The Smell Of Life ~ Varanasi

Streets of Varanasi

I like the idea of smells quite a lot. Smells stay with us, always. If you're an Indian, smells play an even more important role in the purity and sanctity of body and soul. When I had been to Varanasi, a city older than history, of all the good things I have brought with me, one is the smell of that place. Those mornings are different when you wake up early with the sun in Varanasi. It is not like the regular morning we have here in Lucknow, just the sunrise, newspaper vendors, old people doing their morning walk, and a little bustle of vehicles here and there.

The morning there is filled with various aromas. Since the city is the spiritual center of the world for Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists in Sarnath, it has many old people, which explains why the mornings are earlier than those in Lucknow. At 6 a.m. when you pass through some random street near the Ganga river, you'll get to see the kids running, freshly bathed, in school uniforms and bags, up to the temple by the corner. There's this smell of different kinds of soaps, shampoos, and detergents of fresh fabrics. They sit there and pray, after which the priests give them the prasad which is ladoos, every temple has a different kind of them and even more variety of smells of roasted Besan in ghee, Motichoor, or simple mishri. Then there is the smell of fresh flowers, Marigolds, Roses, Hibiscus, Lotus, and Rajanigandha brought by everyone as offerings or kept by little shopkeepers who are either small boys or very old ladies. Between all of this, you will find the smell of incense sticks, various kinds, and other incandescent items like camphor and diyas. Adding to this, you'll hear the sound of Shankhs and the tintinnabulation of temple bells of different sizes, from all around. No one would want to leave this spiritual chaos if they feel it even once in their lifetime; I bet.

The morning gives way to the afternoon when the same streets start smelling of food. Foods like Kachoris, Litti Chokha, Samosas, Jalebis, Lassi, Banarasi Paan, and Malaiyo (a special dessert made of milk, light, and fluffy Kesar Pista flavor available only for two months in winter). These smells kept me savoring each of them till I tried them all. The Ghats and the temples have people from different places, sitting with a priest who's chanting mantras for various occasions like childbirth, marriage, health, wealth and prosperity, or even death. This place has it all.

Pic source: Camera

The everyday evenings there will make us feel festive vibes and spiritual solid power in the air. When it gets dark, the ghats will be lighted up by golden and yellow lights, along with diyas in the temples. You will notice the saffron flags better in the evening as they're emanating energy to enlighten us. The streets and ghats will be full of people in no time, who come to see the famous Ganga Aarti. All the small spaces would get lined up by little toy shops or shops with manifestations of numerous Hindu Gods, key chains, holy threads, or souvenirs. The air is a blend of voices and perfumes worn by hundreds of people along with the smell of burning camphor and many more delicacies available for tourists.

If you sail down the river on a boat, you can smell and listen to the sound of the water. Away from the holy platforms if you move, you'll find one of the busiest cremation sites on the other bank, where some dead bodies will always be found burning at any time of the day. You will smell the burning woods and hear the sound of their burning too, from afar. This city is where humans begin their life and many end them. I wish I could tell my last class teacher in school, that I miss her and the discussion we had about how I am not religious right now, but at her age, I might change my mind. We lost her to COVID-19 when I was in 12th.

People of my age are dragged into city lifestyle and chaos, but being attached to the roots of our existence is in no way futile. Acknowledging the little sounds and smells of the important things or the people in our lives is just as important; so I am glad that I am more humane than most people in the present day. These sounds heal my brain and the sense of smell makes me feel alive. All these little things can only be felt alone, we can’t share them like we share feelings, yet they build beautiful memories and deepen our connection with our motherland. The cultures, the colors, the foods, and of all, the people. They always remind me that no matter where we are in our lives, we all must stop at a point and share our vibrations with nature and each other. Like we all become one when we come to this holy place.

~by RACHITA RAJ