Full of emporiums
selling silks and
brocades, Varanasi is
a shopper’s paradise
but more than this, an
opportunity to step back
in time and immerse
yourself in the rich
culture of the country.
64
India is a country that I had always
wanted to visit but had never had the
opportunity. A subcontinent in its own
right, I knew that to begin to do it justice
would require more than the usual two
weeks of summer sun. And so, after
much careful thought and planning, it
was India I set my mind to and my heart
upon.
Arriving in Delhi, as the majority of
international flights do, I was surprised
at how relatively calm the airport was
compared to the descriptions I had heard
and read. Delhi itself, India’s capital, like
so many capitals, is a vast city with its
cultural heart at the centre. The traffic,
like many cities in India, is chaotic.
Rather than obeying the rules of the road,
drivers use their horns incessantly and
woe betide anyone who isn’t listening!
Delhi is first port of call for most
travellersarriving in India but it is not a
place to linger. The cultural heart of Old
Delhi is best explored on foot but having
taken in the sights of the Jama Majid
Mosque (the largest in India) and the
splendour of the Red Fort, the traditional
home of the Moghul emperors, it was
time to escape the hustle and bustle.
Driving to the railway station for an
overnight sleeper to my next stop took
me through the tree lined boulevards
of New Delhi and its fine, colonial and
government buildings built but the British
Raj and designed by Edwin Lutyens in
the early years of the twentieth century.
Delhi’s main railway terminal, the hub
that serves much of the extensive rail
network in northern India, was a hive of
activity. Having located my carriage in
plenty of time with the help of the porters
(whose strength and ability to carry vast
amounts of luggage amazed me), my
train to Varanasi, India’s most sacred city,
departed promptly and on time.
To call the train a “sleeper” is probably
a misnomer as very little sleep was
possible due to the constant blast of the
air conditioning, the toing and froing of
passengers embarking and disembarking
throughout the night, and the cries of the
chai boy at all hours. I arrived in Varanasi
the next morning, somewhat bleary eyed!
Varanasi, as it turned out, would be my
favourite place in India. Located on the
river Ganges, it is one of India’s most
holy cities and stands at the centre of
the Hindu universe. Apart from the
plethora of tourists, there are thousands
of pilgrims, wandering holy men (Sadhus)
and religious leaders from all over the
country.
Varanasi is a city for exploring. Made
up a maze of narrow lanes with a temple
around every corner, it is full of colour,
vibrancy and noise. Leading down to the
Ganges are the ghats, steps down which