Fighting the scourge of noise pollution for a long time, a local organisation - the Satya Foundation, asked the Varanasi authorities to fight the noise pollution in the city.
The website thenews24x7 says, that the Varanasi authorities assured of strict action against people making noise. Especially were mentioned 1) late night parties (are there any in Varanasi?), 2) wedding ceremonies and 3) religious programmes (are they going to cut down on the religious ceremonies?). The authorities have plans to form flying squads that would nab the noise offenders after 10 pm.
I wonder, if those flying squads would produce even more noise )
The demand from the Satya Foundation also included
- compulsory installation of noise pollution display boards at all the marriage lawns and public places through the respective police stations,
- immediate police intervention on the complaint of noise pollution,
- strict legal action under Amended Noise Pollution Rules-2010 against the offenders,
- availability of sound level decibel meters and drive against those using pressure horn and hooter.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Elephants in Varanasi
If you thought, that elephants are only for South India, if you thought, that Varanasi is all about cows, monkeys and goats, you would have been as surprised as we were, seeing the elephant walking down to the Main Dasashwameth Ghat.
It was on Shivaratri, one of the major festivals in India, commemorating the wedding of Lord Shiva. On such a special occasion they even brought the elephant there.
He was part of a huge procession, that seemed quite bizzare to the Western eye, everyone very solemn and festive, dressed up accordingly to the sacred meaning of the parade.
It was on Shivaratri, one of the major festivals in India, commemorating the wedding of Lord Shiva. On such a special occasion they even brought the elephant there.
He was part of a huge procession, that seemed quite bizzare to the Western eye, everyone very solemn and festive, dressed up accordingly to the sacred meaning of the parade.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Fire Show on Assi Ghat
In the beginning of March, just after the big festival MahaShivaratri we witnessed a surprisingly gypsy-european, but at the same time quite fitting the spirit of Varanasi fire show at one of the most popular tourist ghats - Assi.
It was a quiet, warm and dark evening, the tourists were enjoying the atmosphere on the steps and pizza in the very decent Vaatika cafe up the stairs of the ghat, while a group of european artists performed an amazing show with fire, flying it like doing some kind of modern and ambient puja at the bank of the Ganga.
Here's the short video
It was a quiet, warm and dark evening, the tourists were enjoying the atmosphere on the steps and pizza in the very decent Vaatika cafe up the stairs of the ghat, while a group of european artists performed an amazing show with fire, flying it like doing some kind of modern and ambient puja at the bank of the Ganga.
Here's the short video
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Clean Ganga - joining hands on the ghats
To commemorate the World Water Day, the Sankat Mochan Foundation (SMF) -- the organisation working for the cause of Ganga for three decades through Clean Ganga Campaign-- has invited local citizens to assemble on the banks of the Ganga on and form human chains along the ghats to show their support for a clean Ganga.
SMF president Veer Bhadra Mishra, who is also a member of National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), said around 75 schools and other organisations had committed to join hands along the ghats, but the SMF had invited all citizens of Varanasi to extend their support.
"It is as if the theme of WWD 2011 water for cities responding to the urban challenge has been made for Varanasi. Here in Varanasi, untreated sewage from the city flows into the Ganga, endangering the health of those who bathe in it," said Mishra. 'Attending this event is a small way for the people to show their love and devotion for the Ganga and their commitment to see the holy river cleaned," he said.
via Times of India
SMF president Veer Bhadra Mishra, who is also a member of National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), said around 75 schools and other organisations had committed to join hands along the ghats, but the SMF had invited all citizens of Varanasi to extend their support.
"It is as if the theme of WWD 2011 water for cities responding to the urban challenge has been made for Varanasi. Here in Varanasi, untreated sewage from the city flows into the Ganga, endangering the health of those who bathe in it," said Mishra. 'Attending this event is a small way for the people to show their love and devotion for the Ganga and their commitment to see the holy river cleaned," he said.
via Times of India
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Varanasi hotels fully booked for Shivaratri
You have to really hurry up to book the hotels in Varanasi, if you plan to arrive there in the beginning of March for Shivaratri.
Quick email exchange with a handful of them showed that most average-price(which at least have rooms with hot water) near-the-ghats hotels are fully booked for March 1-2.
Forget about Divya, Haifa, Temple on Ganges, Ganges view on Assi ghat.
Rashmi Guesthouse near Dasashwamed is fully booked for March 2-3 and almost no vacant room remains for March 1.
Good luck to everyone, meet you there, on ancient Varanasi ghats!
Quick email exchange with a handful of them showed that most average-price(which at least have rooms with hot water) near-the-ghats hotels are fully booked for March 1-2.
Forget about Divya, Haifa, Temple on Ganges, Ganges view on Assi ghat.
Rashmi Guesthouse near Dasashwamed is fully booked for March 2-3 and almost no vacant room remains for March 1.
Good luck to everyone, meet you there, on ancient Varanasi ghats!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Benares 100 years ago
Looking at the old photos we can see for our selves how the city stays the same through hundreds of years.
Varanasis, just like in the 1900s, hide from the sun in the shade of bamboo umbrellas offering prayers for the dead souls on the ghats, bathe in sacred Ganges, burn at Manikarnika.
The only thing that has changed - there were much more trees back there, and less people.
photos from oldindianphotos.blogspot.com
Varanasis, just like in the 1900s, hide from the sun in the shade of bamboo umbrellas offering prayers for the dead souls on the ghats, bathe in sacred Ganges, burn at Manikarnika.
The only thing that has changed - there were much more trees back there, and less people.
photos from oldindianphotos.blogspot.com
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Geography of Varanasi
As for the physical geography of Varanasi,
Varanasi is located on the Western bank of the Ganges river in Northern India. The Indian state is Uttar Pradesh. In Varanasi the sacred Ganges makes a moon-like turn and flows to the North, while usually most rivers in northern hemisphere are destined South.
If we count from Delhi, Varanasi is 780 km to the South-East of the capital.
If you drive a car, or rather, hire a driver, the road to Varanasi will take more than 16 hours. You will have to ride creepy Indian roads, which are unlit at night and remain in dire condition for the last 50 years. As one school of Indian driving puts it, local "roads" are not meant to commute from here to there, it’s the road themselves that run from here to there.
You can also take some time to enjoy the countryside and hire an auto rickshaw, this is one of the most extraordinary ways to travel – it will take you a couple of days. I personally have not heard of any foreigner, who found the courage to make such a journey.
The most common way to get to Varanasi is taking a train (13 to 17 hour-long trip) or book air tickets (1.5 hours flight). The train tickets cost around Rs1 000 ($ 25), flight – from Rs 2 000 to Rs 10 000 ($46-250) depending on the season and the time of booking. The cheapest tickets are booked about 2 months before the flight.
After you have landed in Varanasi, you will need a taxi to reach the city – the price tag is around Rs 550 ($13). The ride will take about 1.5 hours depending on traffic situation, which is totally unpredictable.
As for the mystical geography of the city,
Varanasi is considered to be the center of space and time, located above the Earth. The locals believe that the city rests on the Shiva’s trident, between Heaven and Earth.
The common belief is that it’s not very easy to reach the city. The molecules of your destiny would tuck in such a way that would hinder your trip plans. But at the same time whenever you decide to come to Varanasi, the sheer determination to accomplish that makes your karma a bit better. And it will drastically improve onwards should you enter the city, see the Ganges and bathe in it.
And if you have come to Varanasi for however a short trip, you will probably tilt towards visiting it again and again. One of the names of the city is Avimukta – a never forsaken city, maybe that is the reason why a lot of people do come back.
Varanasi is located on the Western bank of the Ganges river in Northern India. The Indian state is Uttar Pradesh. In Varanasi the sacred Ganges makes a moon-like turn and flows to the North, while usually most rivers in northern hemisphere are destined South.
If we count from Delhi, Varanasi is 780 km to the South-East of the capital.
If you drive a car, or rather, hire a driver, the road to Varanasi will take more than 16 hours. You will have to ride creepy Indian roads, which are unlit at night and remain in dire condition for the last 50 years. As one school of Indian driving puts it, local "roads" are not meant to commute from here to there, it’s the road themselves that run from here to there.
You can also take some time to enjoy the countryside and hire an auto rickshaw, this is one of the most extraordinary ways to travel – it will take you a couple of days. I personally have not heard of any foreigner, who found the courage to make such a journey.
The most common way to get to Varanasi is taking a train (13 to 17 hour-long trip) or book air tickets (1.5 hours flight). The train tickets cost around Rs1 000 ($ 25), flight – from Rs 2 000 to Rs 10 000 ($46-250) depending on the season and the time of booking. The cheapest tickets are booked about 2 months before the flight.
After you have landed in Varanasi, you will need a taxi to reach the city – the price tag is around Rs 550 ($13). The ride will take about 1.5 hours depending on traffic situation, which is totally unpredictable.
As for the mystical geography of the city,
Varanasi is considered to be the center of space and time, located above the Earth. The locals believe that the city rests on the Shiva’s trident, between Heaven and Earth.
The common belief is that it’s not very easy to reach the city. The molecules of your destiny would tuck in such a way that would hinder your trip plans. But at the same time whenever you decide to come to Varanasi, the sheer determination to accomplish that makes your karma a bit better. And it will drastically improve onwards should you enter the city, see the Ganges and bathe in it.
And if you have come to Varanasi for however a short trip, you will probably tilt towards visiting it again and again. One of the names of the city is Avimukta – a never forsaken city, maybe that is the reason why a lot of people do come back.
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