Varanasi-The Home of Mother Ganges

Everyday is packed with a variety of site visits and activities. We spent the past 3 days in Varansi, which is considered the holiest city in India. Varanasi is home to the Mother Ganges, the holy river for the Hindu people. We went to the Ganges ghats (which means ‘access’ in Hindi). There are 32 ghats that access the River Ganges in Varanasi. It is there that the Hindu people go to get spiritual nourishment and bathe. It is also where cremations take place and the deceased are brought to rest with Mother Ganges. In the evening we took a boat ride down the Ganges and saw a variety of different activities, including a tea ceremony prayer, candle offering dance and singing. While we were there we met two young girls who were selling flowers and candles as offerings for the Mother Ganges. I spent a good amount of time talking to the girls. Ricky and Soma, ages 10 and 12, have been selling flowers at the ghats since they were 5 years old. Neither of the girls have ever been to school, yet they spoke excellent English. They learned English at the ghats they said, along with some Spanish, German and French. Ricky wants to be a doctor someday, she told me. Such beautiful girls! In the city of Varansi only about 30% of the children go to school. The education system in India is not free. The cost to attend school is about 800 Rupees per month, which is the equivalent of approximately $20 US dollars. This is not affordable for most.

The next day we awoke at 4AM to return to the Ganges. We arrived early to see the sunrise on the river. We took a boat to the ghats where the cremations are conducted. Out of respect, I did not photograph the bodies that were being cremated at the river's edge. Some of the people in our group saw the body of a deceased person in the river. This I did not see, and I am thankful for that. Even more so, some of my colleagues witnessed a dog eating charred remains. At another ghat about 50 feet away, individuals washed and swam as well as drank from the Mother Ganges.

Later in the day we went to meet individuals who started a grassroots organization to try to clean-up the Ganges. Their objective to clean up the Ganges is an important one. However, they have not been very successful in getting their message out, educating the community, trying to motivate the community to get involved, raise funds for the cause and push for change in public policy. The group began their efforts in 1982. Unfortunately, they have made little progress after 25 years. One aspect of my Fulbright grant proposal included noting my interested in going to India to research and seek-out potential projects for future humanitarian aid work. When I return from India and Sri Lanka I intend to look into different ways that I may be able to assist with the "Clean Ganges" project.

One day we drove outside Varansi to a small village, poplulation 8,000. In the village, we were given a tour of the school where we met many children. We also visited a small chutney factory and several individuals who make saris. The sari-makers spend approximately 14 hours per day weaving saris; and each sari takes between 20-25 days to make. On average, the weavers are able to sell their sari for approximately 3,000 Rupees (approximately $75 US dollars).

We visited a private school just outside Varanasi called the Krishnamurti School. Krishnamurti is a famous Indian philosopher and teacher. I have read one of his books, Think On These Things, and for the past 8 years I have regularly reflected on some of his teachings. Two of his core teachings concern compassion and diminishing the ego. I often reflect on his idea that 'one’s ego is like fog on a window; you cannot see clearly until you wipe it away'.

We met with several students at the Krishnamurti School. A young girl in the 10th grade explained to me how the teachings of Krishnamurti permeate all of their academic lessons. We visited students in classrooms of various disciplines. I was especially excited to go to the art room. My students will appreciate seeing the Indian children working on pottery wheels and hand-built sculptures in the same way they do.

Just north of Varanasi is Sarnath, the birthplace of Buddhism. We visited the site where Sidhartha Buddha gave his first sermon after attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya in North India. In Sarnath, the Buddha described his philosophy of the four paths to five disciples. On e the site were a variety of stupas, monastaries and temples.

Yesterday evening we left Varanasi and took an overnight train to Calcutta (Kolcata). We arrived this morning at 10AM. It wasn't too bad. I was able to sleep for most of the trip. From what we have seen in Calcutta so far, the city of 13 million is very metropolitan. Late in the afternoon we visited The Mother Teressa Center Missionaries of Charity. This is the site where Mother Teressa lived and worked. Her tomb is also on site. I had a very emotional response to being at the center. I am so pleased that we were able to make it there just shortly before they closed for the night.