I have been to this "holi" city number of times... but this visit had its own place... has the city finally become a tourist destination... I am sure you are already thinking of closing the webpage... hold on.... I meant has the city accepted the way shown by Goa or Jaipur.....
Are the gallis more welcoming.... are the people getting warmer... gone are the benarasi thag stories... I window shopped for hours.... decent rates... no tricks... no smirks when you say tats expensive....
Had a pleasant stay at a affordable affable hotel... Close to Shiva's abode... multiple darshans and Maa was happy.... loved the boat ride on ganga... if you love time and the impact it has on humanity... come to benares.... time stood still in the by lanes of this town... said to be the oldest inhabited town.... sure there are malls coming up but the spiked hair gym toned gym still goes to the temple... he cleans the vermillion tika... I understand coz that doesn't go with his body fit tee-shirt and low rise jeans... specially his eyebrow piercing and the dragon tattoo...
I still believe the benarasi in him lives on... I won't ask him to change a tad bit.... I don't know about you... I believe in adapting to times... if we kept the core constant... much like our beautiful planet...
I was amused by the exotic lingerie available on the road that lead to Shiva.... I would love to know the connect... there were more mannequins wearing fishnet stalkings... thongs than benarasi Saree's :D.....
Oh I could shop in benares for a few weeks and still feel yeh dil maange more....
To all foodies... must visit place... eat till you drop... a few recommendations
*choti kachauri and sabji (breakfast)
*jalebi
*kheer mohun
*lal peda
*chats
*golgappe
*sandwich(sweet dish)
*choti kachauri and sabji (breakfast)
*jalebi
*kheer mohun
*lal peda
*chats
*golgappe
*sandwich(sweet dish)
And paan(loads)
Now I am sure there are a million more... I am mentioning my must haves...
I believe religion is something that's private... but need to share some views... can't keep religion and benares separate... can you... India to me is confluence of faith and belief...
I landed in benares a day after dussera... Maa Durga had just left us with the promise that she will be back next year with if not more equal gutso.... and the city had turned white for eid... young bois and men dressed in sharp Kurtas and lungis/pyjama/salwar... how soon and smoothly red became white... I couldn't feel a difference... in the evening I saw Maa ganga ki arti attented by Hindus Muslim's christian Jew's budhists... many more faiths I am sure... there was a calm.. a calm tat was echoed by the river... the flow is strong but calm...
To this all I can say is that's my India.. it's not red white green saffron.... it's unique... it changes hues for its people... as we select leaders our leaders we ensure he or she has no one color....
Got a bit serious right....
Got a bit serious right....
Let's change the mood.. on the ghats of ganga you will see countless international tourists... I am going to be honest I was eaves dropping this particularly colorful chat between two American female students and a young benarasi Babu ( did I mention he was no more than 11 years old)... he looks at them and says your beautiful... why didn't your boyfriend come with you... don't you have one... when they said they do he looked absolutely disgusted that how could they have left their beautiful girlfriends alone....
Ah the legacy of Indian cinema... or western... hum sirf jodon main achhe lagte hain :)
