Ajay Kumar's Blog - Posts Tagged "travel-blog"
Lolark Shashti
Last September, I spent a few weeks in Kashi, also known as Varanasi on maps, Banaras in films and songs, and the sacred city where Tulsidas wrote the Hinduism most famous and holy epic Ramcharitmanas and Hanuman Chalisa. It’s said to be the first and last city in the world.
I went without any expectations, avoiding Google and Wikipedia. I met Umesh in Manali, and we instantly clicked, turning from strangers to friends. Umesh arrived in Kashi, a night earlier by a 30-hour train from Mumbai. He picked me up when I arrived, rescuing me from a tricky situation when the rickshaw driver refused to accept digital payments. A newly longed habit of not using cash but only digital. Umesh paid him in cash, and now I remember I owe him 100 rupees!
He stayed near Kedar Ghat in a pricey but mosquito-infested inn. After having chana kachori and lassi for breakfast, we rented a 2-bedroom Airbnb near Assi Ghat for the week. Our mornings in this city of temples, ghats, and the Ganga River began with the Ganga Aarti at Assi Ghat on 5 am, followed by chai, bread, butter, and Gold Flake cigarettes. By the time we walked back home, the whole city was awake. Streets were full of honking scooters and cows cleaning up the garbage.
We met many people in Kashi, and some became good friends. One was Aditya, who is studying astrology at Banaras Hindu University (BHU). During one of our evening walks, Aditya took me to Assi Ghat and told me about the Lolark Shashti, an annual ritual where thousands of people come to pray. Couples from all over India, especially those without children, gather here with the belief that bathing in the sacred Lolark Kund will bless them with a child. After the bath, people leave behind their clothes, jewelry, and belongings without looking back.
The night before the festival, the roads were packed with people lying on the roads, covering almost the entire width of the road, leaving just enough space for pedestrians and rickshaws. The crowds stretched for kilometers, all waiting for the bath at Lolark Kund.
Aditya shared several stories about the Lolark Kund. One is that the kund was formed by a meteor, and its name comes from “Lolark Aditya,” a form of Shiva.
When we visited Lolark Kund the next day, there were piles of discarded clothes, shoes, and other items everywhere. The kund itself was overflowing with fruits and vegetables offered by devotees.
Kashi is filled with the spirit of Mahadev (Shiva) in its air, water, and people. Here, instead of saying "Good morning," people greet each other with "Mahadev." You can see children in ashrams and gurukuls dressed in white handmade clothes, chanting mantras in Sanskrit all day long. Kashi belongs to Shiva, and Shiva belongs to Kashi.
I went without any expectations, avoiding Google and Wikipedia. I met Umesh in Manali, and we instantly clicked, turning from strangers to friends. Umesh arrived in Kashi, a night earlier by a 30-hour train from Mumbai. He picked me up when I arrived, rescuing me from a tricky situation when the rickshaw driver refused to accept digital payments. A newly longed habit of not using cash but only digital. Umesh paid him in cash, and now I remember I owe him 100 rupees!
He stayed near Kedar Ghat in a pricey but mosquito-infested inn. After having chana kachori and lassi for breakfast, we rented a 2-bedroom Airbnb near Assi Ghat for the week. Our mornings in this city of temples, ghats, and the Ganga River began with the Ganga Aarti at Assi Ghat on 5 am, followed by chai, bread, butter, and Gold Flake cigarettes. By the time we walked back home, the whole city was awake. Streets were full of honking scooters and cows cleaning up the garbage.
We met many people in Kashi, and some became good friends. One was Aditya, who is studying astrology at Banaras Hindu University (BHU). During one of our evening walks, Aditya took me to Assi Ghat and told me about the Lolark Shashti, an annual ritual where thousands of people come to pray. Couples from all over India, especially those without children, gather here with the belief that bathing in the sacred Lolark Kund will bless them with a child. After the bath, people leave behind their clothes, jewelry, and belongings without looking back.
The night before the festival, the roads were packed with people lying on the roads, covering almost the entire width of the road, leaving just enough space for pedestrians and rickshaws. The crowds stretched for kilometers, all waiting for the bath at Lolark Kund.
Aditya shared several stories about the Lolark Kund. One is that the kund was formed by a meteor, and its name comes from “Lolark Aditya,” a form of Shiva.
When we visited Lolark Kund the next day, there were piles of discarded clothes, shoes, and other items everywhere. The kund itself was overflowing with fruits and vegetables offered by devotees.
Kashi is filled with the spirit of Mahadev (Shiva) in its air, water, and people. Here, instead of saying "Good morning," people greet each other with "Mahadev." You can see children in ashrams and gurukuls dressed in white handmade clothes, chanting mantras in Sanskrit all day long. Kashi belongs to Shiva, and Shiva belongs to Kashi.
