Khajuraho to Varanasi

Leaving again on the 1130pm overnight train to Varanasi, we were positive that three times lucky we would get the train right. To our luck, the train came early and stopped at the station for a while so we had plenty of time to get ourselves organized. It was a breeze, we found our correct coach, our sleepers and settled in for a somewhat decent sleep.
Waking up to the sunrise slowly creeping above scattered villages and rural fields, we finally arrive in Varanasi. We had arranged for an auto rickshaw(tuk tuk) to pick us up directly from the train station, but surprise surprise it's not there to meet us. We grab our own auto rickshaw and its actually better we did because it  was about half the cost of what our guesthouse quoted.
The traffic, the people, the smells, the pollution was a welcoming way into the city. Varanasi is an interesting place to say the least. It's a juxtaposition of life and death, celebrated in so many ways. It seems surreal and I find it difficult to write about my experience because it's one of this places that you need to be there to understand. If you have been there, I hope you understand what I mean. People come here to "expire" (die), there are thousands of priests, holy men, people doing yoga, offering blessings, giving and receiving karma this mixed with the small temples scattered throughout the winding labrinyth of small alleyways makes for one of the best people watching places in the world. The religious ceremonies, the temples, the devotion, the rituals- it's a magical place which left me feeling with a energy I've never experienced. We took a sunrise and a sunset boat ride along the Ganges. People washing clothes, taking baths, swimming, cows and buffalos cooling down, cremations happening along the ghats,people fishing. The Ganges is a holy river where you can witness anything and everything, the water so holy that everything happens here. I stuck my feet in with no hesitation, I had to we were in one of the most holy places in India and it would cleanse me of my sins....so I was hoping. The cremations that happen  hold so much importance and take place in public. It's a sacred ritual that I guess has developed into a sightseeing event for tourists. It's unfortunate, but it doesn't stop the people from changing anything and why should they, its the way of life, religion and devotion here. It's a much different view of what death is to us at home. There is a strange beauty that emerges when you are watching, at first i felt awkward and uncomfortable but then something changed and it bloomed into feeling of peace and tranquility. For me it was the least bid morbid, it was an enlightening experience and a definite time of reflection for me. Thinking about what I had seen since my time in India and thinking about our everyday lives at home. Gratitude is important and I am so grateful to Varanasi for sharing it's beauty with me.
Everyone must experience Varansi once in their lives.