India: The Passion [Part Two]

Undoubtedly one of the most holy and sacred cities in the world, Varanasi draws millions of Hindus from across the world. The search: Nirvana. The cycle of life and death is sought to be escaped. Enlightenment is the goal. Though, enlightenment cannot be a goal; for that is contradictory. Regardless, it is accepted in Hindu culture within India that if one’s ashes are thrown into the Ganges River, Nirvana is reached.

Perched several stories above from the roof ledge of a vacated building, we inhaled the deprived smoke that ascended from beneath us. This was not a typical smoke; a body burned beneath us. One of the most divine procedures in Hinduism, the cremation of the corpse below us on the riverside ghat was the final step in preparation to toss the ashes into the Ganges. This experience was surreal as you can imagine. Climbing the stairs to the rooftop, we slowly passed several elderly people curled against the walls. With death imminently approaching, each still released a slight smirk towards us. Varanasi was their final destination.

Claiming to be a volunteer, the young man that had led me atop the building softly demanded that I buy one of the aging women ten kilos of wood for her cremation. The problem: this would equate to about $35! I opened my wallet and willingly obliged to donate Rs 500 (or $10) because of his helpfulness to me. Slowly coming up the stairs, the woman crept up towards me. Kneeling, I gave her 500 rupees. Placing her palm on my head, she gave her blessing to me and my family. As I departed this remarkable experience, the young man urged me to come back in the evening to watch the cremations – and to pay the remaining 1000 rupees to the aging woman. I loosely scoffed that I would “try to return.”

Upon first walking down to the Ganges River earlier in the day, I was met by a kind young man. Expecting ulterior motives, I shied from his friendliness. Eventually, my restrictiveness began to ease as he spoke with me. My entire time in Varanasi was spent with him ushering me around! After spending much of my time discovering the passion-filled streets in Varanasi, we hopped into a small paddle boat at dusk to watch the Ganges fade from the light and into the vibrancy of the night.

Unfortunately, the young man from the cremation ghat made his way into our boat as we set off. Because of his previous friendliness, I did not think twice about this, expecting only a guilt trip if anything. Indeed, as we paddled by the cremation ghat, it began. Pressing with a slightly forceful tone, he insisted that I “donate” Rs 1000 more. As previously, I insisted that I would only be contributing Rs 500. He pushed further. His frustration began to elevate. His demands quickly changed as he asserted that I must pay a “service charge.” Instructing the paddle man to drop the guy off, I was sure to get him off when we docked. Getting off the boat, he angrily yelled, “If I see you again tonight, I will kill you!” The anger was legitimate. I was hopeful that the threat was not! Thankfully, I never had to find out.

Catching the 10 p.m. overnight train to Agra, I ended one of the most unique and extraordinary days of my life! Arriving early, I departed across town to the Taj Mahal. It was closed. However, my eye caught its beauty from a rooftop restaurant view nearby. It is a most amazing structure of majestic fortitude. Still, it is just a building in its simplest form, in my opinion. Only spending several hours in Agra, I boarded the four-hour train to Delhi. Sleeping near the airport, I was prepared to catch my early morning flight to Bangalore. My itinerary called for three hours in Bangalore – just enough time to gain a feel for the city, I figured. Delayed two hours because of morning fog, my plane arrived late and reduced my time to one hour in Bangalore.

Reading an Indian business magazine on my flight, I read an article on one of India’s top real estate developers. The short writing of his success mentioned that he officed in Bangalore while also stating the “posh” street that his office was located on. Immediately after touch down, I hopped into a taxi and instructed the taxi driver to the street. After a short search, we found the office. Enthusiastically walking into the nice reception area, I placed disregard to my unshaven face, shower-less stench, and inappropriate clothing for such an undertaking. My enthusiasm overshadowed such attributes. Unfortunately, Mr. Mantrini was out of the office until the late afternoon, so I was unable to meet with him. Regardless, this was yet another exciting adventure during my time in India!

From multi-million dollar executives to impoverished individuals, India covers the entire spectrum of social living. Separating India from many other third-world countries is the vastness of these spectrums. Big business is apparent. Very apparent. Though, poverty is striking. Very striking. This contrast and the scale at which it occurs are fascinating and regrettable. My experience encompassed these observations as I visited with a couple of large business owners while traveling by air and spoke with many common citizens while on the railways and in the towns. As we observe the evolving process of globalization in the coming years, it will be interesting to watch the disbursement of capital within countries such as India. If India allots a considerably greater portion of its finances to rural education, I am convinced that the country will rapidly gain worl- powerhouse status. If they disproportionately allocate their finances, this process will take considerably longer. Though, from my viewpoint, India will inevitably become a world powerhouse. The question is simply, “How long?”

TS