Holy Waters—India's Varanasi

By Alli Sinclair

This week, I’m straying from the continent of my heart to another part of the world that is very special to me—India. When I first set foot in this wondrous land, I had no idea the profound effect it would have on me. Even though I faced numerous challenges with my patience and beliefs, the people of India allowed me a glimpse into their customs, religion, and love for family.

I had been traveling for three months by the time I arrived in the “Eternal City” of Varanasi (also known as Benares, Banaras, or Kashi). Situated in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi is regarded as a holy city by many religions. At 3,000 years old, Varanasi is India’s oldest city and one of the oldest continuously habitated cities in the world.

The first time I visited Varanasi, I arrived by boat (yes, I’ve been more than once because this truly is an amazing place). For five days, I sailed down the Ganges from Allahabad using a traditional Indian sailboat. We camped on the riverbanks, met scores of villagers along the way, and were entertained endlessly by kids keen to show their latest dance moves.

Arrival day at Varanasi meant getting up in the dark to ensure we sailed into the city at dawn. Bleary-eyed, we travelled along calm waters as nervous chatter filled the night. Just as the black sky turned gray, we rounded a bend and saw Varanasi. A heavy mist hung above the water but faded quickly as the bright orange sun rose and shone on the magnificent red-brick buildings blackened by fires used for pyres. Countless ghats (steps that lead down to the river) lined the west bank of the Ganges.

According to Hindu legend, the deity Lord Shiva founded Varanasi and buried his trident under the city. As one of seven holy sites for Hindus in India, people flock to bathe in the fast-flowing waters of the Ganges and wash away their impurities. Hindus believe that if one dies in Varanasi, they will obtain a faster route to heaven and many make the journey to this beautiful city so they can spend their last moments in the holy waters of the Ganges.

 

It is common to see bodies wrapped in white sheaths and transported through narrow alleys that lead to one of the two ghats where bodies are cremated. For those who can’t afford to pay for the wood, bodies are placed in the Ganges and float along the river until they perish.

But it’s not all solemn in Varanasi. Sanskrit scholars flock here because of the important role Varanasi has had in the development of the Indian language, Hindi. And Tulsi Das, famous for writing the Hindi version of the epic Ramayana, lived in Varanasi for many years.

With more than 100 ghats along the river, the sight of thousands of people taking an early morning dip is fascinating. Along the steps are Brahmin priests offering blessings (for a price) and beggars who will convince you that giving them money will bring you good karma. Hindu pilgrims bathe at five ghats on the same day and, to bring good health and fortune, they need to bathe in the following order of ghats: Asi, Dasaswamedth, Barnasangam, Panchganga, and Manikarnika.

The Golden Temple is dedicated to Shiva, Lord of the Universe (also known as Vishveswara or Vishwanath). In the 1600s, the Moghul ruler Aurangzeb invaded Varanasi and destroyed the original temple then built a mosque over it. In 1776, a new Golden Temple was built by the Sikhs, and the towers are covered in three-quarters of a ton of gold plating. Non-Hindus aren’t allowed in the temple, but it is possible to view the beautiful building from a house across the street—for a fee, of course. I remember standing at a small window a few floors above, enjoying the peace and marveling at the beauty of this building. It truly was a memorable moment.

For Buddhists, Varanasi is one of four pilgrimage sites and, in the residential neighborhood (only 10 kilometers away from the Ganges), lies Sarnath. This is where Buddha preached his first message of enlightenment 25 centuries ago. The Chaukhandi Stupa stands on the spot where Buddha first met his disciples when travelling from Bodh Gaya to Sarnath.

The Jains (adherents of yet another religion born in ancient India) believe Varanasi is the birthplace of Parshvanatha, and is the site of the Dgambar Jain Temple. Parshva, or Parshvanatha, is one of the earliest Jain leaders to be accepted as a historical figure. He lived sometime between 877-777 BC and meditated for 84 days straight before attaining Kevala Jñāna—Absolute Knowledge—which is the highest a Jain soul can reach.

When winding through the narrow streets of Varanasi, it’s not unusual to hear the Muslim call to prayer five times a day. After the Muslim invasions from centuries ago, many Muslims remained in Varanasi and made this city their home. Muslim temples are dotted around Varanasi, and some of the most important mosques are Alamgiri Mosque, Ganj-e-Shaheedan Mosque and Chaukhamba Mosque. One of Varanasi’s greatest exports are the beautiful textiles made by the skilled Muslim weavers of Varansi. To possess a Varanasi silk sari is a dream for many Indian women, especially to wear on their day.

The Varanasi experience that stands out the most for me was when I gathered with the locals one warm evening at sunset. I’d purchased a clay dish filled with flower petals and a lit candle, and I slowly made my way with the men and women down the steps of the ghat to the edge of the Ganges. Gently placing my offering in the sacred waters, I sent a silent prayer and allowed the love and faith of the people wash over me. Nearly 20 years on, I still get shivers remembering this moment.

A Surfing Safari – Bombay Royale

By Alli Sinclair

By now you’ve read me banging on countless times about how Melbourne, Australia, is an awesome multi-cultural city. If you want to go out for dinner in my fair town, pick a country, and chances are you’ll find a restaurant that serves the food of the nation of your choice. Nearly every weekend there are festivals, be it Greek, Italian, French, Croatian, Spanish... you name it, we have it. And when it comes to music, Melbourne is the place to be if you want to throw a few musical styles into a blender and see what happens. The Melbourne band Bombay Royale, has done that, and the musical cocktail is one of a kind and very hard to resist.

Bombay Royale embrace the music of Indian cinema and take great pride in covering little-known Bollywood classics as well as creating original surfadelic Hindi numbers. East meets West in a most spectacular way, and the result is a mix of music, sung mostly in Hindi, that is guaranteed to get the feet tapping and executing the odd Bollywood dance move or three.

Indian cinema has a love of the dramatic, a cascade of colours and over the top acting. Almost half a century ago Indian cinema adopted music from around the world, including rock, surf, and disco, and put their own Indian spin on it that appealed to the masses. The musicians from that era, such as R.D. Burman, Asha Bhosle, and Mohammed Rafi, created music that Bombay Royale now cover and wow audiences in Australia and around the world. 

The band played its first gig in April 2010 at the St Kilda Festival, a multicultural arts festival popular in Melbourne and has a strong contingent of international artists performing. Since then, Bombay Royale have played nationally at the Port Fairy Folk Festival, Bellingen Global Carnival and also at the Australasian World Music Expo as well as a gig in the Reunion Islands (Africa) in 2011. Now seen regularly on television and radio, their fan base has increased dramatically and is still on the up.

With what looks like a cast of thousands, Bombay Royale have assembled an eclectic bunch of talented musicians who share a passion for Indian cinema music with a twist. Tablas, brass, guitars, sitars, organs, drums, bass, and fabulous vocals combine to create a very cool, multi-cultural sound.

One of the lead singers is Parvyn Singh. Born into a family of professional musicians, Parvyn’s performed on stage since the age of five. She blends the singing styles of East and West and has created her own unique style. Lead male vocalist is Bengali Shourov Bhattacharya, who grew up listening to his family collection of Bollywood records. When these two performers sing a duet, it is hot!

Other band members include Andy Williamson on sax; Bob Knob bassist, composer and producer; Tom Martin on guitar and song writer; Matt Vehl on synth; Julian Goyma on drums; Josh Bennett on sitar, table, mandolin, dlruba, and guitar; Ed Fairlie on trumpet; Declan Jones on horns, and Ros Jones on trombones.

Once again, Melbourne’s diversity has nurtured and encouraged a band that takes all the good of various cultures to make it even better. But rather than me tell you how fabulous they are, find out for yourself!

Catholic Kali

A 1940s poster of the goddess Kali
standing over Lord Shiva

I mean for you to scratch your head with that headline. Kali is a powerful, demon-killing goddess from the Hindu pantheon. Nothing to do with Catholicism, right? Turns out, there’s a pretty interesting connection.

When the Spanish colonizers began importing indentured Indian laborers from India to the Caribbean in the mid-1800s, the newcomers were only allowed to observe parts of their culture, regardless of religion. North Indian Hindus worshipped the usual deities—Ram, Sita, and Krishna, for instance—as well as the deity known as Kali. The minority Tamil speakers from South India, however, worshipped Kali almost exclusively, forming Madras temples, also known as Kali temples, mostly in Guyana.

But in other areas, because of the limitations put on them by their colonizers, some Hindus in the Caribbean began worshipping the Virgin Mary as a representation of Kali Mai, or Mother Kali. As well, in those days when Indians first began leaving their homeland, they called the foreign oceans they had to cross “black waters,” because mysterious and often dangerous things happened to them when they traveled afar. Many Caribbean Hindus came to believe that the black deity, Kali Mai, traveled with them across these waters and took on the form of the Virgin Mary when they arrived.

Kali in a 17th century mural
(credit Balajiviswanathan)

In some areas, such as the former French colony of Guadeloupe, Hindus began observing both faiths. They modified their observances to accommodate both – for example, they didn't perform pujas, Hindu prayer ceremonies, during Lent.

Among Hindu goddesses, Kali is one of the most hardcore. I grew up a little ambivalent of her (read: afraid) and not entirely convinced she was one of the good guys (gals). That’s because she’s usually depicted as a woman with a murderous temper. She wears a garland of *human heads* around her neck, always hangs her long tongue out of her mouth, carries a sword dripping in blood, has wild hair and four arms. One of her arms carries a severed head; another holds a bowl that catches the blood dripping from this head. Sometimes she’s shown standing atop the inert body of her husband, Lord Shiva. This goddess means business. I would say don’t make her mad, but she was born mad.

Kali’s name comes from the word kala, which means black, and she’s depicted as either dark skinned or even jet black. (The blue skin in the poster up top is meant to suggest dark skin, as in popular mythological renderings.) Hindu interpretations vary on the meaning of Kali's darkness. Some associate it with death or time, others as beyond color, even as a manifestation of pure energy.

Either way, some Africans in the Caribbean have also adopted a belief in Kali Mai in part because she is—get this—the goddess of healing. (Don’t ask. I’m not entirely sure myself how this part of her story reconciles with the scary stuff, but I’ll leave that topic for another day.) Caribbean Africans brought their own healing practices, such as Obeah, to the area, and so the idea of a healing deity was one both oppressed groups in the region could embrace. Not only did a belief in Kali entail the healing of the sick, but it also helped empower these disenfranchised groups to believe in healing from suffering and oppression.

The matriarch of La Divina Pastora in Trinidad
(credit to Jason X)

Beginning in 1871 and continuing on until now, Hindus at the Roman Catholic church of La Divina Pastora in Trinidad began worshipping Virgin Mary as the embodiment of Kali. The dark statue of La Divina Pastora or the Divine Shepherdess is also known as Soparee Mai, another name for Kali, at the church. Each year on Good Friday, Hindus fill the church to worship Soparee Mai. Catholics join them as well as local Muslims, Buddhists, and indigenous Waraoa Indians. Offerings of gold, flowers, and fruit are left at the feet of the deity, and healing miracles are said to have occurred.

It’s unconfirmed, but some believe this is the only church in the world where such a phenomenon takes place. Pretty cool meeting of cultures, no?