Dev-Deepawali in Varanasi

“You must make a visit to Benares on Dev Deepawali, it has become the biggest event in the city at present”, many had suggested me the same on my last visit to the city during Dussehra this year. Not to miss the spectacle, I had booked my train tickets to Varanasi well in advance - just to spend the evening when the characteristic riverfront of Varanasi will be lit up with thousands of ‘diyas’ (earthen oil lamps).

The Story

Varanasi Jn. Railway station was abuzz with hundreds of pilgrims when I arrived at noon. Devotees had come from faraway places to take a dip (Kartik Snan) in the holy river Ganga, and offer oil-lighted lamp to the river Ganga (Deepdan) on the auspicious day of Kartik Purnima – the full moon night in the month of Kartik as per the Hindu calendar. It is believed that the Gods descend to Earth to bathe in the Ganga on this particular day. Steps of all the 84 ghats (stepped embankment) are lit with about a million earthen lamps (diyas). Usually, the local community organization for the neighbourhood adjoining the ‘ghat’ makes all the arrangements for decorating the embankment with the lamps[1].

The Hostel

Zostel - a backpackers' hostel in Aurangabad, Varanasi

 Asking for directions on my way, I reached Zostel - a backpackers’ hostel in Aurangabad[2]. It’s conveniently located within 1.4 km walking distance from the Dashashwamedh Ghat– the main ghat. Though the hostel was full, the receptionist promised to work out some arrangement for the night. A gang of girls from IMT Ghaziabad had also checked in alongside who were also visiting the city on Dev Deepawali. Got to know some others at the hostel’s café – a journalist from Delhi; a research scholar from IIT Bombay who had come down to meet his girlfriend – a student with BHU; a politician from Romania who has travelled to Antarctica – and many others literally from different corners of the world – spanning from Brazil to New Zealand (with a notable absence of visitors from the Far East). As almost everyone was up for a boat tour in the evening, the hostel authority made the booking for a large boat (at INR 600 per person).

The Cafe' at Zostel is a great social milieu

The Sail

Feast of Lamps  at the 'ghats' (near Pandey and Raja Ghats)

The Boat from Zostel had set its sail from Raja Ghat. Locals and visitors, all alike, were engaged in lighting up the diyas (lamps) arranged on the steps to the river. The boat first sailed us to Dashashwamedh Ghat where the grand aarti (prayer) was being staged. Instead of only ten batuks who would perform the prayers on a usual evening, about thirty were there split into three rows. A replica of the War Memorial at India Gate in New Delhi (Amar Jawan Jyoti) was erected as this day is also observed as Martyr’s Day by Ganga Seva Nidhi. I would cherish the solitary moments spent on the sail- watching the aarti with apt attention; those while I was humming some of my favourite tunes.

(left) Aarti (prayers) dedicated to Holy Ganga  at Dashashwamedh Ghat; (right) 'deep-dan' - sailing of deep (lamp) in river

Aarti was being offered at several other ghats too, notably at Kedar Ghat. In order to commemorate the recent terrorist attack in Paris, a model of the Eiffel Tower was erected at a ghat, thus, adding more relevance to the festivity. The boat sailed us till Panchganga Ghat downstream and up to Assi Ghat in the upstream. As we reached the Assi Ghat, a popular oldie song by a familiar voice – ek pyaar ka nagma hai, maujo ki rawani hai­– made me jump to my feet! It was Anuradha Poudwal who was singing to a large audience which had assembled on the steps of the ghat, and the performers and the guests were atop a platform built on the river. The entire riverfront was buzzing with energy and liveliness. And to add to the masti (fun), intermittently, the dark sky was getting overcast with dazzling fireworks. The full-blown moon had cast a bright reflection on the dark waters of the river. And to add to the glitter, many had set afloat diyas (lamps) on the water. This reminded me of the following lines from the book on Benares by noted scholar E. B. Havell.

‘By the time the twilight fades there are hundreds of twinkling lights dotted over the river, as if holy Ganga had borrowed the stars from heaven, whence she came, to adorn her earthly robes.’ [Benares: The Sacred City (1911), pg. 104]

(left) Steps of ghats being decorated with diyas - lamps; (right) holy symbols (Om) drawn with lamps

Fireworks in the sky; radiant river-bank

(left) Model of Eiffel Tower erected in solidarity to recent attack in Paris; (right) captivated audience at Assi Ghat

The Other

(left) Kashi Railway Station (kashi sketched in Nagari script); (right) breakfast with baati-chokhha

(left) Malviya Bridge at Rajghat; (right) archaeological ruins at Rajghat

The next morning was spent at Rajghat – the northernmost tip of Varanasi beneath the railway (Malviya) bridge – quite uncharacteristic of the ghats of the city. Next to the bridge is a mound of the archaeological ruins from the past (about 600 BCE till 1700 CE) which were unearthed by a team from Benares Hindu University (BHU) during 1960 – 1969 CE. The path along the ruined site takes one to the 300 acre campus of Krishnamurti Foundation India (KFI), founded by the seer J. Krishnamurti in the year 1928 CE. It consists of a residential senior secondary school, a college for women, a study centre cum retreat, and a rural centre offering health-care to nearby villagers. The serenity of the campus and ashramite lifestyle here almost reminded me of Santiniketan set up by Rabindranath Tagore in Bengal.

Krishnamurti Foundation India campus

(left) Byayamshala - fitness center near Adi Keshav Ghat; (right) Lord Hanuman

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[1]This year, as part of the national initiative of ‘Swacch Bharat Abhiyan’ – Clean India Campaign – each ghat was adopted by some organization / institution, like banks and charitable associations, which would look after the cleanliness of the ghat.

[2] To reach Zostel from Varanasi Jn. Railway station (commonly referred to as Cantt.), one may take a shared auto-rickshaw (fare 15 INR) – either the ones going to Godoulia via Lahurabir / Nai Sarak, get down at Beniya Bagh, and walk along Purana Pan Dariba Road before taking a left turn towards Luxa Road (about 700 m walk). Otherwise, take a shared auto-rickshaw for Lanka, get down at Guru-Bagh on Luxa Road, walk upto Luxa Police Station, take left from the crossing (about 600 m walk).