182) MONDAY, 26 DECEMBER 1977 : 8KMS. -
SARNATH
We got up before 5.30
a.m. and had some coffee for the morning, then we quickly
got into the tricycle to the bank of the Ganges, arrived just in time as the sun rising
from the horizon. Once again ....we rented
a boat, moving along the sacred Ganges river.
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| The Ganges river at dawn - http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com |
There were not too
many people bathing, some were standing in the water, eyes closed, hands clasped murmuring spells. Some people
would worship the sun I
saw many people used their two hands
to scoop up some
water in the hands. Then they let the water flow down into the
river like devoting merits. Some were diving up and down
for 5 times or 4
times, according to the Hindu belief to have a dip in the Ganges
at Varanasi before
sunrise, and ended with paying respect to the sun accompanied by the sacrifice ritual
of Brahman.
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| Bathing in the Ganges - Photo : mw-panoramio.com / Google images search |
It was a bit cool in the early morning but it seemed not cold for those people on ghats to take a bath with fervor. Our boat passed through the washing ghat. There were people standing washing clothes
by beating them with rocks in a row and let them dry under the sun on the floor or steps. Some were
unloading clothes down from
donkeys that
carried them. On certain ghats, there were some sadhus or ascetics, bathing and meditating on the waterfront.
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| Laundry time - http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com |
It was remarkable, incidentally that most men sat side by side together on the riverbank by the walk- paths doing
their morning toilets without shame.
Some were brushing their teeth with
a popular Indian branch
of the toothbrush
or the mustard plant (Salvadora persica)
looks like Neem)
at the same time.
Some were doing their personal business,
sitting with their faces to the Ganges. They were not embarassed by passing
boats in the Ganges or passers-by and by those people taking a
bath as well, who seemed indifferent and uninterested. It was
even worse, as when these people finished their business, they continued to carry their sarongs or little piece of loincloths revealing the forefront
and buttocks completely, walking down to wash
themselves in
the sacred river Ganges in deserted parts of the bank. It was really
a naive nature !
I saw this in India,
but it reminded me to similar practice
in Kabul in Afghanistan
that it was so common to happen at the parks, around the walls and into the dried river of Kabul as well.
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| Manikarnika Ghat - Photo : varanasicityonline.com / Google images search |
The boat brought us to the dock at the funeral ghat this morning. There were bodies wrapped in white cloth and tied up ready to be cremated with a reflection in the river. I took it
with awareness of live and death. The undertaker was
preparing firewood on scale.
It would deal soon.
Anicca vata
sankhara — "Impermanent, alas, are all formations!" (Buddhism)
We got off the boat when
the sun rose highly above, it was around 8:30
a.m. We kept walking to the north of the
pier to view bathing rituals like yesterday. We passed the cremation of one another. There were two burning places and a cow was
standing looking at them. The
person responsible for cremation was standing
nearby.
At one of the cremation ,
I saw feet sticking out. In the river,
birds were standing and awaiting on bamboos
floating (they probably could smell burning flesh). As a
Hindu. cremation is
not a function of relatives. It is the responsibility of undertakers.
That was why we did not see any family members waiting around to set fire to burn. Besides, it is
considered as unclean to mingle with a corpse. In 1829, when the British
occupied India, the “Sati(Satee)” was canceled/prohibited - tradition of Hinduism,
a Hindu woman whose husband died had to walk into the
burning fire to death by her
husband as well.
There was a Hanuman temple in the nearby area, where there were
men came to train
in bodybuilding by
raising the weight pendulum to swing over
the shoulders. It is customary
exercise or traditional Indian culture….., a popular spot for the young Indian.
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| Dhamek Stupa -http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com |
In the afternoon, we continued our trip to SARNATH, where
the Lord Buddha gave the first sermon to the five deciples (Panja
Waccis)in the area of deer garden or a forest of Maruekhathayawan.
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| http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com |
There were ruins of temples and stupas scattered in a wide area, mostly built in the reign of Emperor Ashoka. There remains a pile of rocks or
the base of the building and most of the remaining Dhamekh
Stupa (6th century), very beautiful decoration art as noted from
some of the
remains.
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| SARNATH - http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com |
Around Dhamekh Stupa, it is a temple and square stupa like in Bodh Gaya. Within the
base of the Buddha image, inside the temple, there are bone relics
of Gautama Buddha. The walls are beautifully painted with the life of the Lord
Buddha by a skilled Japanese painter.
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| Me and Lhasa Apso BHALU - http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com |
Surrounding the Temple
is open air museum of China (Beijing, built in 1939) but there
are also a
Tibetan temple and the one from Thailand (in 1977)....
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| http://munichtomadras1977.blogspot.com |
It
is remarkable that both the Lord
Buddha’s birth place in BODH GAYA and SARNATH are of wide areas
and have been maintained very well. Although Buddhism
Is not the main religion in India . it is evident that
the Buddhist faith and the prosperity of Buddhism is quite
in high level and
somewhat stable (no entrance fees but revenue came from donations. I
gave for donation RS. 5.-).
At night about 22.30 p.m., a rainy
storm was so strong and scary. The storm shook our campervan and the lighting at the entrance of
the Museum was flickering caused
by thunder and lightning but it quickly disappeared remarkably.
