Varanasi

Varanasi is one of the holiest places in India. Hindu pilgrims come to the Ganges River (or River Ganga as it is called here)  to wash away their sins in the water or to cremate. Dying in Varanasi or being cremated here offers moksha (liberation from the life death cycle).

The first day in Varanasi was a huge change from south India and totally stimulating for the entire time. In the morning we took a auto-rickshaw to the Ganges and walked around, starting at the southern most ghat, the Assi Ghat and walking north along the Ganges River. Away from the water, there are many winding, narrow alleyways that are full of shops and restaurants. The monkeys use these narrow alleyways to their advantage and steal food from the offerings that people make to Ganesh (the Hindu elephant god). The great restaurants are easy to miss although they are worth being persistent and seeking out. For lunch we went to a place called the Brown Bread Bakery which is a restaurant associated with an NGO that supports a women's empowerment group and a school for children. Everything is organic and instead of chairs, there are cushions and low tables to hang out around.

In the evening, we went to a light festival called the Ganga Aarta on the water. We took a row boat out on the river as the sun was setting and the light ceremony was being set up. The first stop with our boat was the burning ghat in which people would bring their deceased relatives to be cremated on the shore of the Ganges. At this ghat you are not allowed to take photographs because of respect to the families. This ghat has a much quieter and somber mood compared to all the excitement at the other Ghats. Cremation happens at this ghat 24 hours a day and only the male members of the family are allowed to participate. Apparently the women cry too much and this means that the person does not have a good death. At this point I was really moved by how spiritual Hindu culture is in India and how different their perception to death is to that of western culture.

(piles of wood from the burning ghat)


After seeing the burning ghat we were taken back to the main ghat where the Ganga Aarta was being held. At this point I wished that I knew some more Hindi to better understand the chants. This ceremony featured fire and dance by 7 Hindu priests on shore. At the beginning of the Ganga Aarta, we each lit a lotus flower candle and set it adrift on the water. Before releasing the lotus flower candle you have to first think of someone dead then someone who is alive and make a wish for them. I thought that this was a good opportunity for me to be a part of the spirituality of Varanasi without sharing the same religion or beliefs.

When we returned to the hotel after a day at the ghats there was a wedding happening in the parking lot and the yard. I think that we must have shown up at the beginning of the wedding because the whole wedding party was having a dance party with an entire marching band in the parking lot before they actually entered the area where the wedding was set up. The bride was nowhere to be seen but the groom was the center of attention, dancing with the wedding party wearing a red and gold hat. I learned later that the bride was inside because there are particular steps that must be followed in an Indian wedding. Everyone seemed to be having a great time dancing together. I observed some Bollywood dances moves and also the typical corny dance moves from all weddings.

I was standing outside watching everything happen with a few of my friends and a man from the wedding approached me and asked me to join the wedding. He seemed to be the crazy brother and had to ask some of the family if I could join.  He took me over to meet the groom and some of the family. I felt really under dressed because I was not expecting to be going to a wedding but there was a warm welcome from the people in the wedding. I was told that I could come and join the actual wedding inside. I asked if the 3 other friends I was with could also come and they said that that was alright. We were about to go into the wedding when about 10 more of our friends showed up at the hotel and wanted to join the wedding as well. We thought that it would be too much of an imposition to get everyone into the wedding so we didn't end up going all the way in the wedding, however, we did dance with the band for a little while and entertained the wedding party.

On our second day in Varanasi we woke up at 5:00am to get to the Ganges for 6 and take a boat tour of the ghats in the morning. As the sun was setting the Ganges was full of activity. There were people meditating and praying along the shore, doing yoga, washing clothes, and bathing in the water. It was very beautiful and much more peaceful than the previous night.

We were dropped off on shore at the burning ghat and went to the Vishwanath Temple. It is the most popular Hindu temple in Varanasi which is also called the Golden Temple.
Later on we went to Saranath, where Buddha gave his first sermon. It was interesting to learn more about Buddism because Hinduism is the dominant religion in India. We also saw the Bendares Hindu University, which is the largest university in Asia. The campus was very calm and relaxing on a Friday afternoon and was a quiet break from the excitement of the ghats. The campus had wide tree-lined streets and plenty of park areas where students were studying, talking, and playing soccer and cricket.

Our last stop on the tour on the second day was at a place where they hand wove silk. I was surprised about how time consuming the whole process was. There was one man working at the silk loom and we were told that he worked 8 hour days and in such time he would make about 10 cm of the fabric. Each silk sari must take a very long time to make because each one has to be the same length. The benefit of making silk by hand as opposed to using a machine is that you can have more elaborate detail in the fabric.

After we were shown how the silk was made, we were taken to the shop next door. At this store they sold ties, scarves, bedding, and saris and they must have felt like they hit the jackpot having such a large group of tourists in their shop. The men who worked at this shop capitalized on the opportunity and pulled out so many items for us to look at. A very common saying here is "looking is free" because they know that if they show someone with money enough beautiful things a sale is very likely. There is a huge cushion on the floor and everyone sat around and told the sales people what they like and the sales people piled up one item after another until they found something to buy.

In the evening we took an auto-rickshaw back from dinner and what should have been a 20 minute ride turned into an hour drive that could only take 4 blocks from where we wanted to go. The reason for the unusually long drive was because there were so many weddings happening around the city. The streets were full of parades of people involved in the wedding. In the parades there were marching bands, big cars with huge music speakers, fireworks, and people carrying torches and lights over their heads. It was so exciting to see and I was almost glad to have a longer ride so that I could see the weddings. At points the traffic was literally stopped and our driver turned off the engine because the wedding events had taken up the street.

The last day in Varanasi was very relaxed. My friend Julie and I walked around the ghats for one last time, going back to some of our favourite places. Even though the water is very polluted I thought that I should take the opportunity to dip my feet into the Ganges.

On our way through one of alleyways to our favourite lunch place, the Brown Bread Bakery, we stopped in a shop that sold some cool hippy shirts that we liked. After picking out the shirts that we liked we were ready to start the bargaining process when the owner of the shop was insistent that we come and see his photo album in the next room. We did not want to stay in the shop too long but were too polite to refuse. He was so proud to show his pictures of Goldie Hawn (famous Hollywood actress and mother of Kate Hudson) in his store. According to the shop owner, every time Goldie Hawn comes to India (which is once every few years apparently) she comes to his store and buys pashminas. There was an old picture of the shop owner and Goldi Han from the 70s when the store owner had hair. There was also an entire photo album that the man had from one more recent visit that Goldie Hawn made to his store.

Hyderabad

We finished our exams in Mysore on Friday after a stressful five exams in four days. I was able to pick up on Indian mannerisms and styles of teaching through class with my Indian professors.  First of all, the Indian professors had a very traditional teaching style in that they would lecture facts and opinions to us that we were supposed to accept instead of critically analyse. Our science and technology teacher was famous for making broad statements in his classes. I remember that one of his slides said, "The economy is the core of society". I enjoyed my Women and Gender class because I was able to better understand the Indian family dynamic and Indian marriages. In terms of gender equality and women's rights, I think that there is progress being made in the form of a rising women's movement, however there is a long way to go. Hindi class was very challenging, however, I am glad that I took it. I am now able to write and read the alphabet, make simple sentences, and I know some vocabulary like numbers, colours, family members, and animals. In the train station from Mysore to Hyderabad I was able to make out some words in Hindi that were said over the loud speaker (mostly the numbers one to five- eik, tho, tiin, char, panch). I have made the observation that Indians have an equivalent of the Canadian expression, "eh", which is the expression, "isn't it?". This expression would be used by the professors when they were teaching. After they had made a point they would say "isn't it?" without really expecting a response and then go on with the lesson.

On Saturday we left Mysore and started travelling to the north. It was nice to stay in Mysore and have more time to explore the city, however, it is exciting to be travelling again. Leaving Mysore marks the halfway point in my semester abroad and a big change in going from the south to the north. South India has been very calm and the people have been very kind. From what I have heard, the north is a little rougher in that the cities are bigger, the begging is more aggressive, and you have to be smart about getting a fair deal for everything that you buy. Many of the cities in the north are more modern and have a definite western influence. The food is also supposed to be much heavier than in the south.

Hyderabad is the considered the old city and Secunderabad is the new part of the city. Together they are known as the twin cities. Secunderabad is strongly influenced by the rising middle class in India and a western influence.

In the morning of the first day in Hyderabad we went to a well known market downtown called the Ladd Bazar. It was situated in the old part of the city and it has the majority of the city's pearl trade. The government has certified several jewelry shops in the area as being authentic quality. Since it was Sunday, many of the stalls and shops were closed so we were not able to see the market in full affect.

Hyderabad is a large city and it has is more modern than any of the cities in the south that I have seen thus far. The streets are much cleaner and the sidewalks are not only present but they are also easy to walk on. In many other cities, you have to watch your step because the side of the road is very rocky and there will be pot holes that you have to look out for.

My friend and I went out looking for a trendy restaurant that we heard about called Le Cafe D'Art and decided that we would not be able to find it after a 30 minute walk around the same area. The address was only the street number and people in the area sent us in all directions looking for the place but we could not find it. This is a very typical occurrence in India and I have gotten used to the fact that things do not always work out the way you expect them to, especially with business. Instead of heading back to the hotel we decided to check out the mall that was in the area. Stepping into the mall was just like being in a mall in North America. It was Sunday night at about 8:00 pm but the mall was full and everything was open. Being in the mall made me very aware of the rising middle class in India.

After the mall we went to a very fancy restaurant called Fusion 9 for dinner. This restaurant had soft lighting, wood floors, and a nice bar in the middle of the seating area. It was the kind of place that I would not be able to afford at home because I am a student (gotta love that exchange rate) with water that is three times more expensive and salads that cost more than main courses at other Indian restaurants. We definitely felt as though we were being spoiled (especially because we spent the previous night on a loud, dirty overnight train in third class).  The bathrooms were also really nice at this restaurant- very clean with toilet paper and soap. I have been to some very scary bathrooms in India and I have gotten used to bringing my own toilet paper and hand sanitiser everywhere that I go. It was nice to have a bathroom with all of the comforts of home.

On the second day in Hyderabad we went to a fort in the morning, which was very impressive because of its size. The fort had stone steps that to the top of the fort where there was a really good view of the city.

We spent the afternoon at the horse races. I had never been to a horse race before and thought that this would be the best place to make a bet. I did the minimum bet of 100 rupees (2 dollars) on a horse called All the Fun mostly based on the name and unfortunately did not win. Everyone that I was with either lost 200 rupees or won just over 100 rupees at the end of the day. It was a very relaxing afternoon at the horse races. The stands were in the shade and there was a nice view of the city in the background of the race track. At the snack bar we could get samosas, pastries, pop, chai, and milky coffee and enjoy at we watched the races.
The race track was full of men with their stats books keeping track of the results of races and planning their next big bet. At one point in an intermission between races we were put on the jumbo tron at the track and when we put our hands up and waved they put us on the jumbo tron two more times. I don't think that it is a normal occurrence for a group of white tourists, mostly women to go to the race tracks and bet.

Many of the men we very willing to tell us about their betting strategy and would show us their card when their horse won. We met one man who had won 20 lack (thousand) rupees the previous day at the tracks and he could tell us everything about the horses in each race. My friend decided to put his money on the man's top choice for the last race and he ended up winning.

In the evening we went to a craft show along the water then to a restaurant with an amazing view called Waterfront. Just like the other dinner that I ate in Hyderabad this place was very fancy. The restaurant was right on the lake with a patio and a dinning room with huge glass windows overlooking the water. On a small island in the middle of the lake there is a huge Buddha statue that is lit up at night and there are water fountains all around the lake for aesthetic affect.

Hyderabad was a nice, comfortable city to spend time in and I think that it gave me a great insight into the life of the middle class in India. Tomorrow we have a 23 hour train ride to Varanasi.

Hampi

Hampi is a world heritage site with amazing ruins from one of the largest Hindu empires in Indian history. The ruins are separated into two areas, the sacred center and the royal center. We took a day long tour through these ruins and they were incedible. It was amazing to turn the corner and see another temple, bathing area, or set of arches with such intricate architecture from so long ago. Many of the temples and statues were carved from a single stone.  There were also some ruins that had a Muslim influence. Walking through the ruins is very hot as the sun is intense and there is not much shade.

We are staying at a guest house around the Hampi Bazar. This area is full of hippy tourists, both young and old.  Today I saw a male backpacker walking around Hampi with the same shirt that I bought a few weeks ago in India. It is a purple shirt that I thought was clearly feminine, but he could pull it off because of his laid back style. I thought that it was really funny how you could not tell from behind if a tourist was male or female because the guys wore the same baggy pants as the girls and many of them had long hair.

The vibe around Hampi is very relaxed. There is no rush to get anywhere and people are always friendly enough to stop and talk.

The Hampi Bazar area is a village full of affordable accommodation, shops, and restaurants (the majority of which are either on a rooftop or outside). The shopping is really good. They sell your typical crazy Ali Baba pants that only the tourists wear as well as quality silver jewelry, leather bags and wallets (made from camel), hand made wall hangings, and clothing.Many of the stores will have samples of clothing on display in the store and you can have your own clothing tailored in the style and fabric that you choose. This was especially important for me because I have been having trouble getting clothes that are long enough to fit my arms and legs. I had a skirt and shirt made for me at one store.

At night we went for dinner at a place called Mango Tree then went back for lunch the next day. This restaurant is a short walk from the main street through a banana plantation and it is located under an enormous mango tree by the riverbank. In keeping with the vibe of Hampi, the restaurant is very chill and there are short tables with cushions to sit on the ground and eat.  You have to remove your shoes at the door as everyone is barefoot. It was restaurant had a good atmosphere during both of our meals there.

Hampi has a ban on alcohol although the restaurants, cafes, and shops are open late and the ban does not affect the nightlife. There is live music most nights.

Mysore

We are staying in Mysore for three and a half weeks studying so I am able to get a better sense of the city. We are staying a little bit out of the city but are easily able to take a rickshaw downtown in about 10 to 15 minutes (costing about $1.50).

(View of Mysore from the 1,000 steps up to Chamundi Hill)


We are staying at a catholic residence in an area surrounded by a Muslim neighborhood. I have seen several woman in the full burka (black veil that covers the entire face) although they do not all wear this. The neighborhood is very well kept-the streets were clean and the houses are beautiful. Most of the houses have flat roofs and they are painted different colours.

The catholic residence that we are staying at is dorm style accommodation and the meals are served in a cafeteria.  There is a curfew of 9:30pm when the gates lock so we have to hurry back from downtown when it gets late. Because of the Muslim population around our residence, several times a day there is something called the "Call to Prayer" which we can not miss. It is a really loud call out of a speaker of a man yelling out a chant. It starts at about 5:00am in the morning and wakes us up every morning and also happens at different times throughout the day.  Our Hindi teacher says that they are calling "Allah". She also said that although it is something that happens everyday and everyone can clearly hear it, you can not talk about it in public. Apparently Muslims are very sensitive to this and it can lead to conflict. Religion is so deeply ingrained in Indian culture that events such as the call to prayer happen everyday without question.

While staying in Mysore we are having yoga classes in the mornings on the roof of our residence. We start at 7:15am and the sun is setting as we start yoga. I am really enjoying yoga for the relaxed feeling that I get after class and because I feel my flexibility slowly increasing.

The central point of downtown is Mysore Palace. Situated downtown, around the palace are multiple tailoring shops, stores for jewelry and textiles, restaurants, and a market.

Mysore is known for its sandalwood and silk and you are able to purchase both of these downtown. There are many large silk emporiums that have a huge stock of silk scarves, shirts, and saris at pretty reasonable prices. As opposed to shopping at home where everything is on display or hung up and you are able to find what you like, shopping in India involves much more personal attention and service from the sales people at stores.

There will be walls full of scarves and you have to get help from a salesperson to pick one that you would like to purchase. First they will ask you what you are looking for and then they will continue to bring out more options that they think that you will like until you decide what you will finally take. It can be a very overwhelming process because of the sheer volume of products that they have available. Each new scarf that they bring out will be totally unique from all the others. It gets to the point where the counter is full of scarves in a tall pile and all of the scarves that you decide not to get have to be neatly folded and placed back on the shelves by the salesperson.

I really enjoy the market and have made a few trips there already. It is nice to just walk through  or pick up just about anything that you need. In the market there are stalls for flowers, soap, fruits and vegetables, spices, dyes, jewelry, and kitchen ware. The market is open late so we can go after class and then go out for dinner.

We found a stall where there was a young boy who had collected old pictures of Hindu gods from rural villages and put them in unique picture frames. For each picture, he could tell you the story behind it.
This market has a very good section for incense and essential oils. If you go to the market on Tuesdays, you can watch them make the incense and even try yourself. We read in the Lonely Planet about the best stall to go to for incense and essential oils and went there. The owner of the stall is a charismatic man who speaks English really well. His products are very good quality and his prices were really good. He recommended a restaurant that we should go to close by.

If we didn't know about this restaurant, we would have never known to go to it. From the street there is a door that is situated between two stores that seem to be closed down. We walked up the stairs to a rooftop patio restaurant that overlooks downtown Mysore. Sitting on the rooftop you are just high enough to have a peaceful dinner while still experiencing the downtown. The food was really good and the atmosphere was better.