Varanasi

A Malaysian photographer, who'd quit his high up management job to travel and shoot told me one night over a bhang lassi that if someone could only visit one place in India and come anywhere close to understanding the country, it would be Varanasi.

I had to agree with him. Situated on the Ganges, Varanasi is India's holiest city. Bathing in the waters, polluted with sewage, ash, chemicals, garbage, and severed limbs ironically cleanses the soul of all its sins. Shiva is strong here and being cremated on the banks, then dumped in the river releases the soul from the cycle of rebirth. Dying here does the same, so the sick come here to die. Kings from all over India built lavish hospice palaces where they ended their lives. Pilgrims travel from everywhere for a plunge, a once in a lifetime journey. The banks and ghats are lined with rainbow processions of women, clad in pink, orange, red, green, and blue saris with bags balanced on their heads, singing in joy for having finally reached the holy place. Funeral processions go on endlessly; the people chanting along the way. There is nothing to do but press against the walls of the narrow streets as groups ranging in size from two to fifty carry their passed loved ones to the ganga for burning. Joy and sorrow mix together in a crazy sensory feast. And oddly enough, it's such a holy feeling place, it feels relaxing.

It is also one of the most popular tourist towns in India and with it, the touts and scams. Walking the ghats conjures an endless flood of people offering boat rides, one of the best ways to experience the city. I had quite a traumatic experience one day. Photographing the cremations is understandably taboo. The cremation happens just in front of a complex of beautiful temples. I stopped to snap one photo, careful to not get any burning bodies in my shot. 100 meters up the river, two men pushed me and exploded in angry yelling.

"You can't photograph the burning!"

"I didn't!" trying to sound strong, "I was taking a photo of the temple behind."

"Don't lie, we saw you take a photo of the burning."

"No really, I didn't!" I pulled out my camera and showed them the photo. "See, only temples."

One of the men pointed to the far bottom right corner at a black smudge not bigger than a dot. "See, smoke, right there!"

"No man, it's just temples."

"How dare you disrespect our culture!" The other yelled.

I knew I was right, but I tried to appease them. "Fine, I'll delete it." And I did. "There, happy!"

"Don't delete it motherfucker!"

"You're in big fucking trouble you shit!" The other chimed in.

"Why? I didn't photograph the burning, and you know it."

"Come with us. I'm taking you to the police. You're gonna pay!"

"No, I'm not."

The other one got in my face. "How dare you treat our culture like that. How dare you disrespect the families."

One of them grabbed my arm and started pulling me. "Come to the ghat and apologize."

"I'm not going anywhere!" wrenching my arm free. "You just want to rob me. I'm not an idiot!"

"We're taking you the police."

"No, I'm taking you to the police, the police I find." I started walking the other way, hoping police did in fact exist in that direction.

"Come with us!"

"No, you come with me!"

Finally they backed down. "Fine then, go. But don't let us see you around here again, or we'll fuck you up."

I knew the two people were not in fact any family of the deceased, but merely scammers cashing in on an opportunity to get me alone to rob me. Either way, I heeded the warning and avoided that chunk of the river, sticking instead to the narrow streets of the old city. Varanasi is a literal labyrinth, with dead ends and all. One doesn't choose a destination and walk to it, one wanders around and hopes to stubble on it. Getting lost was kinda fun, especially when there was a good sweet shop. At first, I had a list of sights I wished to see, but within a couple of hours, I ditched my plans; Varanasi is a town you feel, not see. Still, it's a beautiful place. Few India experiences are more iconic than sitting on a row boat, beneath a grand palace or great temple, seeing happy Hindus taking that once in a lifetime splash. No place is more India than this.