God's Own Constituency (3)
Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal's presence in the electoral field has added a long overdue importance to this eternal city. Otherwise for the journalists of the so-called national media , Varanasi is a dull news source on face value. Only once a week a journalist of national media can find a happening that can attract attention of metropolitan bhadraloks. So sometime active and successful journalist took their posting in Varanasi as punishment posting. But as and when someone discovers the soul value of the city he or she is bewildered - a stark realization that you have to cover not a city but an entire universe .And to be sure a poor journalist can not sit under a bodhivriksha on meditation to attain enlightenment , but simply to do news reporting.
Even if not to report, a journalist here can be reminded by an ordinary Banarasi that Dashashwamedha Ghat is the place there ten ashwamedha yagnas were performed; Mother Annapurna , the kitchen goddess adopted the name of Anna-prenna in Roman mythology; Rajrajeshwari, the presiding deity of Lalita Ghat had migrated to Egypt to become Isis on the banks of Nile; the Brahmins of Varanasi undertook a journey to Jerusalem to become priests; Lord Jesus had studied the scriptures on the Ganga Ghats, Adi Shankara was challenged by a Chandal regrading the nature of ultimate reality; the Lord Buddha had chosen this city to roll on wheel of Dharma .... and never ever say these are myths. In Varanasi, myths are reality and reality is a myth.
While mirroring the past , Varanasi also cradles a message for the 21st century. Annie Besant had announced that future civilization would be created in Kashi and California. The validity of this assertion can only be ascertained by experiencing life in both these cities. Not many Banarasis are fortunate enough to undertake a journey to California but many tourists from North America find their way here for a spiritual journey.
On the face value Varanasi is just like any other city of India, perhaps filthier and more chaotic. An ailing cow or a beggar or a widow dies on the pavement, uncared and unnoticed. The experience was worded by a 19th century British woman writer as : Varanasi is the saddest city on god's earth.
A few years ago , Elizabeth Turner , a tourist from Europe spend 3000 dollars to reach to the conclusion that Varanasi is hell. John Gustafsson, a Swedish chef as luckier - it cost him only a few hindered dollars to discover that the city is worse than hell. Still thousands of foreign tourists visit the city and many yearn to live here forever. If someone ever takes pain to measure happiness index , then city will be on top. And please to debate here.
The city is truly a global village. Citizens of virtually every continents, if not countries, can be seen walking on the roads and narrow lanes . The roads are no more than a street and galis resemble three or four feet wide tunnels. If a bull, vehicle of lord Shiva, decides a take a rest and becomes stationary , all movement in the gali gets blocked.
The continent called India is also very well represented in the city. In fact many ethnic groups have their own localities here, speaking their mother tongues and maintaining their distinctive way of life. But even a short stay in the city is enough to be initiated in Banarasisness. And the city accepts all open heatedly. the pandas, mallahs, minor guides and vendors speak many languages. Of course, their language has a very, very limited vocabulary ; the language of heart takes care of the rest.
Varanasi has many names- Kashi, Banaras, Avimukta. Maha Smashan and Ananda Kanan etc.
( Some inputs are taken from book Dateline Varanasi )
Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal's presence in the electoral field has added a long overdue importance to this eternal city. Otherwise for the journalists of the so-called national media , Varanasi is a dull news source on face value. Only once a week a journalist of national media can find a happening that can attract attention of metropolitan bhadraloks. So sometime active and successful journalist took their posting in Varanasi as punishment posting. But as and when someone discovers the soul value of the city he or she is bewildered - a stark realization that you have to cover not a city but an entire universe .And to be sure a poor journalist can not sit under a bodhivriksha on meditation to attain enlightenment , but simply to do news reporting.
Even if not to report, a journalist here can be reminded by an ordinary Banarasi that Dashashwamedha Ghat is the place there ten ashwamedha yagnas were performed; Mother Annapurna , the kitchen goddess adopted the name of Anna-prenna in Roman mythology; Rajrajeshwari, the presiding deity of Lalita Ghat had migrated to Egypt to become Isis on the banks of Nile; the Brahmins of Varanasi undertook a journey to Jerusalem to become priests; Lord Jesus had studied the scriptures on the Ganga Ghats, Adi Shankara was challenged by a Chandal regrading the nature of ultimate reality; the Lord Buddha had chosen this city to roll on wheel of Dharma .... and never ever say these are myths. In Varanasi, myths are reality and reality is a myth.
While mirroring the past , Varanasi also cradles a message for the 21st century. Annie Besant had announced that future civilization would be created in Kashi and California. The validity of this assertion can only be ascertained by experiencing life in both these cities. Not many Banarasis are fortunate enough to undertake a journey to California but many tourists from North America find their way here for a spiritual journey.
On the face value Varanasi is just like any other city of India, perhaps filthier and more chaotic. An ailing cow or a beggar or a widow dies on the pavement, uncared and unnoticed. The experience was worded by a 19th century British woman writer as : Varanasi is the saddest city on god's earth.
A few years ago , Elizabeth Turner , a tourist from Europe spend 3000 dollars to reach to the conclusion that Varanasi is hell. John Gustafsson, a Swedish chef as luckier - it cost him only a few hindered dollars to discover that the city is worse than hell. Still thousands of foreign tourists visit the city and many yearn to live here forever. If someone ever takes pain to measure happiness index , then city will be on top. And please to debate here.
The city is truly a global village. Citizens of virtually every continents, if not countries, can be seen walking on the roads and narrow lanes . The roads are no more than a street and galis resemble three or four feet wide tunnels. If a bull, vehicle of lord Shiva, decides a take a rest and becomes stationary , all movement in the gali gets blocked.
The continent called India is also very well represented in the city. In fact many ethnic groups have their own localities here, speaking their mother tongues and maintaining their distinctive way of life. But even a short stay in the city is enough to be initiated in Banarasisness. And the city accepts all open heatedly. the pandas, mallahs, minor guides and vendors speak many languages. Of course, their language has a very, very limited vocabulary ; the language of heart takes care of the rest.
Varanasi has many names- Kashi, Banaras, Avimukta. Maha Smashan and Ananda Kanan etc.
( Some inputs are taken from book Dateline Varanasi )
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