Some Questions About Varanasi/Benares,

[Das]

First of all, I would like to state as a disclaimer that I am in no way trying to portray Sanatana Dharama and it's adherents in a bad light. The following, rather mish-mashed questions are simply queries that have been lingering in my mind for quite some time now. In light of this, I sincerely request the moderators of this section of the forums to let this post go through. My intention is inquisitive and not to defame my religion.

So please, be patient with me and my ignorance, and kindly answer the following questions-

Recently I have seen a certain article about the negative aspects of Benares being posted all over various internet forums. The article itself is rather bit bitter-sweet in it's approach towards the author's account in India, and specifically Benares. There are also some very graphic adjoining pictures that go along with the article, which, to be honest, put me in a rather disturbed state of mind and somewhat sceptical and disillusioned with (what seem to be) malpractices in that very great holy city, the very beacon of Hinduism.

Here is the link to the article :- Reflections in the midst of extreme poverty and filth — a record of a trip in India

With all due respect to Benares, a city of great antiquity, history and valour; at times I have found it to be a bizarre place in some aspects, be it the occasional floating corpses on the Ganga to the tamasic Aghori Sadhus. These are some aspects of this holy city that are often sensationalized and somewhat exaggerated - perhaps not exaggerated, but it's presence is overemphasized and thereon these facts are propagated to the Western world as the only truth, further reinforcing negative stereotypes while ignoring the positive aspects of the city which far exceed the negatives and the bizarre ones.

Yet, as a new generation of rational-thinking, progressive and modern Hindus; we cannot brush aside such aspects of our country and our holy cities.

Forgive me for being blunt in my approach towards some of the cultural affinities of the city, but I find it rather absurd that people sip, clean, bathe and pray in the same water in which there are un-cremated, bloated and rotting corpses; human and animal excreta and the pollutants and effluents released by the surrounding industries of the area. I do not want to sound like the anti-Hindus and our other adversaries, but I cannot help it!

I have read that it is believed that there was a mass migration of original Sanatana Dharmis from the North-Western parts of India upon the aftermath of the demise of the ancient Indus Valley civilization to the Ganga. The emotional attachment was high towards the holy river, and thus the Ganga furnished as a new giver of life. Thus, the holy dip (bathing) in the Ganga is a reflection of this attachment which has lasted thousands of years. But is the attachment really so much that reverence to Ganga-mata is placed above basic hygiene?

I was under the impression that the phenomenon of floating corpses in the Ganga is mainly owing to misinterpretation on the part of the largely impoverished Hindus of the area. As far as I know; as per Hindu tradition, merely some of the ash of the individual who met his/her demise is supposed to be sprinkled in the Ganga. This is part of the rites towards the liberation of the soul. But for some time now, whole corpses are being put in the once beautiful Ganga as many cannot even afford to cremate their dead fully. I have also heard that the (dead) Sadhus are not cremated by their fellow Aghoris, and are instead left to float in the river.

Till a while ago I thought that letting uncremated corpses float into the river was a recent phenomenon. But apparently, this practice was prevalent even in Sri Buddha's times wherein his disciples sat in meditation watching decaying corpses in order to create revulsion towards the human body and thus aid their efforts to give up clinging to their own body and its sensory desires?

Does traditional Dharmic philosophy propagate such a practice, or is it misinterpretation on the part of the locals there? Also, do Brahmins sometimes carry out the same in Benares?

Would someone be able to give me a rough account on the actual ritual that needs to be carried out for the expired person(s) near the Ganga?

Second Query-

It is indeed with regards to Benares, but unrelated to the queries above.

Often I see, be it in documentaries of Benares or in Internet photos of Benares, many pilgrims on the banks of Ganges. Many of them also bear the sacred thread - a disproportionate amount considering that Brahmans make a minority in both India and Benares - although it definitely does have one of the highest concentration of Brahmins for an Indian city.

Compare - typical Pandit(s) from Varnasi performing Ganga Aarti (click on the thumbnails to make it bigger)


Some Hindu pilgrims, tagged as "Brahmin" on the site which I retrieved it from ..
http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/sVgqcZl-c6g/0.jpg

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/p...um/8360952.jpg

http://commondatastorage.googleapis....al/8360952.jpg


..and also bearing the sacred thread, although their attire is totally different from the previous Pandit(s)

• My question is, is the sacred thread given to even non-Brahmins in Varanasi while performing some rituals?
  
• Is that a sacred thread, or simply a string which I am mistaking for a sacred thread?
  
• If so, what are these rituals for?
  
• Are those pilgrims even Brahmins, therefore - are those pictures wrongly tagged?
  
• Are there any specific for the clothing the Brahmins in Varnasi sport? It is common knowledge that the bottom is the Dhoti, what is the half-sleeved; robe-like top called?

Once again, I sincerely request the moderators to let this go through. Kindly answer these queries when you have the time, brothers and sisters.

Jai Sri Ram!

Hari Om!

[Believer]

Having been to Varanasi and to nearby Sarnath some years ago, and to some other "holy" places, I cannot dispute anything in the trip report by the Chinese tourist.

Originally Posted by Das

Yet, as a new generation of rational-thinking, progressive and modern Hindus; we cannot brush aside such aspects of our country and our holy cities.

And neither can we do anything about it, other than to witness it all, feel the pain, try to forget the negative aspects of the visit ASAP and dwell on the positive.

The spiritual/philosophical aspect of the faith/country is all we can hold our collective heads high about. The factual account of Varanasi in the link provided, also contains the following:

India is indeed “dirty”, “messy” and “smelly” but I have gotten more out of it than any other place I have been (to).
-

[Maya3]

As a western Hindu I know very little of this practice, but from reading your questions, I get the sense that corpses floating in the river etc is due to ignorance.

People who are poor and uneducated who don't understand that this would hurt the environment and themselves, might be doing this.
But People are becoming more educated and are evolving, eventually most will figure out ways to be traditional at the same time as being conscious of the environment.

Maya

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté Das,

My question is, is the sacred thread given to even non-Brahmins in Varanasi while performing some rituals? Is that a sacred thread, or simply a string which I am mistaking for a sacred thread?

Please be mindful that dvijá 'twice born' applies to 3 varṇa ( not just brahmins), in which upanaya ( initiation ) is done.

Through this upanaya, yajñopavīta¹ is attained. This is the investiture ( people like to use that term, meaning the formal bestowal, confirmation) of the 3 twice-born (dvijá) castes with the sacred thread .

FYI Only : The thread itself is worn over the left shoulder and hanging down under the right. Different materials are used for different varṇa.

praṇām

words

• yajñopavīta is a compound word - yajña + upavīta . yajña = 'a worshipper' yet at the same time means 'offering' + upavīta = invested with the sacred thread ;Hence the worshipper that is offered/invested with the sacred thread.

[TatTvamAsi]

Originally Posted by yajvan

FYI Only : The thread itself is worn over the left shoulder and hanging down under the right. Different materials are used for different varṇa.

The Yajnopavitam is worn left to right only for Brahmins. Kshatriyas and Vaisyas, who rarely undergo upanayana these days, wear it right to left.

[TatTvamAsi]

Originally Posted by Das

First of all, I would like to state as a disclaimer that I am in no way trying to portray Sanatana Dharama and it's adherents in a bad light. The following, rather mish-mashed questions are simply queries that have been lingering in my mind for quite some time now. In light of this, I sincerely request the moderators of this section of the forums to let this post go through. My intention is inquisitive and not to defame my religion.

So please, be patient with me and my ignorance, and kindly answer the following questions-

Recently I have seen a certain article about the negative aspects of Benares being posted all over various internet forums. The article itself is rather bit bitter-sweet in it's approach towards the author's account in India, and specifically Benares. There are also some very graphic adjoining pictures that go along with the article, which, to be honest, put me in a rather disturbed state of mind and somewhat sceptical and disillusioned with (what seem to be) malpractices in that very great holy city, the very beacon of Hinduism.

Here is the link to the article :- Reflections in the midst of extreme poverty and filth — a record of a trip in India

With all due respect to Benares, a city of great antiquity, history and valour; at times I have found it to be a bizarre place in some aspects, be it the occasional floating corpses on the Ganga to the tamasic Aghori Sadhus. These are some aspects of this holy city that are often sensationalized and somewhat exaggerated - perhaps not exaggerated, but it's presence is overemphasized and thereon these facts are propagated to the Western world as the only truth, further reinforcing negative stereotypes while ignoring the positive aspects of the city which far exceed the negatives and the bizarre ones.

Yet, as a new generation of rational-thinking, progressive and modern Hindus; we cannot brush aside such aspects of our country and our holy cities.

Forgive me for being blunt in my approach towards some of the cultural affinities of the city, but I find it rather absurd that people sip, clean, bathe and pray in the same water in which there are un-cremated, bloated and rotting corpses; human and animal excreta and the pollutants and effluents released by the surrounding industries of the area. I do not want to sound like the anti-Hindus and our other adversaries, but I cannot help it!

I have read that it is believed that there was a mass migration of original Sanatana Dharmis from the North-Western parts of India upon the aftermath of the demise of the ancient Indus Valley civilization to the Ganga. The emotional attachment was high towards the holy river, and thus the Ganga furnished as a new giver of life. Thus, the holy dip (bathing) in the Ganga is a reflection of this attachment which has lasted thousands of years. But is the attachment really so much that reverence to Ganga-mata is placed above basic hygiene?

I was under the impression that the phenomenon of floating corpses in the Ganga is mainly owing to misinterpretation on the part of the largely impoverished Hindus of the area. As far as I know; as per Hindu tradition, merely some of the ash of the individual who met his/her demise is supposed to be sprinkled in the Ganga. This is part of the rites towards the liberation of the soul. But for some time now, whole corpses are being put in the once beautiful Ganga as many cannot even afford to cremate their dead fully. I have also heard that the (dead) Sadhus are not cremated by their fellow Aghoris, and are instead left to float in the river.

Till a while ago I thought that letting uncremated corpses float into the river was a recent phenomenon. But apparently, this practice was prevalent even in Sri Buddha's times wherein his disciples sat in meditation watching decaying corpses in order to create revulsion towards the human body and thus aid their efforts to give up clinging to their own body and its sensory desires?

Does traditional Dharmic philosophy propagate such a practice, or is it misinterpretation on the part of the locals there? Also, do Brahmins sometimes carry out the same in Benares?

Would someone be able to give me a rough account on the actual ritual that needs to be carried out for the expired person(s) near the Ganga?

Well that was a very candid and descriptive blog about the Ganges written by a tourist.

There a few facts to be considered here.

First, the ashes of the cremated are supposed to be submerged in the Ganga to signify the insignificance of the body and the ultimate merging of the jivAtmA with the paramAtmA.

I'm not sure why people put bodies that are not cremated into the river. I would think that it is because the funeral pyre along with other rites may cost money or if someone doesn't have relatives and next of kin to take care of their rites, they usually "come" to Ganga to pass on. Their bodies may just go with the flow of the river.

It is a stark and somewhat shocking spectacle, especially to those who live in modern countries and cities especially like Japan and Switzerland where cleanliness is really emphasized. However, the real lesson to take away from this is just to look at the incredible imperviousness of the people who are next to these corpses. As the author of the blog says, "It is nothing [to them]!" The lack of attachment to the body is very strong in Hindus and is apparent even more in those who go to Varanasi & Benares.

However, the other issue is that the population of India might be a big issue. With 700 million people who are really struggling to get three meals a day, the last thing they can afford is money for funeral rites etc. Many, I would think, find solace in the vibrant yet placid atmosphere of Maa Ganga; perhaps they want to breathe their last at the shores of the Goddess Herself.

In my opinion, I am honestly confused regarding what "India should do". Should people be prevented from living in their natural states of mind for the sake of others' opinions and how the place looks "bad"? Should people be prevented from finding peace of mind and solace for the sake of superficial cleanliness that arises not from within, but from force (police/municipalities) etc.?

It is because the Indian mind is that of patience, intuition, and understanding, India is seen as "slow", "backward", and "indifferent" towards standards held up high by foreigners and other insignificant people. It is also why Indians go on adjusting to difficulties whether it is lack of proper water supply, electricity, or other basic needs. The understanding, however subliminal, that ultimately these things we consider ghora (terrible) are conditioning from society that change over time not much importance is placed on them. Whether this is good or otherwise is not something we can all come to an agreement on. Yet, we can agree that in the long run, the things that we hold dear ultimately float away, dissolving wherefrom they came (Tat). Perhaps these simple people, whom we city dwellers look upon as naive and ignorant, are far more wise than we presume. Their unattachment to worldly things makes it easier for them to progress in this seemingly perennial journey to go back 'home' (aham).

In summary, I don't believe we need to force them to do anything differently. Just because we perceive things differently, we must not and should not expect others to do the same. In fact, these so-called "dirty" things described in that article has a philosophical lesson for us all; to teach us the unimportance of all material existence, including that of the body.

Originally Posted by Das

Second Query-

Many of them also bear the sacred thread - a disproportionate amount considering that Brahmans make a minority in both India and Benares - although it definitely does have one of the highest concentration of Brahmins for an Indian city.

Brahmins do make up a minority but the 3-5% of Brahmins in India is a total of 36-60 million people! Even if 1/10th showed up at a time, that makes up for a lot of people.

Secondly, as Yajvan said, all three Varnas can have the Yajnopavitam (Poonal) or sacred thread. The Brahmins have it from left to right and the other two have it right to left. The upanayana for Brahmins is much earlier as well! Again, proving caste is fundamental to Sanatana Dharma.

[Sahasranama]

Originally Posted by TatTvamAsi

The Yajnopavitam is worn left to right only for Brahmins. Kshatriyas and Vaisyas, who rarely undergo upanayana these days, wear it right to left.

Ancient texts refer to the wearing of the Yajñopavītam in three forms:

• One is Upavītam, where the Yajñopavītam is worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm. This is for Gods. Upavītam is also called savya (Katyayana Shrauta Sutra &c.).

• The Second is Nivītam, where the Yajñopavītam is worn around the neck and over the chest. Nivīta form is to be used during Rishi Tharpana, sexual intercourse, answering the calls of nature etc. (-Shadvimsha Brahmana, Latyayana, etc.).

• The third, Prachīnavītam is where the Yajñopavītam is worn above the right shoulder and under the left arm. This is for Spirits and is used by men when performing the death ceremonies of an elder. Prachīnavītam is also called apsavya (Katyayana Shrauta Sutra, Manusmriti, &c.).

wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upanayana

[Believer]

Originally Posted by Das

Would someone be able to give me a rough account on the actual ritual that needs to be carried out for the expired person(s) near the Ganga?

Since no one would bite this one, I will give take a shot at this one.

A funeral pyre is built with enough wood to completely burn the body. The body is placed on this stack of wood and amid the Vedic chants by a priest, the eldest son lights the pyre. The next day, after the ashes have cooled down, they are collected and taken out in a boat accompanied by a priest. Once mid-stream, the priest chants some Vedic mantras (for the departed soul) and the eldest son offers the ashes to Mother Ganga. The son is also supposed to have his head shaved off as a way of showing his grief/respect for the deceased. Some people arrange for lunch for a couple of hundred homeless/poor street people. This is all a juxtaposition of bits and pieces that I have heard from different sources, and there might be variations/inaccuracies in the description.

There are many many poor people who need to be cremated, whose survivors can't afford to do it at all, or, may not be able to afford the required amount of wood. This creates problems, as whole corpses or partially burned corpses are floated down the Ganga. Some day electrical cremation will become the norm and things will get better. But until then, this will go on.

Westerners, raised in an atmosphere of plenty, assume that corpses are floated down because of ignorance or lack of concern for the environment. There is only one reason for doing this - poverty. Middle class people always find money for proper cremation. Poverty makes some do things that becomes an excuse for people's disdain towards them.

I am sorry that you had to go through so much pain and anguish after learning some very unpleasant facts from the trip report of the tourist. I wish our generation had done something to tackle this problem and had spared you this great disappoinment/hurt. But we failed you. Now you have the work cut out for you - not being sentimental and choosing the leaders who would deliver, taking up a cause and giving it your all to make things happen, finding a purpose in life and being passionate about executing it, so that one day, you will not end up like us and be apologizing to your next generation.

[saidevo]

One cannot expect tidiness and decency in a Hindu cremation or burial ground, because it is bhUmi--ground, where a sharIram--body, the greatest physical possession of a jIva is abandoned. The banks of GangA in VArANasi aka KAShi aka Benaras is verily a Hindu shmashAnam--cremation ground, so there should be no complaints IMO. In fact, I would recommend non-Hindu tourists barred from these banks of GangA. Let them be satisfied with the temples in the town, which might be to theit 'taste'.

The 'reality' in a Hindu cremation ground is far more pronounced than the artificially embellished tombs with saplings and trees in a Christian graveyard in the western countries, which is escapism and a farce, that contrasts the steadily decaying corpses under the ground. Like everything else, this stark reality of death has its own place in Hindu Dharma and culture.

[Harjas Kaur]

TatTvamAsi Ji writes:

"The Yajnopavitam is worn left to right only for Brahmins. Kshatriyas and Vaisyas, who rarely undergo upanayana these days, wear it right to left."

Interesting Jio, thanks for sharing. I have long believed the amritdhari Sikh's gatra (cloth holster) which holds the kirpan was a replacement for sacred thread. Only I did not understand why Sikhs wear gatra right to left and the brahmin thread is worn left to right. Thank you for explaining what seems as confirmation as the kshatriya varna is upheld in the Sikh who would traditionally wear his sacred thread from right to left.

Also originally only men received amrit and also explains the relationship between kaupin and kacchera which is sewn to also pull tightly upwards with very similar regulations for non-removal and also the awkwardness of females wearing these "symbols" of a Sikh. I have been nothing short of amazed at the similarity of the proscriptions of the Goswamis of Vaishnavism and some of the purataan Khalsa rehats, such as not to wear red (originally to avoid confusing the dress of mayavadi philosophers and renounced orders, think Tibetan Buddhism). And of course the regulations for wearing kaupin to remove only one leg at a time so as not to completely remove, and also for the wearing of janeo, to put over one's opposite ear in certain circumstances (which has to modify for a pagh/turban wearer). All very similar to the amritdhari Sikh's observances while wearing 5 symbols. I don't think anyone can accuse of ritualism while himself observing modifications to the original rituals!

Anyways, insightful! Dhanyavaad!