Our guide arrived promptly, introducing himself as Amrit. He started by taking us onto the ghat and explaining a bit about the city, its history and development. He explained about the various different ghats and also showed us the marks showing the flood levels for different years. The Ganges in flood must be a spectacular and terrifying sight. We take a cycle rickshaw up to the main crossing at the centre of town from where we start to walk again. Amrit takes us down an alley to a secluded courtyard containing a small but beautifully carved stone temple. He told us that this dated to the late 17th century. Much of the stone work was absolutely pristine and the detailed carving was stunning.
Our next stop was a courtyard full of flower sellers where we were told the significance and uses of the different blooms and foliage. Vendors were arriving all/of the time, bringing their wares in from the villages by bicycle. From there we moved on to the wholesale silk market area, amaze of narrow alleys lined with shops and kiosks. These people don't even keep banking hours and only a couple had opened as we were there at 10.45. Our guide took some time to explain how the manufacturing of Banarasi silk is done by the Muslim community and the wholesaling is a Hindu trade. He explained that this mutual dependence has helped to keep relations between the two communities relatively stable and calm over the years. Despite the lack of commercial activity this alley did provide our sign of the day.
From time to time Amrit would point out some architectural feature of interest. He particularly seemed to like evidence of British influence in the design of some buildings. He also explained how one of the Mughal Emperors had tried to forcibly convert the populace to Islam. The legacy of this is a number of public Hindu shrines that are actually part of private homes and others that are underground. Our walk through the lanes of the old city was absolutely fascinating. At one point we were high up on the balcony of a former palace, looking out over the river. From here we moved on to a mosque, the only non-Hindu building overlooking the river. This originally had two minarets that doubled the height of the building but one collapsed in 1949 and the other was demolished.
Our walk finished in the descent of a terrifying stone staircase whose metal handrail was getting a bit too hot to hold onto in the midday sun. This took us back down to the ghats and we walked back to where we could get a rickshaw via the larger of the two burning ghats. By the time we got back to our hotel we had been on the go for over four hours. An excellent walk and a memorable experience.
We were ready for a cup of tea and a bit of light lunch so we decided to try the Aum Cafe, on the street running parallel to the ghats. This turned out to be small but bright and airy with a vegan menu of eclectic origin. We had black tea with hummus (again) followed by some delicious chocolate cardamon cake and more tea. As we settled up we had a chat with the American lady who runs the cafe and attached gift and clothes shop. We will be back for breakfast.
After a short siesta we went out to find a suitable ATM and have look at a shop called Ba Ba Black Sheep which gets good reviews and is not too far to walk. As we arrive at the ATM a man is switching it off. At the shop we are the only customers and get the full treatment, being shown an increasingly expensive range of shawls in silk, pashmina, angora and various mixtures as well as a few synthetics. The man cheerfully pulls threads out of pieces to subject them to the burning test that theoretically sorts the cheap from the goats but D's textile degree was almost forty years ago and his memory of the exact smells made by different fabrics is very hazy. We buy a couple of things without bankrupting ourselves. Back on the main drag we find the local Vicky Wines and procure a couple of beers for the cocktail hour before getting a rickshaw home.
It is starting to get dark so we head back to the place on the ghat that we went to yesterday and order tea and pakoras. We plan to watch the religious ceremony known as Aarti that takes place on a platform at the front of the ghat. There is a lot of bell ringing, a bit of conch blowing and some burning of incense. Quite a crowd gathers and there are various food vendors as well as persistent small children trying to sell floating candles. The mosquitoes are pretty persistent too despite the Deet and we soon head back to our room and the beers waiting in the fridge.
Suitably refreshed we head down for dinner in the hotel where we meet a couple from Northampton who are on a tailor made guided tour. Ken and Jill are good company and we swop horror stories. Early night as we have an early start tomorrow.
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| Sign of the Day |
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