Varanasi: last meetings and departure for Calcutta

Last day in Varanasi. A trying city if ever there was one, and yet… Like a feeling that it is not enough, that we have only scratched the surface of the very essence of what characterizes this very unique city. We did not really have time to hang around in these small alleys bordering the many ghats, but a part of us imagines that it is only postponed (spoiler, more than 10 years later, we have not even set foot in India yet…).

It is pretty clear that we will come back, with the hope that it will have changed little, because the spirit of Varanasi will certainly not evolve as quickly as a city like Bangkok. There is room for improvement, you will tell me, we are so far away from there! And it is not the spirit of Varanasi anyway, very oriented towards spirituality, far from the consumerism of the Thai capital, let's not lie to ourselves.

This last day begins with a new wedding ceremony, and will continue with a short tour of the locals' homes, before making a final "immersion" near a ghat.

Another wedding in Varanasi

On the morning of this last day in Varanasi, as we were nearing the end of this short stay in India (a bit like it was an "initiation" session), we were more or less woken up by the sound of drums, music at the foot of our hotel in the street in the backyard. It didn't take much more to go and take a look at what was going on. We started to see people dancing and having fun, no doubt about it, a wedding was in progress.

So, we got dressed and got ready quickly to go down and before following the group until a car took them further. At first, they danced in the street, moving forward a little bit as they went. When the car arrived, they only walked 100 m to this end of the street with its tree that encroaches on the said street.

A tree near which there is a small altar where the bride and groom made offerings, under the curious gaze of the local residents, and ours.

And hop, a little dance break in the middle of the street (too bad for those who want to pass).

The groom in the car.

There are many onlookers.

Two young spectators.

Meanwhile…

Invitation to a local's home: a bizarre moment of kindness

Once the procession had left, we returned to the hotel, because it was time for us to pack up and head to the station. Since we weren't late either, and as we were returning to our hotel, we were accosted by a local who explicitly invited us to come and visit his house right next door. At first reluctant, we ended up accepting his insistence.

Weird moment, I still have my already formed idea that he was going to ask for money at some point (after the experience of the orphanage in bodhgaya is still in a corner of my mind, hence the distrust…)

Knowing that the gentleman doesn't speak much English, there are quite a few moments of "floating". The latter then offers us something to drink, surely freshly pumped from the well next door this morning... I'm too paranoid to drink in full gulp... We drink a little so as not to frustrate... but I discreetly wedge the glass in a corner, the time to see what he wants to show us. Because yes, as such, I tell myself, if he makes us come here, he's bound to sell us something at some point...

Beware when you hold us…

And yet no. He even asks his kid to buy cookies in the grocery store next door and I, suspicious to the end, would pretend to eat it discreetly. I can't say why but I'm a little disoriented by this "free" and sudden kindness... I was rather expecting to be drugged and then robbed... It may seem silly, but that was my way of thinking at that precise moment.

The kid showing us the door to his house.

His son and daughter gave us a little dance demo, in front of the grandfather and mother gathered there (as I didn't expect it, I didn't film anything, just saw in the moment...). While we actually had to leave, because this time it was time to go to the station, I was still surprised when they simply let us go, without asking us for anything in return...

I won't hide the fact that I felt a bit stupid about my "paranoia", even if we'll never know, but maybe he just didn't dare...

But from my feelings in the end, I would say that yes, this experience shows, and fortunately, that in India there can also be people who are simply happy to be able to share a special moment with travelers from elsewhere, from another culture, simply an exchange made of curiosity and human warmth, what we commonly call hospitality.

I let the kid immortalize the moment, unfortunately it's blurry and I didn't check at the time... No problem, the essential is there. Our host on the left with his father-in-law and his wife in the background.

Last detour at the edge of a ghat

After these moments of meeting, it was time this time to return to the hotel to collect the luggage (as a reminder, it was the Rahul Guest House), who had kept our bags for us even though we had to vacate the room early.

We start walking down the street to join the artery with more traffic, with our big bags on our backs, with the idea of ​​catching a tuk tuk to take us to Varanasi station. Except that once in the street… no tuk tuk in sight! Only a few rickshaws, these tricycles operated by leg power, are present, but we are afraid of being a little cramped with our bags (and too heavy especially).

Those were in no mood to move...

A man of a certain age, with a somewhat graceful face (in any case, very photogenic), then gives us a broad smile, to make us understand that he is ready to take us. At first, I just explain to him that we are going too far (the station is not next door in fact), although I am not sure that he really understands…

As we continued walking, still heavily laden, he was following us more or less closely… And the weight of our luggage proved him right, since still not finding a tuk-tuk, we finally decided to use his services. He managed to wedge our bags under our feet and off we went, given the load, I felt a little sorry for him, but at least he had customers and seemed delighted!

Our super rickshaw!

Let's go !

It’s hard to believe it’s 2013!

Arriving in the city center, Jitima wanted to take some photos at a ghat. So, we left our super rickshaw and in order not to hold him back, we let him go, thinking this time to catch a tuk tuk. We quickly went to visit the ghat in question, we met young newlyweds there during the ceremony, once again, but with my 20 kg on my back, it was not really a pleasure to get around in the area.

So we cut the photo shoot short and headed back to the little square where we had arrived a few minutes earlier.

Another wedding!

The stairs leading to Dashashumedh ghat.

The ghat where we stopped to take a look.

Pensive….

Last train to Calcutta

And finally, due to the lack of a tuk tuk (definitely), we had to take a rickshaw, which took us straight to the station without any problems. When we arrived at Varanasi station, there was always a huge crowd. But it was super photogenic. There was a mixture of colours, faces, scenes of life as banal as they were unusual, even sad, like these collectors who picked up the (many) plastics lying around between the rails of the station, to then resell them for a few rupees...

This time, the train we have to take is well announced and arrives on time. The service is pleasant, I have to say. In addition, with only 4 berths per cabin in second class (separated from the corridor by curtains), the space remains sufficiently "intimate". I was on the upper floor while Jitima found himself in the corridor berths.

On the same principle as the night trains in Thailand, a railway employee comes to give the sheets and cushions before bedtime. And the journey in the night bunks went smoothly.

No snoring, impeccable: Incredible India! Calcutta, here we come again!