walks clockwise around the deceased for 5 times and then puts in the twig that’s been on flame. And the brazen flame starts and fume spread in the air. I had to move from sitting next to the body as it was getting unbearable.

The flame goes on for about 3 to 5 hours. Any remains of bones are picked up by the male relative and thrown into the river. The death of a child under 8 years old, holy men or caused by snake bite does not get cremated. They are wrapped with a stone and thrown in the river.

After watching the incredibly thought provoking ritual, I walked back to the direction of the hostels and passed by the main ghat; Dashashwamedh.

In the evening, at around 6:30p.m., hundreds or even thousands of people gather on the main ghat for the worship to fire. The priests light up candles and perform the ritual. It’s very soothing and calming to watch.

You could watch it by the ghat itself or from the boat on the river. The priest faces the river while performing the evening prayer. If you decide to go on the boat, make sure to get loads of mosquito repellant.

Varanasi is a journey of a lifetime. It will offer you something you will never forget and something you will never find elsewhere. It is sacred, spiritual, raw, unconcealed and unsubtle.

Dos & Don’ts

1. Do try Blue Lassi for the best and freshest lassi! They carry many different flavors too.
2. Do dress up extremely light because the ghat is a long stretch and it gets really hot during noon.
3. Do go on the boat ride for sunset and watch the evening prayer and get the beautiful outline view of Varanasi from the other side of the river.
4. Don’t take photos of the cremation up close, the locals will get angry and approach you. But you can take photos from afar.
5. Don’t give any donation or pay anyone along the ghats, they are scams.

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Instantly, I had the worst thoughts and expectations. I expected a lot of inappropriate behavior and interaction, chances of getting kidnapped for ransom in Jammu & Kashmir, and what not.

But guess what? I went, had a blast and came back in one piece. There wasn’t a single time that I felt like I was in danger.

It is important to keep in mind that this is based on personal experience and many other factors. For one, I blend in as a local in every city I went to. Second, India did not feel foreign. I like to consider myself to have sufficient knowledge of their culture, behavior, day to day routine etc as I studied in an Indian school from nursery to 9^th grade. Moreover, we have a huge Indian community in Saudi.

So here are my top 10 tips to survive in India!

1. Tickets: Book your ticket for buses/trains at least 3 weeks in advance. They run out real fast! You will end up on a waiting list or no seat at all. In order to book your train, you need to create an account with IRCTC which requires passport validation and may take up to days. I’d recommend hitting the booking 6 weeks prior to your arrival.
   • Bus Seats: Opt for middle or back seats. The front seat is way too loud with the honking and loud music/TV.
   • Bus Sleeper: I would recommend single upper deck for females.

If you’re 5’3 or less with an average body weight, a single sleeper is a perfect fit. If you’re taller, it might not get comfortable because there won’t be any room to stretch your leg.

• Schedules: Expect delays and reschedules. Always call the station or office before your scheduled trip and check if it is still on schedule.

2. Going around: If you think Uber is the most convenient way around the city, you’re mistaken! Opt for the metro instead. It’s so much faster and it is not bad at all. In fact, it was very comfortable and quick! Uber is convenient after midnight but not for other times of the day.

3. Things you must carry:
   • Sanitizer: You will be surprised with the number of kids that will run after you for a simple handshake or even a hug and not to forget the selfies!
   • Water bottle: Always carry one to keep hydrated since some places might not have bottled water.
   • Scented oil: This helps a lot in dealing with the smell. Peppermint or Tea Tree oil works best in my opinion.
   • Blanket & pillow: When travelling long distance using public transport, you need your own travel blanket/pillow to get cozied up and get some rest.

4. Wander around the narrow streets of India to soak in the true feeling of India. Those monuments, temples and historical sites won’t give you that satisfaction. You need to experience the great chaos!

There isn’t a better way of getting to know the city than to simply wander around and get lost in the streets of India! It is chaotic. It’s the type of chaos makes you want more! I found myself in all sort of emotions and feelings. Ignore the dead animals and rodentS you may find along your way and since cow is one of their god, you’re considered lucky if you step in one of their dung. I was pretty unlucky most of the time!

Number one rule of walking in the main streets of India is to keep going.  JUST KEEP MOVING! Do not stop. You don’t need the sidewalk, just move in the same direction as the vehicles or animal and you’ll be just fine.

I get several doses of thrills just by crossing the roads. It’s SO MUCH FUN! You have to be on high alert and have quick reflex in maneuvering between rickshaws, autos, cars, buses, cows, bulls, vans, dogs, and people!

I think I could write a 2 page article just on walking the streets of India. And when you’re in a narrow street and 3 huge bulls come right at you out of nowhere, brace yourself!

5. Cash: Always bring cash. Many other travelers and I faced a lot of problems with their ATM, it simply won’t withdraw or it’s out of cash. The latter is more common.

6. Accommodation: Hostels and family guest house is your best bet. Also, the best ones are usually fully booked but don’t worry! There are plenty of hostels and they can always accommodate you in the common area. I’ve stayed in a common area twice and they were just as good as having a bed. And if you just need a place for the day to drop your bag or have a power nap, some hostels have those options too!

These are my recommendation!

• Delhi: The Madpacker, Zostel
• Jaipur: Moustache
• Agra: Moustache, Zostel
• Varanasi: Stops Hostel

7. Food: Download Zomato to find the best food close to you!

8. Markets: There are so many markets in Delhi. My favorite ones are Janpath and Khan Market. Khan market is slightly on the upscale level while Janpath is very affordable. Both are great!

9. Taj Mahal: Buy your ticket online from https://asi.payumoney.com/#/ so you can be the first one to enter! Make sure to queue up at the Western or Southern gate by 5:45 a.m. and have your ticket printed and ready!

The mosque in Taj Mahal

10. Airport: Security in India are pretty tight even when it’s just domestic flight. Get there 2 hours prior to domestic flight and 3 hours for international flights. Make sure to have your boarding pass printed and get a tag for each carry on.

Go get your great Indian adventure! Live it now!

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