There is another ghat in Varanasi called Lali Ghat where you can watch one or two cremations going at a time. It is much more peaceful and reflective or you can go to that other ghat where you can watch 250 cremations a day. The problem is there will be shysters approaching for 250 Rs a tour! Ostensibly to buy wood for poor people but this is total b.s. because they only tell you the fee after they tell you their story. So here is the 180 Rs (the fee we uncomfortably had to fight to pay) tour of that other ghat.
When the Hindus cremate their dead, they use fragrant wood which cost at least 250 Rs per kilo (for the banyan wood) or you could buy the more expensive sandalwood. Not everybody is cremated though. Priests, pregnant women, children, lepers, and animals are not cremated. They are tied to a stone and sunk to the bottom of the river. There is also a log that has been lit for the last 3,500 years which relatives use to light the crematory fires. Only men and boys are allowed to the cremations because there is a fear that wives might throw themselves into the fire. There is something about the father, the oldest son, and second oldest son shaving their head depending on which female family member died, but I don’t remember it. There I’ve ruined my karma I guess, but I don’t want to pay for something I wasn’t informed beforehand to pay for in the first place. Humph.
One last tip, there is Nepali temple near Meer Ghat. It’s worth a look-see, because there are Kamasutra type wood sculptures on the temple and real monks meditate there, whether or not there are tourists. There is an entrance fee with real tickets. I can’t remember the price though.
india would probably be my favorite country so far. the culture is really alive. i only had a chance to stay there for 2 weeks. keep on travelling
Ey, flipnomad, thanks for dropping by my blog. I can’t say India was my favorite country in the world. But Mumbai, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer was like living in a dream.