Why on Earth am I in India??

For those of you outside of my immediate family, you may wonder - what the hell are you actually doing over there? Well, it's not all hip-shaking dance parties, elephant riding and curry eating... in fact it's not really those things at all (well the dancing may happen alone in my room). My purpose in being here has been to fulfill a volunteer internship position at a local, and highly regarded NGO - KIRAN Society.

KIRAN was started in 1990 by Sister Sangeeta J.K., a nun and professional nurse from Switzerland who arrived in Bangalore, India in 1972.  After meeting the founder of another organization focused on disability care in Bangalore, Sister decided to found her own organization here in Varanasi.  Disability is a tricky topic here in India.  At one time I was told that, due to popular ideas of reincarnation that are saturated in the culture because of local religions, if a child is born with a disability it can be regarded as a sign of poor behavior in past lives.  The majority of disabled persons in India are limited to rather undignified lives of begging on the street, or even in the cars of the local trains in Mumbai.  The stigma and precedent set by history, coupled with lack of access to resources and opportunities, means it is difficult for persons with disability, who are very much so able in other ways, to lead independent lives as adults.  It is around this idea that KIRAN was built.  Here we don't say disabled, but differently-able.  This idea was born from the fact that every single person on this planet is unique and has his or her own specific and special abilities.  Though society may deem these people as being disabled, and therefore unable to lead normal lives, KIRAN has found a way to foster holistic development of individuals born with unique physical and mental aspects.

KIRAN began with a focus in rehabilitation and education, and that focus still remains, though the Society has grown to do so much more.  They even provide help in integrating former students into society, helping them to further education, get jobs and even giving them micro-credit loans, at times, and their vocational and skill training departments manufacture hundreds of beautiful handicrafts and food items.  It's pretty amazing how much the Society has grown in 25 years! Below is a simple graphic I created while drawing up a new information pamphlet for KIRAN, which shows all of the main departments:

I have been working for KIRAN's Public Relations.  This has given me the wonderful opportunity of getting experience different parts of KIRAN.  My work has included writing multiple "KIRAN Success" articles, which were translated into German to be printed in KIRAN's Swiss Newsletter. I've also been present at KIRAN events to work as a photographer and so I could post on the Facebook page. Recently I've also begun work on a special anniversary newsletter for the 25 year Silver Jubilee, which will be celebrated October of this year. The final project I'm working on is creating a new products coding system, compiling all of the specs and information for the hundreds of products made here, to create an online direct buy page on our website!

My favorite part of my work here has been when I have gotten to write more narrative based articles about people who have come to KIRAN. Maybe it is the anthropologist in me, but there's nothing like a personal story to really make a point - here the point being what incredible work KIRAN is doing.  Above is the photo of a woman who, in my opinion, is on of the most incredible "Success" stories. Gyanda Ganokar (pictured with her mentor) was born with Cerebral Palsy in a smaller district in Uttar Pradesh... though it took her family years to get a real diagnosis and prognosis for her condition.  Her family finally ended up in Varanasi, seeking help from an ayurvedic doctor (a vaidya) and eventually ended up at KIRAN.  She is now only 22 years old and has accomplished more than pretty much any of my peers back in the US, and me.  At this young age, and with innumerable self-identified challenges, Gyanda has earned a Bachelors in Sociology, written her autobiography and is already pursuing a Masters in Social work at Banaras Hindu University - the major university in Varanasi. The amazing thing is that Gyanda is just one of many, many KIRAN students who have charged through and cultivated incredible innate abilities! This bodes well for the hundreds of students currently studying in KIRAN's primary school... I wonder how many more incredible stories will be told about KIRAN students 10 years from now.

Here is Sumeet Das - he's my favorite buddy around KIRAN. Sumeet runs "Sumeet's Tea & Snack Corner" at the KIRAN Centre, keeping everyone well snacked and caffeinated. He has some moderate learning disabilities and entered KIRAN at an advanced age and was thus placed in the Vocational Training Program.  During his time here his mother, Sheela, heard that KIRAN was wanting to set up a small tea stand. She took the initiative to start a shop herself and now she and Sumeet work daily at KIRAN, helping to provide for their family. Sumeet is shy at first, but so sweet once he gets comfortable with you. My office window looks out towards the main path through the center and I can see the Tea & Snack Corner from my window. Often, Sumeet will walk up to my window with a big smile telling me, "Chai! Coffee!" to let me know what is on the menu.  Whenever I cross paths with him he'll stick his hand out to vigorously shake mine while grinning. He's become a comfort here at KIRAN, where the amount of people coming in and out and working at the centre can be overwhelming.

I recently took interview of families from KIRAN's Outreach unit, which was incredible to see up close. This unit works with families from far off villages to provide holistic treatment - including physiotherapy, medical attention, education, therapy training for parents/family members and even surgery at times. In the photo is Pankash, a special educator who helped to translate all of my discussions with the families currently taking part in the program.  Pankash is working with Rishi, a boy of 10 with CP.  Rishi has a wicked smart mind, but is a severe case of CP.  Prior to his time at KIRAN he could only lay down.. after receiving physical therapy and a modified wheelchair at KIRAN, Rishi can now sit up with support for up to two hours, among other things  He has also begun getting education and Pankash has laid out a plan for his family to follow in order to groom him to eventually matriculate into school.  What I really find to be incredible about KIRAN is how it searches for each individual's capabilities and works to cultivate those first in order to reach larger goals - like regular schooling and walking.  It was this approach that drew me to the Centre and got me interested in volunteering in the first place. Too often problem solving will be narrowly focused, not only in the minds of people providing services, but also in the minds of those accessing them.  I've been told that many parents come to KIRAN with only one expectation - that their child will walk. They are so focused on that one goal that they can often completely miss all of the unique abilities their child does have, which must be worked on before a grand goal like walking can be accomplished!

KIRAN doesn't stay focused only in day-to-day aspects of disability care, it is also very active in disability rights and, often, women's rights too.  Since women are often primary caregivers, and recently have been given the right to be listed as Head of Household for Ration Cards (basically like India's food stamps - grains, etc. given out by the government to impoverished families), women and disability care are entangled.  Above is a photo from KIRAN's event for International Women's Day. KIRAN includes a Community Based Rehabilitation unit, which brings the organization's services to those who cannot come to the centre to access them, organized this incredible event that brought 1500, mostly rural women, together to hear from distinguished speakers from governmental and nonprofit sectors.  The speakers captivated the audience, calling for all women to realize their rights and empower themselves to become educated and aware on what they are able to do in order to become empowered and lift themselves and their families up.  It was special to be a part of the crowd, and luckily, being in PR, I was able to shift around throughout the event to be in all parts of the event. My favorite part was playing paparazzi during the march attendees and organizers made around the nearby traffic circle, and sitting smack dab in the middle of the crowd as a troupe of actors performed a legend story about the Ganga.

These aspects of KIRAN are only the tip of the iceberg... I've spent 5 months here and still cannot explain with full knowledge all that the Society does, simply because it's doing so much!

I'm not usually one to solicit financial support, but I truly believe in the good KIRAN does and know that donating even a small amount to them can directly make a difference. If anyone reading is interested, visit KIRAN's official website at Kiran Village to learn more. And if you feel compelled to do so, please visit Give India's page on KIRAN, where you can easily make a small one-time donation that will go directly to benefit a child here: KIRAN Give India

*This post does not represent any official opinions of KIRAN Society and is merely a cataloguing of my personal experience here*

Feeding Frenzy!

Obviously one of the best parts of traveling is the food, especially living where the traditional flavors have been continuously sought after and even proven to be unique and special at the molecular level recently (Washington Post article)! I still enjoy trying new Indian dishes and going back to old favorites (holla at dosas and chole bhature), though no Indian food will ever be as good as what my host mother and the housemaid cooked every night while I was studying here in 2013! During this second stay here I have enjoyed the opportunity to cook a little bit as well. Cooking fresh meals is so easy here since produce is comparatively cheap and sold everywhere! It is a learning curve having no oven, but we've even successfully made homemade pizza :)

One of the best parts of walking around the city is when you happen upon a spice market. Here we came to a wholesale spice bazaar, told by a local friend to be frequented by adherents to Ayurveda.

Amazing masala chai was doled out in large volume to shoppers in the spice bazaar. 

Our first homemade dinner! All the way back in January, Martina taught me her simple vegetable pasta. It will now be a staple part of my diet forever. Her secret? Cooking the onions and garlic in water before adding in the tomato, yielding a lighter, healthier pasta dish! It's incredibly delicious with fresh local veggies and some fresh garlic on top :) 

Most of our dinners are had at the girls' hostel in Kiran.  The hostel Didis, Shanta and Jassinta, cook for hours to produce tasty and nutritious meals for themselves, 25 girls and Martina and me. Though we only take dinner there, these women work so hard to make breakfast, afternoon snack and dinner for the hostel girls. The food is almost always delicious, since these women really know their masala mixes. It's usually a sabji (vegetable dish with some blend of spices), rice, yellow daal, chapati and sometimes a fresh salad (cucumber/carrot/turnip). The photo above shows a typical meal, with my least favorite sabji mix: potatoes and turnip greens. Luckily turnips are on their way out of season it would seem!

Sundays we get special meals at the hostel! Usually egg, either scrambled with some cilantro or boiled and fried whole in oil, but a few times now we've been treated to fish from a pond at Kiran. Pictured above is a larger white fish, which was breaded and fried. It's no fresh-caught Ahi but it was delicious! It tasted mild, like a cod or halibut. 

One speciality of India is, of course, the lassi - a blend of yogurt, water and sometimes spices and fruit. Generally, it's easy to find plain lassi around from small stands that sell yogurt as well.  The one pictured above is from one of the many lassi shops, which are more like small restaurants.  This one definitely catered more to the tourist crowd with floor pillows as seating and a playlist of reggae music. This lassi was made with papaya chunks and garnished with pistachio shavings and pomegranate seeds - it was deliciously rich and satisfying! Another lassi staple of Varanasi is the bhang lassi. This "special" drink is traditionally had during festivals, like Holi, but is available at all time in the holy city of Benaras. The long history of cannabis use in Varanasi may to blame for the high concentration of obnoxiously self-righteous, "I'm going to find myself in India,"

 tourist types. These types can be seen frequenting the more expensive restaurants around, lounging around the ghats playing a flute and sporting dreadlocks. 

It has been nice to have another person around who grew up in the US. Here my friend Jenny, who moved from Korea to LA when she was 7, and I feasted at Pizza Hut.  Sometimes when homesickness hits me I find the best thing to do is to find a little taste of home. Luckily for me, American consumer product ubiquity means I can find some good ole American staples like pizza, fries, and even apple pie with relative ease! During a spell of homesickness, Jenny and I took a trip to Pizza Hut and shamelessly crossed over to get McFlurries at McDonald's when our pizza was gone.  

One more note on American products in India... I will never be okay with the fact that Lay's here are actually Ruffles.

One of my favorite things to have at home is our homemade yogurt. Martina and I get milk from Kiran's small dairy, either cow or a mix of cow and buffalo. Martina has become a master curd-maker and now we make fresh yogurt ever other day or so. Mornings here start with curd mixed with banana, pomegranate seeds, muesli/amaranth and almonds. It's probably the most satisfying breakfast ever.

India is always full of surprises! While walking around Kiran, my former Hindi teacher, Anjani-ji - who was visiting with a group of students from the program I completed 2 years ago - plucked these strange looking green fruits off the ground. She encouraged me to try one before she would tell me what it was. The sweet berry turned out to be mulberries! I had never before seen an actual mulberry, let alone tasted one, but now I find myself foraging for them around the many mulberry trees within Kiran. 

Near to the Hindu temple at BHU, the local university, there are a number of small restaurants and food stands. While visiting one day,  I saw a sign for cold coffee. Since I was extremely tired, and planning to visit the university's museum that afternoon, I just couldn't say no. Turned out to be a great idea! It was a frothy blend of coffee, milk and ice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (that had a hint of coconut). I'm hoping that the South, known for coffee, will be chock full of these when I visit there in June!

The sheer quantity of food pumped out by the canteen at Kiran is amazing and calls for gargantuan cooking equipment. Pictured above is a huge pot filled with searing hot oil cooking puri, a simple fried bread made of whole wheat flour and water. 

Finally, it wouldn't be India without chai.  It really can be found just about anywhere and it's almost always delicious. I think most Starbucks loving Americans would be surprised to try authentic chai. Usually it is simply tea, milk and sugar, though adding ginger is common.  Masala chai will boast a blend of spices at the discretion of the maker. Most often I've been treated to the delicate blend of fresh ginger and cardamom. Though it is spiced, it is still very different from the "from concentrate" chai drinks served up at most coffee shops in the US. The above chai was literally a bowlful, served as you leave Langar at the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar. 

More food posts are sure to follow, especially as I embark on my first long-term solo trip in just a little under a month! 

The Other India

Life in the Village

My second stay in India has been drastically different than my first. When I was here studying two years ago I only visited a few villages and spent just one night in that setting.  My school was located in Jaipur, Rajasthan - a city of just 2.3 million.  For my independent research project, my friend Peter and I made the bold choice to research in Mumbai, with a population of around 20 million.  Indian cities are different from any others I've visited in the world. They really feel alive, and how could they not with such populations and concentrations of India's famous cultural vibrancy. This time, I'm living and working in a village 12km south of Varanasi city.  Village India has been, in a way, the real India for many; though this is changing with the rapid urbanization that has characterized the last decade or two. The Indian newspaper the Hindu reported that close to 70% of India's population is still rural. So it seems that I am living in the kind of environment a majority of Indians live in. My village is a little different than some I visited in Rajasthan, with lots of general stores within reasonable walking distance, etc. This is probably due to its proximity to the city and maybe the fact that an often-visited temple lies just down the road from my house. There are a lot of new buildings being constructed in Madhopur and other villages nearby. I've been told that some more wealthy city-folk are starting to build homes out here to get a break from the intensity of Varanasi. A co-worker of mine mentioned that Varanasi is set to expand quickly in the coming years and I wouldn't be surprised if in a decade Madhopur village will be something of a suburb. For now though, it maintains much of what seems to be rural authenticity, with plenty of crop fields, animal herds and brick/thatch huts. One thing that can't be denied is that this village is beautiful.

Pictured above is the street just outside of the KIRAN complex. It can actually be a relatively busy street, mostly filled with villagers walking and biking about. Oftentimes motorcycles and cars will honk and swiftly pass by on their way to the Shultankeshwar Temple, a famous Shiva Temple, and the adjacent ghat. 

When I first arrived in January there were puppies EVERYWHERE and it was like a tortuous heaven seeing them all around and not being able to cuddle them. They're starting to grow a lot now, which is somewhat of a marker of my time here. These two, siblings, live right outside of KIRAN and are my favorites. There are many dogs around, some live in KIRAN and many others live throughout the village. They are rather harmless and don't take much interest unless I have food or when I'm running. They do, however, like to bark at night sometimes which takes me back to my time in Hawaii living next door to hunting dogs. 

Speaking of Hawaii, I am still in a position to gather shells! It seems there are some sort of clams or something living in the Ganga and on the path along the banks you can find many shells. 

One of the best things to do in the village is watch sunset over the river. This isn't even the most colorful of sunsets I've witnessed here. Sometimes the reflection of the setting sun will be a hot pink streak in the water. What my camera fails to capture is how big and saturated in color the sun is when it sets here. 

There are quite a few fishermen here in Madhopur. By the time I'm out for a walk in the village after work they are usually lounging lazily on their boats. A family I have befriended wanted to cook fish for me. I politely declined the offer for Ganga fish, as the river this far South is pretty polluted.  Many locals seem to eat it with no problem and in the city there are a lot of fish butchery stands. 

My absolute favorite thing here in the village is the path along the Ganga. Here I can walk for maybe 10-15 minutes on a narrow path that lies between the river and small vegetable fields. Mostly tomatoes and mustard are grown, which makes for a lush landscape filled with the yellow flowers of the mustard plant. The mustard plant is used mostly for it's oil, which is a preferred cooking oil around North and North-East India. 

For a while now I've been a little obsessed with trees, finding my favorites wherever I go. This is definitely my favorite in the village. It is huge and perfectly formed. Sometimes when I'm going for a walk I will just stand and stare at it... so long as the family who tether their buffalo there aren't around. 

Their buffalo enjoy the shade this beautiful tree provides. I don't like to stay long while the buffalo are around so as to not disturb them or cause any problems for the family who lets me walk through their land to reach the path along the river. 

One day while walking along the path two women called out "Namaskar," greeting me and gesturing for me to come over to where they were, picking tomatoes. I asked their names and exchanged "Ap ke si hai?"s, asking how they were. A few days later as I was out for a jog I walked past the same spot again and Manju, the matriarch pictured above in a sari, asked me to come up to her house. I walked up the steep hill through her tomato field to reach her house, which has two small rooms and is made of brick. She wanted me to meet and hold her grandson - who they refer to as Babu (baby). The baby is a sweet and chubby baby boy who likes to stare up into the sky and laughs when I make silly noises at him. I visit them pretty regularly and see the young girl shown on the left at KIRAN since she is in kindergarten there.  Though I hardly speak Hindi and they don't speak any English, we have fun trying to communicate, laughing over tea and finding ways to get Babu to entertain us.

Jallianwala Bagh - Site and Memorial for the 1919 Amritsar Massacre

A Seminal Event in British-Indian History

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, also known as the Amritsar Massacre, it occurred on April 13, 1919 and estimates of the death toll range from 379 (from British Indian sources) to ~1,000 (estimation by the Indian National Congress).  It seems to be accepted that there were at least 1,500 casualties ranging from death to injury. I am no history expert on colonial India so I will not attempt to go into the complex background of the event save to say that the Punjab region was quite tumultuous with clashes between native groups and the iron-fisted Lt. Governor Michael O'Dwyer. The day of the massacre began with a gathering of nonviolent protestors within the bagh; at that time just an open field-like area between buildings with a well. Protestors gathered to peacefully to express their disapproval of the arrest of two popular leaders in the area.

Located just down the road from the Golden Temple, the bagh is enclosed with buildings on all sides.  There is one narrow entrance (pictured above) which, according to information provided at the memorial, was usually kept locked. Upon hearing about the meeting at Jallianwala Bagh, General Reginald Dyer, who was temporarily placed in the area as Brigadier General, came to the bagh with 150 soldiers and placed them on the elevated ground along the perimeter of the bagh entrance. With no warning, Dyer ordered for his troops to fire upon the peaceful protesters, killing and maiming many with shots and causing stampedes.

As you walk around the beautiful gardens you will constantly and bittersweetly be reminded of the tragedy that took place nearly a century ago. There are multiple walls where bullet holes have been highlighted and preserved as testaments to the cruel offense inflicted upon the innocent, nonviolent dissidents.

We walked counter-clockwise through the bagh and thus happened upon the "Martyr's Well" towards the end of our visit.  As such, the atmosphere and emotions stirred up by visiting a site of such tragedy were already coursing through me strongly and happening upon this sight was probably the most poignant of moments at Jallianwala Bagh.  This well is where 120 bodies were recovered after the massacre representing 120 individuals who threw themselves into the well to take cover from the unwarranted fire. 

A monument sits towards the center of the gardens that now fill the bagh, along with a couple of small museum exhibits and an eternal flame.

We had hoped to see the light show that is put on every evening, which seems to be a sort of reenactment of the events. A couple who we shared a train cabin with on the way to Amritsar recommended going at this time since the display really gives the best feel of the events.  

Harmandir Sahib - The Golden Temple

Harmandir Sahib - the most important Gurdwara

Located in the Punjabi city of Amritsar, very near to the Pakistan border (more on that in a post to come), is Harmandir Sahib - or known in English as The Golden Temple.  This incredibly beautiful place is the holiest gurdwara of the Sikh religion.  According to the Sikhism website, sikhiwiki.org, the 3rd Guru, Guru Amar Das, is responsible for the idea of this gurdwara; though its construction was initiated by the 4th Guru, Guru Ram Das, in the 16th century.  The Sikh religion is known for its openness to any and all people, thus the temple was built lower than the level of the city outside - equalizing all with no regard to religion, caste, gender, etc.  You can feel the welcoming spirit as you enter the grounds, and especially as you take part in Langar - "Free blessed food." You must enter barefoot, head covered and feet washed. In the rainy weather of this weekend, hundreds of meters of mats were laid out along the marble floor.  

Stormy weather provided the perfect backdrop for the gleaming temple. 

Martina - my Italian roommate - and I.

The water in the lake that surrounds the temple itself is said to be filled with holy water.  While on the train from Varanasi to Amritsar, a fellow passenger - a young Sikh student - told us the story of a wheelchair-bound man whose wife brought him to the temple.  The story goes that he could not so much as control a finger.  As he sat beside the lake while his wife walked the compound, he dipped one finger in the water.  Immediately feeling a change, he slowly submerged his whole hand, arm, so on until his entire body was in the water. Upon returning his wife could not recognize the man before her for he had been cured of all ailments! When walking around the lake many visitors dip their feet and hands in, while other devotees strip down and dip fully into the water.  Pictured above, a devotee dips in the water, praying. 

Since my first class on Eastern religions, I have known that one can go to any Sikh gurdwara and be fed with blessed food free of charge.  Here at the Harmandir Sahib, it is said that the kitchen sometimes feeds up to 100,000 people in one day.  They serve all day long, including delicious chai! This is known within the tradition as Langar and it is seen to be a way of expressing Sikh ideas of community, oneness, etc.  as any and all can come to share in a meal. Pictured above, a devotee stacks clean plates to be distributed.

The Golden Temple houses multiple dining halls where one can sit in a line on mats and be served a wholesome and tasty meal!

 Roti is gingerly tossed into eager hands.

 Today's meal consisted of wonderful dal, a potato sabji, kheer and roti - the kheer was exceptional.

It wouldn't be India without chai - after lunch you can go to have a large bowlful of piping hot, sweet chai. One thing to note is that a lot of the work done at the gurdwara (cooking, cleaning, etc.) is not done by staff but by devotees who give their service.  We had hoped to do so, but with just over 24 hours in Amritsar we did not have the time to figure out how to arrange it.  

We returned to the gurdwara after dinner around 9pm to watch the closing rituals.  Prayers are said and around 9:45pm Guru Granth Sahib - the central holy book of the Sikhs and also the 11th and final Guru - is wrapped and put to rest until morning.  The book is put in an ornate palki, which is carried on the shoulders of devout followers.  This ceremony was incredibly beautiful and moving with the glowing temple, light flickering across the water and enchanting prayer chants being sung by devotees. 

Above, the palki is carried, with devotees walking alongside it to usher it on its way into the gurdwara. 

Once the Guru Granth Sahib is put to rest, the doors to the temple are closed. Afterwards, presumably devout followers lingered to read scripture outside the doors. 

More to come on Amritsar - the Wagah Border Ceremony and the monument to Jallianwala Bagh.

Just a Taste of Varanasi

Touted by India as the oldest living city in the world, Varanasi - or Benares - is undoubtably a special place that attracts tourists and pilgrims from all walks of life.  Around 2.5 million people visit Varanasi each year and while it is by no means one of India's largest cities (with a mere 1.2 million population in the city proper, compared to Mumbai and Delhi whose populations hover closer to 20 million give or take a few), it continues to be a place of great importance and interest.  This is probably due, in part, to its spiritual significance. Varanasi boasts numerous mythological histories, for example one legend tells that Lord Shiva and his wife, Parvati, walked to this spot at the beginning of time.  Some may call Varanasi the city of Shiva, which seems so as you walk along the Ganga past countless Shiva Linga stones.  Another Hindu legend holds that anyone who is cremated here will be released from samsara (the cycle of death and rebirth), attaining enlightenment.  This is one tradition of Varanasi known better in the U.S., though often with a negative undertone.  Before I moved here, upon telling people where I was going, I would often get the response of, "Isn't that where you can see parts of dead bodies floating down the river?" Note: I have never once seen a limb floating down the Ganga... so it's not like zombie-film status; though I've been told that some with limited funds will weight bodies to be partially burned and then sunk to the bottom of the river.

One of my favorite things about Varanasi, as compared to some other popular destinations in India and across the world, is the entanglement of tradition and tourism.  It seems accepted that many cities popular with tourists have "tourist areas," like San Francisco's Fisherman's Warf or Mumbai's Colaba and Bandra neighborhoods; while those parts of the city where true inhabitants go about their lives unbothered by hoards out-of-towners - DSLRs in hand - fly under the mainstream tourist radar.  Varanasi unapologetically and magically melds these two together on the ghats of the Ganga.  Here tourists from India and abroad walk up and down the steps, navigating between laundry, herds of buffalo, tethered goats and more.  Many homes in the gullies along the Ganga have belonged to families here for generations and so the everyday rituals like regular bathing, laundry and animal husbandry continue to take place amidst the tourism.  While in many other cities these people may have abandoned the tourist hotspot, Varanasi commands reverence for its character, history and seemingly authentic daily life. 

Here I am standing in Assi Ghat just a few steps away from the guest house I stayed at in 2013 when I first came to Varanasi with SIT: Jaipur study abroad group. If you ever travel to India, skip the big hotels and go for guesthouses. Usually run by families, if you do enough background research you can find some real gems. Our favorite here in Varanasi is Sahi River View Guest House with cheap, clean and comfy rooms it even comes with free breakfast! Not to mention a wonderfully hospitable familial staff. 

Water buffalo are a mainstay along the ghats, at one time a herd began to stampede down the main street in Assi Ghat, one of the most touristy areas, giving us all quite a scare.  Here they cool off and clean up in the Ganga.  Buffalo are kept throughout North India (having not been farther south I cannot speak to other regions) and I actually prefer their milk to cow's milk - it is sweeter, creamier and a bit more flavorful!

Along the ghats you can also see a handful of boats in various stages of construction, meaning more and more boats to have boat drivers relentlessly ask, "Boat madam? You want boat?" as I walk along the river.