Varanasi – an ancient city with a quintessential taste of Indianism!
My recent visit to Varanasi, an ancient city in the state of Uttar Pradesh was truly educational and entertaining at the same time.
Unlike modern cities in India and abroad, Varanasi imbibes the rich cultural and religious heritage and wears the tag of the “one of the world’s oldest continually inhabited cities” with a sense of pride. The narrow lanes, unique to the city, proudly retain and reflect its rich historical past, filled with a sense of human bonding, where artisans and denizens from different walks of life and diverse ethnic backgrounds work together as one team in every element of life, from everyday religious services to its bustling silk trade.
On the spiritual and religious front, Varanasi is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage destinations and as such has played a very vital role in shaping both India’s spiritual traditions as well as its history. Even today, millions of Hindus do a ‘tirtha’ to both the Kashi Viswanath Temple and “Ma Ganga” or the River Ganges every year. Visiting the temples and ghats or riverbanks to see the morning and evening Ganga Aartis was truly mesmerizing! Thousands of people were chanting and praising not just God in a defined form (Hindu deity) but also a form of nature, i.e., “Ma Ganga” – it then dawned on me how central and important of an element nature has been in the Indian psyche as well as spiritual life for thousands of years, be it fire, water, or animal welfare, and how much sometimes we forget or take those for granted. It is no wonder that when the world speaks of environmental consciousness, they often refer to India as a leading light – I just hope and pray that our younger generations continue to respect and reflect upon this long-standing tradition!
What was also remarkable to notice was that despite being a Hindu pilgrimage site, the lanes, and by-lanes (alleys) of Varanasi are composed of an eclectic mix of Hindus, Muslims, and Christians who live and have lived in harmony for hundreds of years, sharing tasks and harnessing their skills jointly to contribute to every facet of Varanasi’s life. This amalgamation of social and cultural bonding across ethnic/religious groups in Varanasi is best reflected in the remarkable number of trades and crafts that have been recognized through GI tags – the ‘Banaras Brocades and Saris’, Handmade Carpet of Bhadohi (GI: Sept 3, 2010), Banaras Gulabi Meenakari Craft (GI: March 23, 2015), Varanasi Wooden Lacquerware & Toys (GI: March 30, 2015), Mirzapur Handmade Durries (GI: March 30, 2015), Banaras Metal Repousse Craft (GI: May 31, 2016), Varanasi Glass Beads (GI: Nov 10, 2016), Ghazipur Wall Hanging (GI: March 28, 2018), and Varanasi Soft Stone Jali Work (GI: March 28, 2018). When spirituality is pure it benefits society in more ways than one – certainly financial and commercial! But is Varanasi a model city in every way? Probably not. Things aren’t always in order, it lacks cleanliness in most areas, and traffic is chaotic as people maze around. But it
serves as a great reminder of the importance of spiritual upliftment, religious rituals, and social vibrancy in an increasingly materialistic world – be it simply letting the “Ganga Ma” take away all negative vibes as she has done for hundreds of years or feeling the ‘anekta mein ekta’ i.e., being Indian regardless of your caste, creed, or religion in the pursuit of excellence. Varanasi is an experience, especially for those who want to understand what it means to be quintessentially Indian