Varanasi Day Two

Woke up pre-dawn, quick shower and shave, then jumped into a van back down to the Ganges river. We took a boat from the dock, up to the primary place they perform cremations (no photography allowed). We were on the river as the sun rose. We got to see the locals coming down to bathe and wash their clothes in the filthy, sewage, polluted, corpse infested waters of the holy river they consider their mother. Talk about epic clash of ideas.



We drove through the University, and visited a Temple of Shiva. It was fairly modern, built only 60 years ago. We then visited another temple. 800 years old. Our guide Ravi explained that non-Hindus aren't allowed in the temple, and he didn't want to go in, but we could walk around inside and no one would hassle us (as long as we didn't take pictures). I took my shoes off and walked around inside. One of the Brahmins called me over, pointed at a statue and said "Shiva" a few times, then beckoned me closer.

He tapped my head and shoulders with a whisk similar to brooms, tied a simple black knotted string around my neck, poured some water from the Ganges into my hand and indicated I should pour it onto my head (which I did). He then put some red paint in a dot on my forehead, followed by a dot of ashes. Then asked for some money (I gave him 100 RU).

Participating in unfamiliar religious ceremonies is very interesting. It evoked the same sort of emotional response that I remember taking communion, or getting the ash on the forehead from ash Wednesday in my youth. A kind of "this is something special" feeling that rituals are suppose to cause in people.

I know these feelings aren't supernatural because I've experienced them before doing drugs, and the first time I was zapped with a violet ray (/hat-tip 3ric).

I want so desperately to yoke the good/healthy psychological benefits of such ritualizations, while making a clear distinction: this is not super-natural. This is real.

I'm thinking violet rays might be my angle.

Now I have colored hair, and a red/grey smear on my forehead. I could be wrong, but I think the hotel staff is treating me with slightly more respect and deference (which I didn't think was possible until it happened).

Current time 11:44
Next tour event: 12:00
Later tonight, I'm getting some kind of crazy pressure point massage. Totally stoked.