The Banaras story!!

    Credit: Isha Foundation


 Before arriving in Kashi, I had been doing lot of readings on the scriptures giving detailed information on the oldest cities of the earth. Kashi is an abode of lord Shiva who still resides in the form of Kashi Vishwanath! Its a place where liberation is for sure for the virtuous beings.
Many bodies ( I won’t say human , as human has to be a conscious being ) come to Kashi before they die for liberation,  but liberation won’t be possible before you shed your desires and That's the hardest truth..

                                         Credit: Isha Foundation


I wont get into where all we stayed and what we did! This blog is particularly on the spiritual experiences I gained during our Kashi visit. If you see Kashi is more like a Yantra ( To keep it simple yantra ( machine) can be anything from a place to device that can be utilized for the betterment of the humankind) 

I am using this statement because during my last visit to London, in  Victoria and Albert museum the entire map of Kashi city as Yantra was placed at the entrance of INDIA section! Showing Kashi Vishwanath at the center of it with radius on five kilometers. Also many videos of Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev says the same.  Yes indeed, all the temples are placed in strategic locations as per my observations during my visit. They are in the same places as mentioned in the map if you study minutely.

Now what is this Yantra all about? We have to remember that we all are part of supreme divine but clinged with desires, desires to get something! Kashi is the place where if you follow proper rituals you can be tuned to the ultimate source. Its not only the statement, you have to be receptive enough to feel it, but god, we all are worried about where our next food will come from, through whom we can get money for existence and which is the next plot we are going buy!! Isnt it? You have to use your body in such a way that your receptive to divine energies and it is only possible through controlling desires , through proper meditation and eating the  righteous food..

The city of kashi is based on River Ganga ( most auspicious river in our Hindu culture), I saw people taking baths and doing all kind of rituals in it. I strongly feel in this kaliyug, its time to create flow of ganga within yourself! There is no point in making the water unhygienic. Your sins are shredded if you take bath, utter nuisance, first of all a conscious mind will never ever dare to do such sins. No point in doing sins purposefully and then trying to clear it. 

 There are almost 88 ghats in Kashi named after many saints, kings and peer fakirs. There are two ghats specifically would like to mentioned, Harishchandra Ghat and Manikarnika Ghat, where mortals are given fire! Approximate 100 plus bodies are burnt in Manikarnika Ghat and Harishchandra Ghat on daily basis!! That is for every 15 mins, death body arrives! What all we are proud of!! Think..

That's the big number! There are multiple guest houses in Kashi where people from all part of the world come for dying! Those who are clinically declared at terminal stage rent places along with their families to die here!!So what is this fuss all about! Our Hindu culture was never ever into materialistic goals, the goal was of liberation, liberation from life and death! Working towards moving to divine/god whatever you say! Simple example, If you see we in Hindu rituals, never blow candles on cake for birthdays, we do Aukshan ( Aarti), it depicts that we are moving towards god every year! 


So at Manikarnika ghat, I saw many Sadhus, Aghoris ( now when I uttered this word aghoris, you might have certain thoughts in mind which doesn't give a right definition of this sect). Aghoris are the right path sect which see themselves as divine itself and do all the things which are not with the righteous ways as per society norms, they never trouble the living being,have you seen ever! Avoid watching soaps, movies!  It is the most unreal world we are foxed too.. Aghoris works starts post life , they are not interested in you!! They dont interact with humans like us, there world is different! There work is different, most of the aghoris work for the betterment of society which is not visible through naked eyes of unconscious humans like us. I recommend everyone to read " AGHORA - PART 1/2/3 by Robert Svoboda. I tried interacting with few of them, but they simply starred at me! No verbal communication ..Will write separate blog on Aghoris soon!

While moving through the temples in Kashi, I found vibrant energies operating in temple premises, whether its Kal Bhairav temple, Annapurna temple or Vishalakshi temple, the energy levels are so vibrant that even if you are little perceptive you can feel the difference. The Kashi Vishwanath temple, one of the Jyotirlinga is the epitome of all the energies! Make sure you visit all these temples when you are coming to Kashi!

One request, on this spiritual quest, do avoid the hygiene factor, because where there are people, things are bound to be like that! Your eyes should be tuned beyond cleanliness, as you there for knowing yourself beyond body ,your body itself if you see is a shelter of shit, of mucus,of all unwanted diseases and what not! So better avoid such thoughts..

Kashi is death city! I met many of the locals during the visit speaking more on death rather than life! That's shiv for you! He creates all plays in life , its our duty to play without attachment! Ganga boat ride was not simply the ride for me where you enjoy river currents! It was something more to me!
When I observed all the ghats in detailed!I still remember as a ritual in our daily life we normally take a bath whenever we come from death ceremony! Its irony to see in Kashi where you see divine is worshiped at one ghat ( Dasaswamedh Ghat for Ganga Aarti) and within a walk of five minutes you will see a mortal body being burnt! and people moving around in both the places! That's the truth, in Kashi death is celebrated!! 


One fantastic thing happened to us that I would like to share with you in this blog, we were in the mid of boat ride in the late evening post Ganga Aarti and  it started raining heavily making us wet completely. The experience was out of the world for me! Its like divine showering his blessings on us! It was the first rains in Banaras that day!

That's why it is said visiting Kashi is utmost important in once a life span! But not  in old age mind you , we see people go there for dying when there energies are depleting, what's the point when you go  to understand life when life energies are NOT supporting you! At an old age you cant experience the divine if you have not worked on it through out your life time!!



Om Namah Shivay!!


Notes:-

How to Travel? - Flights to Varanasi from all cities of the country/ Trains/Buses/Private vehicles

Where to Stay?- I recommend everyone to stay in Ashram,richness has no value at Shiva's abode, many ashrams are there!

How to explore? - Hire Rickshaw for INR 400/ person and explore the ghats and mandirs, for boat ride pay around more than INR 750/ person. Dont go with royal mindset! Explore the local  food and spend time with locals.


Thank you!!