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KASI YATRA
Undertaken by: K. Natarajan and Hema Natrarajan
During June 6 10, 2009
Report by K.Natarajan, Chennai Ph.: 22200440
Overview
Some data are available about Kasi Yatra in the literature; mainly the internet: but, I could
not get a detailed information on the subject. The available data are inadequate, because,
several questions remain unanswered. A number of readers have given brief info on some
aspects of the Yatra; while others have given on some other aspects. But,
comprehensive information covering all essential aspects of the Yatra is not available in
the literature: mainly, the net. This is perhaps because, one has to spend considerable
amount of time for a detailed writeup. I have spent about ten days in collating the
information based on my own travel and experience. Before emabarking on Kasi Yatra,
one must be familiar with terms like: Triveni Sangam, Manikarnika Ghats, Veni Daan,
Akshaya Vada, Vishnu Paad, Gaya Shrardham, Ganga Aarti, Kasi Vishwanath,
Annapoorna, etc. I hope this writeup would be useful to the pilgrims who
contemplate Kasi Yatra in the near future.
Why Kasi Yatra?
Several Hindus talk of embarking on Kasi Yatra when they get old. The Hindus believe
that Kasi Yatra constitutes the final journey of life. As one becomes aware that he is
getting old, he comes to terms with the process of life and death. One seeks salvation
despite the sins he has committed knowingly or unknowingly all through his life. Kasi
may provide a path to Moksha notwithstanding the present and past Karmas:
notwithstanding the present and past sins. Kasi provides one last hope for salvation. This
is the Hindu belief. Also Kasi Yatra includes trip to Gaya and Prayaag (Allahabad). You
feed the hungry ancestors waiting anxiously at Gaya: for you to offer food to them in the
form of pindams. The satisfied ancestors bless you with good health, wealth and
happiness. They will bless you with all best things on Earth that you have desired. Kasi
is the place for liberation as well, apart from salvation. Liberation from what?: Liberation
from the cycle of births and deaths. Having experienced misery several times in life, no
sane person wants to be born again and again in this world? During the ancient days, old
people used to embark on Kasi Yatra, walking all the way to Kasi from deep down South,
just to die in Kasi. They used to walk through forests and mountainous terrains. Many
died on the way. Nevertheless Moksha is assured. Those days, if one goes on Kasi
Yatra, he or she will never be seen any time in future. Because, we never had highspeed
transportation system or infrastructure to support such travel. The Yatra was invariably by
walk.
These days, many people don’t have a good idea regarding what exactly constitutes Kasi
Yatra. Some people think that a Kasi Yatra simply means a trip to Kasi and a dip in the
River Ganga. This is not true. Some others, who have heard of the trips to places such
as Kasi, Gaya, Prayaag, etc. in connection with Kasi Yatra, are aware of the rites or
Samskaras, But, they think that it may be a very expensive process. This is also not
true. Kasi Yatra with your partner (wife or husband) need not be very expensive: it can
actually be quite affordable. Note that, in order to carry out ceremonies like Shrardham,
one must be accompanied by his wife: since, both husband and wife are involved in most
of the ceremonies. It is better not to take children with us.
The main purpose of our trip has been to carry out the rituals related to Kasi Yatra: not
siteseeing. These include prayers at Temples like Viswanath, Visalakshi, etc. Someone
told me that there are at least a thousand temples at Kasi: so, it is called the City of
Temples. There are a hundred major Temples. The Kasi Yatra also includes trips to Gaya
and Prayag (Allahabad). A dip in Ganges and Triveni Sangam and prayers at Viswanath
and Visalakshi Temples will help cleanse our sins and facilitate Moksha.
Performing Shrardham at Gaya will give us the best opportunity to receive the blessings
of our ancestors, who will be too pleased to bless us after we offer the pindams. At Kasi,
we may also perform Ganga Pooja and Dampati Pooja.
The best age for embarking on Kasi Yatra is between 55 to 65 years. Because, by that
age people normally finish all their responsibilities / commitments to the family. Further,
after 65 years, one may not be physically fit to withstand the rigors of the trips to various
places; not to mention the highlyinvolved ceremonies. Further, one needs some mental
makeup in terms of renunciation, maturity, spiritual outlook, etc. which are not possible
when you are too young. As one grows old, he gets mellowed down in matters relating to
materialism. This kind of mindset is appropriate for Kasi Yatra. Like I have mentioned
before, please do not take your children during Kasi Yatra. It is inauspicious to witness
things like Akshaya Vata and Vishnu Paada when the parents are alive. Besides, Kasi
Yatra is not precisely a pleasure trip for fun.
In this writeup, I have given a brief description of the three places involved: Kasi,
Prayaag and Gaya. In summer, it is very hot in all these places: temperature goes up to
45 deg. C. So, please avoid peak of summer. Also, winter will be very cold. So, bathing
in the rivers will be difficult. Hence, it is a good idea to choose a proper time for Kasi
Yatra.
About Benaras
Since Kasi Yatra mainly refers to Kasi, I consider it necessary to tell you all something
about Kasi or Benaras, which is referred to as Varanasi in the Railway Guides, Air Maps,
and for all official purposes. Clearly, there are three names pertaining to the same place:
Kasi, Benaras and Varanasi: So, I am a bit confused regarding the name by which I am
supposed to talk about this place. This confusion comes because: the pilgrimage to this
city is Kasi Yatra; the major University here is Benaras Hindu University; the official
name is Varanasi. Anyway, I will use all these three names in this writeup, depending on
the situation and purpose. For instance, no one says it is Varanasi Yatra; but it is always
Varanasi Airport; and Benaras Hindu University. Varanasi is derived from Varuna plus
Assi, the two rivers. Varanasi is situated between the confluence of the rivers, Varuna
and Assi with the Ganges. There is mention of Kasi in Rig Veda, Ramayana,
Mahabharata, etc. So, the city is certainly very old: perhaps, older than 3,000 years.
Clearly, Benaras is one of the oldest civilizations of the world. No wonder, Mark Twain
had described Benaras as older than history and older than tradition. More than 30 lakh
people live here; a very populated and crowded place indeed. I have heard of this city in
connection with: pilgrimage (Kasi Yatra), silk sarees (Benares silk), Kasi Vishwanath
Temple, etc. I also know that Kasi has been a major Center of Learning for Vedic studies
for three thousand years. Some important Universities have been established here during
ancient times: one being Taxila. Well known poets or scholars like Kabir, Tulsi Das,
Pundit Ravi Shankar, Bismilla Khan, etc. have lived here. Adi Shankara wrote his
commentaries on Hinduism here, leading to the great Hindu revival. Vaishnavism,
Shaivism as well as Shakta Sect have coexisted in Kasi harmoniously for hundreds of
years.
Nearly 20 years back, my sister who has been working in the Benaras Hindu University
(BHU), has said that Benaras is not very clean; and that Ganges is actually very dirty.
Even now, Ganges is far from clean; despite the crores of Rupees spent under Clean
Ganga Project of the Govt. of India. The boatman told me that the money allocated for
the Project has not been effectively spent; and that some people may have actually
swindled considerable part of the budget.
Benaras is a highly crowded city. It is full of lanes. Lanes and lanes, everywhere. As if
these are not enough, there are also sublanes along the lanes. You will see cows and
cattle blocking the lanes. These cows generally allow no more than onefootspace for us
to get through them. No, they will never hurt you. Still, one is always skeptical while
walking through them. Also, you will have to be careful while crossing the gallis (lanes);
lest you skid as you walk on the cowdung. Regarding neatness, cleanliness etc., less
said, the better. Note that, in order to get to the Ganges and various Ghats, you should
necessarily walk through these gallis; or galligallis: I mean sublanes. Most of the Mutts
or Halls where religious ceremonies are held are along these gallis; so no escape from
these. I had already read about them in one of the issues of Mangaiyar Malar, the Tamil
Magazine; so, I was mentally prepared for this kind of experience. Therefore, what I saw
was something very similar to what I had visualised in my mind about Benaras; except
that I did not bargain for gallis within the gallis; this is something too much for me. Within
these lanes, you have various shops; selling nice things: lassis, cool drinks, sweets, etc.
There are some shops next to the public toilets. Yet, people eat happily as if they live in a
very different world notwithstanding the stink from the toilets. Apparently, the fine smell
of the hothot delicacies has overpowered the stink from the toilets which are just a few
feet apart. The old city is highly congested and polluted; so, the affluent section of the
present population has moved to the suburbs with better facilities. However, all the
ancient Temples are situated in the old city: generally, along the Ganga River.
In this connection, I want to caution the readers about one thing. When you want to visit
Kasi for pilgrimage, just don’t bother about things like cleanliness. Be a part of the crowd.
Be a team player. You will actually feel nice that way. Even if you live in a star hotel, you
still have to come to one of these ancient houses or Mutts for ceremonies. That is why,
we actually decided to stay in one an a/c hotels just opposite one of those religious joints
in a lane. This is not the ultimatequality hotel; but would serve our purpose. Indeed,
several VIPs have carried out the religious ceremonies from this house owned by Shri
Krishnamoorthy Ganapadigal. Nadigar Thilagam Shivaji Ganesan and his family, for
instance; Shri Radha Ravi being another visitor. I was gaping at the huge photo of Shivaji
in his house for several minutes. I was told that Radha Ravi was also constantly looking
at this very photo for a long time. The way Shivaji was standing with folded hands in front
of the Ganapadigal with absolute humility and piety is impressive. Anyone will get that
feeling. The Ganapadigal said that Benaras is bursting at the seams; because, a city
basically designed for just 5,000 people several hundred years back, is now catering to a
crowd of 50 lakhs. (I checked up the population data later; it appears that the actual
population is around 31 lakhs as on 2001). What else can you expect from such a
situation? Nevertheless, thousands and thousands of people keep pushing each other as
they walk to the Ganges or as they have a dip in the Holy River. The thought of attaining
Moksha is too overpowering and tempting in relation to the cleanliness of the river or
inconvenience due to excessive crowd. If you expect clean, crystal clear water in the
Ganges, you are asking for the Moon. The water is muddy; dead bodies are dipped into
the Ganges just very close to your bathing spot; I have seen, even sewage water flowing
into the Ganges. Yet, the water is fairly acceptable for a bath. Indeed, we enjoyed bathing
in the Ganges; we refused to come out of water; but for the need to do ceremonies. The
Priest told me that Maha Shivratri is the most famous festival in Kasi, when the devotees
take bath in the Ganges and pray Lord Vishwanath. Very large number of people visit
Kasi at that time.
About Prayaag (Allahabad)
Though Prayag has been in existence for ages, the name Allahabad was given by
the Mughal emperor, Akbar. Allahabad or Prayag is also called the "Tirth Raj", the king of
all pilgrimage centers. There are many references to Prayag in the Epics, Vedas and
Puranas. Allahabad is situated at the confluence of the three rivers: Ganga, Yamuna and
Saraswati (a mythical river which is not visible). The place where Ganga and Yamuna
meet is called Sangam (union): the venue of many sacred fairs and rituals: the place that
attracts thousands of pilgrims throughout the year. The most important event at Prayag is
the Kumbha Mela. Millions of people from all over India gather at Prayag to take a holy
dip at Sangam. People also go to Prayaag for the annual Magha Mela, which is also holy.
We took a car to Allahabad, which is about 2 1/2 hours drive from Kasi. After completing
all the rituals at Prayaag, we got back to Benaras the same day. Indeed, we had enough
time in the evening to visit a few places, as well as to witness Ganga Aarti.
About Gaya
Gaya is situated on the banks of Phalgu (or Phalguni) river in the State of Bihar. Gaya
was a part of the ancient Province of Magadha, and is a sacred city not only for the
Hindus, but also for the Budhists. Gaya derives its name from the demon, Gayasur
(Gaya plus Asur, the demon). Lord Vishnu killed the demon by placing his foot on him.
The footprint of Vishnu was left in Gaya. The demon got transformed to a series of rocks
and hills around Gaya. The whole city has become holy and blessed by Mahavishnu.
That is why lakhs of people visit Gaya to perform Shraddha to absolve the sins of the
ancestors. The pleased and satisfied ancestors bless us with good health and wealth: not
only for us; but also for the entire family. Gods and Goddesses have promised to live on
Gayasur’s body, which is present everywhere in Gaya. There are various Ghats and
Temples along the Falgu (Phalgu) River. There are also a few Temples on hilltops: such
as: Rama Shila, Mangla Gauri, Shringa Sthan and Brahmayoni. These Temples are
generally part of the pilgrimage circuit. Elaborate staircases have been built in most of
them, when there is an ascent. I did not have time to visit most of them, though. In this
region, trees such as Pipal and Akshaya Vat (the banyan tree that does not die) are
popular and considered holy. The Mangla Gauri shrine has two round stones representing
Goddess Sati, the consort of Lord Shiva. The most important Temple however, is Vishnu
Paad Temple along the Phalgu River. Vishnu Paad or Foot is very holy, because the Holy
Foot has annihilated the demon. You should place the pindas; wash them; and then place
your head on the Holy Foot to attain Moksha. We went to Gaya by car and returned to
Benaras by the same car, which was arranged by our Pundit Ganapaadigal. There is no
need to book a hotel at Gaya. We started from Benaras at 2 AM and reached Gaya at 7
AM. After completing the rituals at Gaya, we started from Gaya at 1 PM and reached
Benaras by 6 PM. We had enough time in the evening to visit some temples in Kasi.
Tour Schemes and Options
There are various schemes available from the Tour Operators suiting your budget. There
are a number of methods of embarking on Kasi Yatra. My wife and self have chosen a
somewhat costly method in view of my time limitations (I still continue to work; I am 62
plus): I have the need to complete the whole Yatra and important rituals in 5 days. I have
problem of leave. So, I have decided to fly wherever possible along with my wife.
ChennaiBenaras – Chennai; via Delhi, where there is a stopover for one to four hours
depending on the flight. But, even this is not too expensive. It is a good idea to carry with
you some bread and snacks to eat in places like airport during the waiting periods; or
even inside the plane. The present day flights may or may not provide food onboard.
Besides, after performing Shrardham, one is not supposed to eat all kinds of food offered
in the airlines during the return trip.
There are a number of Tour Operators all over India. There are a few at Chennai too; for
instance, there is one at T.Nagar who regularly advertises in the local magazines giving
details of the programmes as well as amount involved. The budget varies between Rs.
6,000 to 10,000 depending on the services provided. We went through a Service Provider,
Mr. Vaideeswaran, who has an office at Spencer Plaza, Chennai. For myself and my
wife, he has designed a specific programme by arranging appropriate flights, so that we
could complete the whole programme in 4 days; that too within the budget that we had in
mind. For us, time was at premium. I find Mr. Vaideeswaran a very cordial, friendly and
reasonable person. He has provided us quality service and has been in touch with us
even while we were at Kasi, Gaya or Allahabad. Wherever we went, someone was there
to receive us. The coordination was nearperfect. Whenever we had some problems:
minor, though: he sorted them out through his representatives at various places. I will be
happy to give his address on request.
There are various tour – programmess, generally, extending to a period of 10 to 15 days,
organized by tour operators using modes such as trains, vans or cars. Such programmes
may cost less. Some service providers offer very costeffective programs when you go in
groups; they may provide group accommodation in modest places.
There is a difference of opinion regarding the sequence of visits to varied places. Some
say, you should visit Triveni first; others say, Benaras. I went through the literature on the
subject; there is no conclusive advice in such matters. Also, the problem of flight
availability, landing spot, connecting flight etc. will impose further restraints on your
programs. So, we decided to have our programs as follows: Chennai – Benaras – Prayag
(Allahabad) – Benaras – Gaya – Bodh Gaya – Benaras – Chennai. For people residing at
Chennai, this is the best bet; in case you want to fly.
The Indian Railways operate a popular tenday Tour Programme from Chennai by means
of GangaKavery Express. Most of the pilgrims may find this method convenient and
suitable. Even for such programmes, I feel, it is better to engage a
professional coordinator or tour advisor. It will make immense sense; and is also cost
effective. Mr. Vaideeswaran, our Service Provider, also coordinates with the Railways
and others to facilitate such tours. Please note that irrespective of the type of the tour
programme, mode of travel, number of days, and itinerary, the charges may not include
the expenses required for performing religious rites or rituals; which may be around Rs.
10000 to 20000 depending on what you intend to do. The amount required for daan
depends entirely on your generosity. If you are aware of this, you won’t have any problem
with your Tour Operators.
A typical itinerary for the Indian Railways Kasi Yatra is as follows: (Tariff: Economy: Rs.
6650 per person (twin sharing); Standard: Rs. 9200 (twin sharing)):
Day 1: Monday: Dep from Chennai Central by 2669, Ganga Kaveri Express at
17:30 hrs
Day 2: Tuesday: Train journey
Day 3: Wednesday: Arrival Allahabad at 03:50 hrs. Checkin for Wash and
fresh up in Dharamshala. Visit to Triveni Sangamam for bathing. Darshan
of Anjaneya. After lunch, visit Anand Bhavanand and reach Ayodhya at 20.00
hrs. Overnight stay in Ayodhya
Day 4: Thursday: Bath in river Sarayu and visit Valmiki Bhavan, Ram Janam
Bhoomi, Kanak Bhavan and Hanuman Temple. After lunch check out from
hotel at Ayodhya and Proceed to Varanasi (220 kms). On arrival, get to your
hotel and stay overnight at Varanasi.
Day 5: Friday: Bathe in river Ganga. Perform rituals to ancestors. Visit Kasi
Viswanath Temple, Visalakshi Temple and Annapoorani Temple. After lunch
and rest, visit Ganga Aarathi in the evening. Stay overnight at Varanasi
Day 6: Friday: After breakfast, checkout hotel from Varanasi, proceed to
Gaya. Visit Kal Bairav Temple enroute and arrive at Gaya. Proceed to Buddha
Gaya and visit Main Temple and Monasteries of various countries. Check into
hotel at Gaya and stay overnight.
Day 7: Sunday: Perform rituals for ancestors and visit Vishnu Pad Temple.
After lunch, checkout from hotel at Gaya and proceed to Varanasi. Check
into hotel at Varanasi and stay overnight.
Day 8: Monday: Enjoy Boat ride in river Ganga in the morning. After lunch,
check out from Hotel and visit Banaras Hindu Uiversity, Birla Temple, Sankat
Mochan Mandir, Thulasi Manas Mandir, Gaudi Bai Mandir and Saranath
temple. Proceed to Varanasi Railway station to board Train no. 2670, Ganga
Kaveri Express: Dep. at 20:25 hrs.
Day 9: Tuesday: Train journey
Day 10: Wednesday: Arrive Chennai Central Railway station at 09:50 hrs.
Like I have pointed out before, my own programme has been short and sweet, but hectic.
The ChennaiVaranasiChennai travel has been by air via Delhi (stopover). The whole
programme was over in four days; but this will kept us very busy every moment from
takeoff to landing. There have been a series of programmes; never a dull moment. In
such highdensity programmes, one should have the capacity to withstand the rigorous
time schedule as well as the rigors of the rituals and successive visits to the temples.
However, most of the important activities (rituals, ghats, and temples) have been
covered albeit in an intensive way. I recommend that the readers take 6 sets of inner
garments. You won’t have time to wash them, anywhere. Take four sets of dhotis as well
as angavastarams. The ladies should take four sets of 9 yards sarees. Also take a few
towels and handkerchiefs. It is a good idea to take elementary medicines like antacids,
paracetamol, multivitamin tablets, etc. Also, learn to wear the Panchkatchan Dhoti or
Madissar Pudavai (for ladies): you may not get help in such matters at Kasi, Prayaag,
Gaya etc. My itinerary is as follows: (Total fare: Rs. 18,496 per head):
Day 1:
Dep. Chennai: June , 09: IC 440: 0640 Hrs
Arrive Delhi: June , 09: 0910 Hrs.
Dep. Delhi: June , 09: IC 406: 1005 hrs.
Arrive Varanasi: June 6, 09: 1120 Hrs.
Lunch at the residence of Sh. Krishnamurthy: 1200Hrs; Tea at the same place: 1600 Hrs.
Visit Temples: Kal Bairav, Birla Mandir, etc.
Day 2:
Travel to Allahabad by car (about 2 ½ hours). Bathing in Triveni Sangam. Take water from
Sangam in a can. Buy small copper containers from a shop. You may buy some 10
containers. Also buy one big container to take Ganga water for Abhishek at
Rameshwaram. Give Ganga water for pouring in these containers and sealing.
Return to Kasi by 3 PM
Boating in Ganga. Visit the Ghats of Ganga
Ganga Aarti (about 2 hours): Float a lamp on the Ganges.
Visit Temples: Viswanath, Annapoorni
Go to sleep early: say by 8 to 9 PM.
Day 3:
Wake up at 1 AM. Take bath. Get ready by 2 AM. Take clothes for bathing and Shrardh.
Travel to Gaya. Dep. 2 AM. Reach Gaya by 7 AM.
Perform Gaya Shrardh
Visit Vishnu Pada Temple. Perform rituals at this Temple.
Visit Bodh Gaya enroute to Benaras.
Reach Kasi by 530 PM.
Visit Visalakshi Temple.
Day 4:
Rituals and Poojas at the Mutt of Shri Krishnamurthy Ganapadigal
Perform Shrardh in the Ghats: 5 times.
Concluding Pooja: Namaskarams (Pranaams): Daans
Offering of Shrardh Lunch for the Brahmins at the residence of Ganapadigal
We may eat Shrardh Lunch thereafter.
Leave for Varanasi Airport by 1230 Hrs.
Dep.: Varanasi: June 9, 09: IC 405: 1540 Hrs.
Arrive: Delhi: 1700 Hrs.
Dep. Delhi: June 9, 09: IC 540: 2000 Hrs.
Arrive: Chennai: June 9, 09: 2235 Hrs.
Note: By the time you reach your residence at Chennai it will be past midnight. Most of
the times, the airlines don’t maintain the scheduled time; invariably there are delays; you
must allow for them. We almost missed the connecting flight to Varanasi from Delhi.
However, we managed to get the flight because, the connecting flight to Varanasi was
also late! So, one mistake corrected the other!
The best method of visiting various ancient Temples at Kasi is by means of an auto
rickshaw; not car. A bigger vehicle like car cannot swiftly move through the huge crowd
along the lanes. The cycle rickshaws are also used. It is a painful sight to see the cycle
rickshaw pullers pedaling their ways through the lanes: a practice no more prevalent in
most of the areas of Chennai. Just imaging an old man moving the rickshaw on
which, three fat ladies have been happily sitting. It is painful to see such a sight.
For visiting places like Gaya, Prayag (Allahabad) etc. from Benaras, I suggest that you
go by a car. You need not book a hotel at Gaya. You need to book only one hotel for all
these visits; say, at Benaras. You can move back and forth from Benaras. For a
pilgrimage consisting of three nights and four days, I booked an a/c hotel at Benaras
through Shri Krishnamoorthy Ganapaadigal, who was recommended by Mr.
Vaideeswaran. I found this arrangement very convenient. It will take about six hours to
reach Gaya from Benaras. After doing the ceremonies at Gaya, you can be back to
Benaras by 6 PM. And take rest for some time in your hotel. Triveni at Allahabad is about
2 ½ hours drive from Benaras. There is a minor problem in such an arrangement, though.
You need to get up at 1 AM for your trip to Gaya; and take bath in the hotel; and get into
the car by 2 AM; you will reach Gaya early in the morning (by 7 AM); just in time for
conducting the ceremonies. Our Ganapadigal had already arranged for someone to
receive us at the site at Gaya. Everything went off with clockwork precision visàvis
timeschedule. That is why I say, it is better to go through a reliable travel coordinator or
advisor.
There are a number of star hotels in Benaras: most of which are away from the major
Temples, Thirthas or Ghats. These hotels will provide you all luxury and comfort to be
expected in such hotels. However, for rituals, you still have to travel some 15 km and
come to the Ghats via the lanes. So, it becomes pointless to stay in such high class
hotels. The idea of coming to Kasi is for pilgrimage; not for fun. The accent is on rites,
rituals and Vedic procedures; not comfort and pleasure. However, please note that the
power (current) fails too often. In this sense, a decent hotel has an advantage. Because,
the hotel may have a generator. Otherwise, you may get burnt in the heat of summer. The
generator allows you to switch on at least a fan, if not the a/c. Considering these points,
we stayed in a modest a/c hotel just opposite the house of the Ganapaadigal, albeit in a
lane! When the power failed, a fan came to our rescue. I suggest that you choose an
accommodation in one of the lanes at Hanuman Ghat. I feel, it is a good idea to be with
the public rather than seeking exclusive treatment in a stylish hotel. In my opinion, a
good, decent, clean hotel near one of the Ghats would do. We stayed at the Hotel Arti in
Hanuman Ghat (a/c hotel). It is not very expensive by the standards of Chennai or
Mumbai. It is also just opposite the House where the Vaadhyar or Pundit performed
ceremonies like Sankalpam; so very convenient. We were also provided with South
Indian food in the same House (Mutt), which has a decent Mess. The food is prepared by
a group of Brahmins. Even if you stay in star hotels several kms apart, it is inconvenient
to travel by the car in the narrow lanes where the Ghats are situated. So, staying in such
hotels don’t make much sense in whatever way you look at it.
Ganga Snaan
Ganga Snaan means, bathing in the Ganges or Triveni Sangam. Ganga Snaan ensures
Moksham. You can get rid of all your sins and avoid rebirth. The Ganges is highly
polluted and unclean. I am generally very finicky about cleanliness; but in Kasi, I just
went with the general public; and I actually felt quite comfortable; and was generally, at
ease. When you see dead bodies being cremated along the Ghats, what cleanliness are
we talking about? However, we realize that, after all, human body is basically a filthy
unclean system; this is how one feels in Kasi. Besides, the Holy Ganges cleanses the
whole body; and also our sins. I would like to mention that in spite of repeated baths in
the various Ghats as well as Triveni Sangam, we never had any problem with our body or
skin when we returned to Chennai. No itching! The Priest told me that the Ganges water
is known to last a hundred years without getting spoiled. The water in Triveni appears to
be cleaner. It is a pleasure to take bath at the Triveni Sangam. There is considerable
force exerted on you by the rivers. So, you should hold on to one of the poles erected at
the Sangam. There is also a rope at which you can place your feet for security. The
platform, the pole and the rope provides enough security for a safe bath. The platform is
placed in a region where the depth of water is not too much: say, 3 to 4 feet. During the
days of flood, I am told, people don’t take bath at the interior region; but on the steps near
the banks. You should dip into the Ganges or Sangam nine times, with your head fully
immersed in water as you chant: Om Namakshivaya. At Sangam, don’t forget to
immerse the Holy Sand brought from Agni Theerth, Rameshwaram. Also, you should
immerse a few strands of your wife’s hair at Sangam, constituting Veni Daanam. I have
discussed about this separately in another Section.
The Ghats of the Ganges
I am told that there are around 100 Ghats along the Ganga River; but from the point of
pilgrimage and / or bathing, five Ghats are very popular: Dasaswamedh Ghat,
Manikarnika Ghat, Harischandra Ghat, Panch Ganga and Assi Ghat. In a few Ghats like
Harishchandra and Manikarnika, we noticed that a large number of dead bodies are
cremated after dipping them in the Ganges; yes, the dead bodies are dipped on one side,
as people take bath nearby unmindful of this. This is Varanasi. The Ghats of Ganga
constitute the holiest spots along the Ganges. Several kings of the past have built
palaces near the Ghats. I was also told by our Vaadhiyar (Priest) that the ladies of King
Ranjit Singh used to take bath in a Ghat regularly in the residence which exists even now
along the Ganga. There are a large number of Temples along the Ganga; esp. near the
Ghats. People pray in these Temples after a bath in the Ghats. We had a dip in three of
the Ghats and prayed in one of the Temples on the shore. Not all the Ghats have
Temples; they are simply for taking bath. The Tulsi Ghat is named after the famous poet,
Tulsi Das, who actually lived here for several years and composed Ram Charit Manas. It
is like our Kamba Ramayanam. Aurangazeb has built a big mosque near the Panch
Ganga Ghat; five rivers are supposed to meet in this Ghat. It is compulsory to take bath
in the Assi Ghat, one of the first Ghats, and offer prayers to the Lingam under the Peepal
Tree. At the Dasawamedha Ghat, Lord Brahma has sacrificed ten horses; and is an
important spot. When you take bath here, you get the benefits of doing Aswamedha
Yagam. The Chakra Thirth is actually a well; we poured one sombu (about a litre) of
water drawn from the well constituting Chakra Thirtha. We bought some lamps from the
vendors and floated them on the Ganges.
Cremation Ghats
At Manikarnika Ghat, you can see several dead bodies burning at once at several
heights. The ashes will be dumped in the Ganges. The souls will be liberated. For several
minutes, I was watching the dead bodies burning constantly. It becomes very clear to
one and all that no one is going to live permanently on Earth; death is assured for all.
None can take even one Rupee when he dies; indicating the futility of materialistic
objects. Such thoughts make one calm and quiet. Some equanimity is transmitted to your
person instantly as you watch the cremation of innumerable bodies. Several bodies are
placed in the Que awaiting cremation. Anyone who visits Benaras must witness such
cremation in these Ghats. According to the legend, Vishnu dug a pit with his chakra, and
the sweat created during his meditation filled the pit. Shiva shook his head and his
jeweled earring fell into the pit, hence the name Manikarnika. Tradition has it that those
who die at Benaras and get cremated at the Manikarnika Ghat, get liberated from the
cycle of life and death.
When I saw cremation in the Harishchandra Ghats, my mind naturally recollected the
story of this ancient King who followed the path of truth; I recalled the way his wife
Chandramati had undergone suffering as a sequel to this. A bath in these Ghats will
ensure that your sins are dissolved and you attain Moksha after your death. This is the
main reason why the Hindus want to have a bath in the Ganges; esp., in these Ghats. I
am told that the Manikarnika Ghat is THE most important one for cremation; and hence
for doing Shrardham. We offered pindams to the ancestors here. Nowhere in India, you
will see cremation right at the center of the city; except Varanasi, which is considered as
Mahashmashan; the Great Cremation Ground. In the olden days, thousands of Hindus
used to do Kasi Yatra just to die at Kasi and attain Moksha. So, Kasi became the Great
Cremation Ground for the whole of Hindustan. The Cremation Ghats convey a clear
message to all: Nothing is permanent. Death is certain. Death is assured for all those
who are born. It is only a matter of time. Kasi Yatra and a trip to Gaya signify these facts.
So, one has to behave himself while alive. This is the message of the cremation Ghats
during Kasi Yatra. So, when you embark on Kasi Yatra, make it a point to get close to the
Cremation Ghats. Please don’t avoid them.
Ganga Aarti
All the pilgrims visiting Kasi should not fail to participate in the Ganga Aarti event. It is
simply spectacular. Ganga Aarti is held in a few places along the Ghats; but the one at
Dasaawameth Ghat is the most scintillating show. There are a number of priests clad in
identical saffron uniform, performing a series of Poojas: say, 16 types: like doopam,
deepams, karpooraadanai, etc., constituting the Shodasobachara Pooja. Before starting
the Aarti, some experts give discourses on some Vedic topics. The deepaaradanai done
by nearly ten priests, each holding a tall lamp with several steps of lighted lamps at
different levels constitutes a magnificent sight. You may see a good portrayal of the
Ganga Aarti at Youtube. Several high quality photos are also displayed in the Wikipaedia.
The Ganga Aarti is held each day at 5 PM, and takes nearly an hour. Hundreds of people
witness the same from innumerable boats in the nearby Ghats. One problem is Ganga
Aarti is held simultaneously from two nearby areas and the loudspeakers from both
create disturbing conditions creating interference on both. I think, there is no need of loud
speakers in the first place. Besides, one does not need two Ganga Aartis at such close
locations. However, despite these aberrations, it is a marvelous spectacle to watch.
Pic.: Ganga Aarti: (Thanks: Wikipaedia)
Pic.: Ganga Aarti (Thanks: Fiveprime.org)
Shrardham
There are two types of Shrardhams: Anna Shrardham and Hiranya Shrardham. In Anna
Shrardham, a few Brahmins: 3 to 4: are fed after the ceremonies. These Brahmins
represent our ancestors. In Hiranya Shrardham, no such elaborate feeding takes place:
instead, plantains and rice are offered; however, certain rituals are still carried out. Anna
Shrardham is more involved and expensive in relation to the latter. It also takes more
time. While regular, fullfledged Anna Shrardham is mandatory at Gaya, you may opt for
Hiranya Shrardham at Kasi, which is repeatedly done five times in the various Ghats of
Kasi. The most important Shrardhams at Kasi are the ones performed at Manikarnika and
Pancha Thirtha. Nandi is meant for the appeasement of the ancestors; while Vaishnava
Shrardham is for pleasing or satisfying the Gods. Pinda Pradaanam is the ritual of
offering food to three or more generations of our ancestors. Balls of cooked rice to which
a small quantity of ellu (sesame seeds) is added constitute Pindams. The offering of the
same is Pinda Pradaanam.
Dhaanam: (or Daan)
You should also do an important thing during Kasi Yatra, particularly at Kasi: “dhaanam”
(or daan) or charity. You may do this to anyone; Brahmins in particular. Anything can be
given as daanam: vessels, money, clothes, mats, cow (godaan), gold, etc., depending
on your capacity and generosity. The Poorvanga Daan refers to the one at the beginning
of the rituals; while the Uttaranga Daan refers to the one at the end of the rituals. The
Dasa Daan refers to the ten traditional daans recommended in the Scriptures. Nowadays,
the daans are given based on one’s generosity and economic conditions; no prescribed
rules are followed. The daans are mainly for the Brahmins who conduct the rituals; but
you can give daan to anyone and everyone; the poor and needy; irrespective of the caste.
Anna Daan is the most important daan. I may mention that after completing the Kasi
Yatra, we are expected to feed 10 couples and offer daans.
If you do dhaanam properly, the Brahmins will say: tripti. But, it is difficult to get a “tripti”
from the Brahmins at Gaya. You really have to be a bit liberal; and also kind. The readers
should not imagine that it will cost them the Earth to get “tripti” from the Brahmins. Liberal
charity with love and affection would do. Dhaanam or charity or donation constitutes one
of the most important aspects of Kasi Yatra. We are aware that several people have
offered dhaanam of cow (godhaanam) or even gold from time to time. If we can’t do that,
the least we can do is to give liberal amount of money to the poor and needy; Brahmins
in particular. Why Brahmins? Because, they are the ones who perform the rituals. They
have no other income. During our Kasai Yatra, my wife and self could manage to
get tripti from the Pundits and Priests in most of the places; and the expenses were still
manageable. Sometimes, I have noted that even some well to do people offer meager
amounts. This is improper in these days of inflation. Please note that the Brahmins doing
religious service are not beggars; they are learned people; wellversed in Vedic rites; and
also do enormous work during the rituals; and deserve a better deal. Besides, they too
have children studying in colleges. There are innumerable poor people and even beggars
who will seek charity from you. It will be impossible to please or satisfy all these. They
also prove to be a big nuisance; since they won’t let you do your ceremonies peacefully.
In Kasi, I noticed that one beggar lady was trying to get daan from us repeatedly, even
after receiving liberal amount from us. Needless to say, one would get disgusted with
such cheats. Notwithstanding these, we have tried to give some money to the poor
wherever possible. The Pandas in temples, Ghats, etc. will try to exploit you. So, avoid
them to the extent possible. Like I have said before, it is better to go through a Service
Provider or Coordinator, who will generally take care of such matters; so that you won’t
be harassed by the unwanted elements.
Gaya Shrarddha
The most important ritual to be performed at Gaya is Shraddha: that too at the bank of
the Phalguni River. The Phalgu River is dry most of the time; so a bath here is out of
question. We were astonished by the length and breadth of the river; yet, devoid of water:
it is all sand everywhere along the river. The Priest narrated the legend about Phalguni
River. Rama and Sita, came to Gaya to perform the sacred rites for Rama’s father,
Dasaratha. Sita was playing on the sand when Rama went for bathing. At that time,
Dasaratha suddenly appeared in front of Sita and asked for pindam (food), which Sita
offered after converting sand to pindams. When Rama came after a bath, he could not
believe this. Sita said, she has five witnesses: the Akshaya Vatam (banyan tree), the
Falguni River, a Cow, a Tulsi Plant and a Brahmin. Of these, only the Akshaya Vatam
supported her stand; all the others kept quiet. Sita became very angry and cursed the
four as follows: there would be no water in Phalguni most of the times; the Cow would
always be worshipped from the back side (never from the front side, as is the normal
practice); there would be no Tulsi Plant at Gaya; the Brahmins would never be satisfied
at Gaya (that is why, they rarely say “tripti” at Gaya). On the contrary, Sita blessed that
the Banyan Tree would remain immortal. That is why this tree is known as Akshaya Vat:
Aakshaya means one that never decays; Vat means a banyan tree). We are also told that
while all the banyan trees generally shed their leaves sometime during a year, the
Akshayavat remains ever green: even in draught. The readers may note that even
though, the Phalguni River is bonedry, we would see water even if we dig the sand by
one foot. There is subsoil water everywhere along the river. Other important temples in
the vicinity are the Sakshi Gopal temple and the Mangala Gauri Temple (this is a part of
the Shakti Peetam).
Gaya is significant to all the Hindus from the point of view of salvation of the souls of
their ancestors. People perform Gaya Shraddha; esp. a ritual called pinda daan. These
pindas would constitute food for the hungry ancestors, who have been keenly awaiting
our presence at Gaya to offer the pindas after proper Shraddha. The satisfied ancestors
will bless us offering us anything and everything that we need for ourselves as well as
our entire family. If all the members of a big family can’t perform Gaya Shraddha due to
some inconvenience, it would not matter. Even if one member performs the same
accompanied by his wife, the ancestors will be pleased and bless all. This is the
advantage. I am happy that I could perform Gaya Shraddha along with my wife for the
benefit of the entire family; the other members of my family have not had a chance to
perform the same. I am happy that I could fill the void. The Vedic Rites are performed not
just for three generations; but for all the ancestors connected with the families of bot the
husband and wife participating in the Gaya Shraddha. The “Bhumihar Brahmins” have
been the traditional priests at Vishnupad Mandir. We were told by the Pandas that the
present day temple was rebuilt by Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar, the Maharani of Indore in the
18th century.
I will now narrate the way the Gaya Shraddha is performed. This is very important for the
readers. We should note that, when Gayasur died he had requested Vishnu one boon:
that people should be perform the Shraddha and the sacred rites including Pinda
Pradaanam: not only for their ancestors, but for anyone and everyone: ancestors of the
immediate family, distant relatives, friends and foes, nonHindus, pets, unclaimed bodies,
etc: in short, for any person or animal that has died naturally or through some mishap.
This is an exceptional act of kindness on the part of Gayasur as well as Maha Vishnu
who granted the boon. The pindams are offered even for the realatives who were not well
disposed to our family. Because, even those realtives, who had been generally adverse
to our interests, have done some good things some time in their life: say, by attending or
gracing our functions. The pindams are also offered to people who have died during
accidents, natural disasters, mishaps, etc. as well as people who have committed
suicide. Similarly, pindams are offered for friends, birds, animals, etc; indeed, anything
and everything associated with our life directly or indirectly. We chant mantras and offer
pindams sequentially one by one to all ancestors, friends, enemies, animals and
birds. This is the beauty of Gaya Sraddha. Gaya is the only place where Pinda
Pradaanam is carried out in this manner for anyone and everyone. The Akshaya Vata and
the Vishnu Pada are the only two places where one can perform the Vedic rites not only
for our forefathers, but for anyone: family, friends, acquaintances, people of whatever
caste or religion, animals, pets, abandoned bodies, etc.
In a conventional Shrardham performed at home, 3 pindams are made: for three
generations. In a Tirtha Shrardham, a la at Kasi, Prayaag, Rameswaram, etc., 16
pindams are offered for all ancestors of father as well as mother. In the Gaya Sraddham,
as many as 32 to 64 pindams are offered. If 64 pindas are offered, 32 are for the mother
alone; 16 for the ancestors; and 16 for all the others. If 32 pindas are offered, 16 are for
the mother; and the other 16 are for the ancestors and others. At Gaya, we offered only
32 pindas. At Kasi, we offered a total of 16 pindas at each of the five Ghats. The rituals
for the mother are the most important and very touching too. Generally, 16 pindams are
offered as we tell the mantras one by one in some sequence, meaning: (I have given only
those that I remember. As I chanted the mantras and offered the pindams, I nearly got
choked due to emotions; my eyes got moist; the priest also noted this):
Mother, you have carried me for 10 months continuously; for that, I offer a
pindam.
Mother, I have kicked you several times while in your uterus; you have tolerated
that with a smile; for that, I offer you a pindam.
Mother, you have taken pains to perform various ceremonies and rituals for my
general welfare and health; for that I offer you a pindam.
Mother, when I was young, you did not consider it dirty or nasty to wash me and
clean me, whenever I urinated or defecated; for that, I offer you a pindam.
Mother, you did not sleep for several days whenever I was sick to make sure that
I have a good sleep and recover soon; for that I offer you a pindam.
Mother, you have denied yourself all the privileges, so that I have good education
and life; for that I offer you a pindam.
Sita has blessed the Akshaya Vata saying that all who came to Gaya would perform the
Pinda Pradaanam at the Akshaya Vatam too. That is why, we placed the Pinda
Pradaanam at the base of the Akshaya Vata (banyan tree) too. So, when you perform
Shrarddha at Gaya, after the ceremonies, you should place the pinda pradaanams at the
Vishnu Paada as well as Akshaya Vata. Also, a round rice ball, along with some ghee
poured over that, has to be offered to the crows inside the temple so that the hungry
ancestors, who would arrive in the form of crows, can take their food. I am told that for a
fee of Rs.100/ an imprint of the Padam is taken on a muslin cloth and given to the
devotee. You may keep it in the Pooja room; it is considered very auspicious.
Photo: Vishnu Padam
Bodh Gaya
When we were returning from Gaya, we stopped at Bodh Gaya, about 25 Km from Gaya.
This is the place where Lord Budha got enlightened under Bodh Tree. It was very hot;
some 45 deg C. To get to the Budha Statue, one has to climb a large number of steps.
The steps were very hot; so people were running up and down to beat the heat. A saving
grace was that there was a simple carpet along the steps; yet it was pretty hot. Since
you have to remove your chapels if you want to get to the Bodh Tree, we were content to
have a close look at it from a distance; rather than getting the feet burnt.
Budha attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. A lot of Budhists as well as Hindus visit
this place. I have seen several Budhist Monasteries operated by foreign agencies; for
instance, the Thai Government. Indeed, many foreign governments (Burma, Japan,
Thailand, Sri Lanka, etc.) have contributed liberally for the construction and infrastructure
development at Bodh Gaya. The Thai Monastery, which I could see from the road as we
drove, is very impressive. To me, it looked as though the various Budhist governments
maintain their religious embassies here.
AllahabadBenarasGaya Highway
The Highway to Benaras from Gaya is actually the DelhiCalcutta Highway; part of the
Super Highways Program of Vajpayee: perhaps, a part of the Golden Quadrilateral. It is
not as crowded as the Southern Highways; perhaps due to the absence of
industrialization a la South; clearly the entire UPBihar belt is relatively very poor. So, the
cars move fast; this is a saving grace given the hot temperature (around 45 deg. C). The
Sun was beating down heavily on us. The airconditioned car gave some relief.
Otherwise, heat stroke is a possibility. The local people use clothes to cover their heads
and bodies to beat the heat. I saw one lady pouring water from a bottle all over her body
before boarding her car. This is one way of beating the heat, I guess. If you travel in
summer, make sure that you drink plenty of water, lassi, cool drinks, etc., which are
available on the way. This will give you protection from dehydration.
Important Temples During Kasi Yatra
Viswanath Temple (Kasi)
This is the most important Temple at Kasi and is dedicated to Lord Visweswara. It is one
of the twelve Jyothir Lingas of Lord Shiva. It is believed to be the holiest place for the
Hindus, due to the permanent presence of Lord Shiva, as Kasi Viswanath. So, one would
feel the waves of Lord Shiva impinging on him at all time. The Viswanath Temple was
destroyed several times by the rulers like Mohammed Ghori, Aurangzeb, and Warren
Hastngs and was rebuilt successively. The temple in the present form was built by Rani
Ahillyabai Dikar in 1776 A.D. I was told that after destroying the Temple, Aurangzeb built
a mosque over that. Maharaja Ranjit Singh constructed the golden cover on the Temple
Towers. As I was looking at the Temple Towers, I was wondering, how a Sikh King had
been so generous to donate to a Hindu Temple. The lakhs of people visiting the Temple
means that, whereas people can destroy buildings, no one can destroy the faith of the
masses. Because, such a faith is a sequel to the Sanadhana Dharma of the Hindus
practiced and followed over a period of thousands of years. The readers would note that
the Shiv Linga at this Temple is very small. Like they say in Tamil, “Moorthy siruthaalum
kirthy sirukkaadhu”: meaning, even if the idol is small, reputation is big.
Pic: Kasi Vishwanath (Thanks: Uma; www.shaktipeethas.org)
Vishalakshi Temple (Kasi)
This is one of the most important Temples to be visited in Kasi. Hindus regard Kasi as
one of the Shakti Peethas. Vishalakshi Temple stands on the spot where Goddess
Sati’s earrings fell. Hindus of the Shakti Sect (Shaktaism) make an exclusive pilgrimage
to the city because they regard river Ganga itself as Goddess Shakti. Also, Vishalakshi
and Annaoorna Temples constitute Shakti Temples.
Bindu Madhav Temple (Kasi)
After taking bath in the Pancha Ganga Ghat, we visited the Bindu Madhav Temple and
prayed there. Mr. Satyamurthy has given some details about this temple in his blog
(www.shaktipeethas) as follows:
Lord Indra killed a Brahmin named Vritrasura. Because of killing the Brahmin, Indra
aquired Brahma Hatya Dosham that will impact very seriously on him. To overcome this,
he constructed five temples for Lord Vishnu at different places as follows:
1.Bindu Madhav: Kasi
2.Veni Madhav: Prayaag (Allahabad)
3.Kunthi Madhav: Pithapuram
4.Setu Madhav: Rameswaram
5.Sundara Madhav: Anantha Padmanabham(Trivandrum)
These Temples constitute Pancha Bindu Madhavs. The original Temple at Kasi was
destroyed by the Muslim invaders. The present one is the small reconstructed version in
a nearby spot.
Kal Bhairav Temple (Kasi)
It is an ancient temple of Varanasi near the Head Post Office at VishesharGanj. We are
told that Kal Bhairav is said to be the "Kotwal of Varanasi" , without his permission no
one can stay in Kasi.
Sankat Mochan Temple (Kasi)
This Temple is situated near the Assi river stream, on the way to Banaras Hindu
University from the city. This is a Temple for Lord Hanuman, who is also known as
"Sankat Mochan": the God who protects us from all anxieties, disturbances and
tormentations. This temple is founded by Goswami Tulsidas. This temple is also known
as "Monkey" temple, as lot of monkeys are there inside the premises. The security
restrictions are severe.
Annapoorna Temple (Kasi)
Annapoorna is an important Temple to visit in Kasi. A visit to this Temple is a must.
Because, food is one of the most important requirements for all human beings as well as
animals. Goddess Annapoorna will ensure that there is never food shortage in your
house, if you visit this Temple and pray with dedication. Also, don’t forget to buy an
image or representation of Annapoorna and keep it in your Pooja Room at your
residence. You will have adequate food and prosperity throughout your life. According to
the legend, Lord Shiva asked Goddess Annapoorna to ensure that no one goes hungry in
Kasi when a person lives; while Shiva will ensure that he will attain Moksha after his
death. Annapoorna is Kasi’s Queen and is also known as Bhavani. Annapoorna literally
means, provider of Plenty of Food. The idol of Annapoorna always has a small vessel
containing Annam (food) signifying that the worshipper is assured of food throughout his
life.
New Vishwanath Temple : Birla Mandir: (Kasi)
We went to this Temple by an auto; quite convenient. This Temple is situated inside
the Banaras Hindu University. This is a modern place of worship planned by Pandit
Malviya and built by the Birlas on the pattern of Vishwanath Temple. This Temple is open
to all, irrespective of caste or creed. As we were traveling inside the BHU Campus, we
noted that the Campus is huge. Almost every kind of Department is there at BHU. No
wonder, it is considered as the biggest University in India. When we saw a number of
houses for the BHU faculty, I was reminded of my sister and her husband who worked at
BHU about two decades back. Pointing to the houses, I told my wife, my sister must
have been residing in one of these. BHU is somewhat far off from the city, and takes
about 40 minutes to drive to the Campus.
Tulsi Manas Temple (Kasi)
This temple is dedicated to Lord Rama. The temple is built in the place where Goswami
Tulsidas composed the epic 'Ramacharitramanas', the Ramyana of Tulsidas. Tulsi
Manas Temple was constructed by a philanthropist family in 1964.
Durga Temple (Kasi)
This is also known as Monkey Temple, because of the presence of a large number of
monkeys in the Temple. This temple is one of the most important temples in Varanasi.
This temple is built in Nagara Style. The shikhara of the temple is formed by many small
spires which are built one on top of the other. According to legend, the present statue of
Goddess Durga was not made by man but appeared on its own in the temple. Thousands
of Hindu devotees visit this temple during Navratri and other auspicious occasions. Non
Hindus can enter the courtyard of the Durga temple but not the inner sanctum.
Vishnupaad Temple: Gaya
This is the most important Temple at Gaya. This is where we perform rituals to ancestors
after the initial ceremonies in a Mutt. This massive temple, located in the old town, is
built over the footprints of Lord Vishnu. Inside the temple, the 40 cm long footprint of
Vishnu is made of solid rock and surrounded by a silver plated basin. This Shikhara style
temple was reconstructed during the 18th century AD by Queen Ahilya Bai of Indore, on
the banks of the river Falgu. The readers would recall that Viswanath Temple at Kasi was
also reconstructed by Maharani Ahilya Bai. We are very surprised about this and
appreciate the generosity of this great queen as well as her service to Hinduism. Non
Hindus are not allowed to enter the temple.
Patalpuri Temple: Allahabad
The Patalpuri temple is located inside the Allahabad Fort. Within the Patalpuri temple, we
have the Akshaya Vat or the immortal banyan tree. It is believed that Lord Rama has
visited the Patalpuri Temple. The famous Chinese traveler, Hiuen Tsang also visited
this temple.
Akshaya Vata: Eternal Banyan Tree: Prayaag
The Akshaya Vata literally means immortal or eternal banyan tree. This tree is located
within the Patalauri temple, on the bank of Yamuna, inside the Allahabad Fort. We are
familiar with this tree because, we talk about it during the performance of the rituals for
the ancestors: the Shraddhams or dhivasams. This holy tree is also documented at
length in the Scriptures. During the cyclic of destruction, when the whole earth was
enveloped by waters, Akshaya Vata remained alive and unaffected. It is on the leaves of
this tree that Lord Krishna rested as a baby when land was no longer visible. And it is
here that the immortal sage, Markandeya, had a vision of the Lord. Legend also has it
that the Bodi tree at Gaya is a manifestation of this tree. There are hundreds of shrines
near this holy tree. However, but for a few, most are inaccessible, because the Fort is a
restricted military area. The Fort was closed to the public during British rule; and even
now, we do not have access to this tree. We are told that during the Kumbha Mela, the
government gives permission for pilgrims to pay their homage to the Akshaya Vata.
However, people feel that the pilgrims never see the holy tree; instead, they are shown a
branch of an ordinary banyan tree. We don’t know the truth. But, belief and faith matter
more than the facts. The readers may note that the Akshaya Vata of interest during Kasi
Yatra is the one at Gaya, not Allahabad.
Rituals at Triveni Sangam
An important ritual during Kasi Yatra is a dip or bath at Triveni Sangam: the junction of
three rivers: Ganga, Yamuna and (mythological) Sarawati. The river Saraswati is said to
flow beneath the ground, and is not visible. As we were going on the boat, the boatman
showed that the brown river on one side is the Ganges; and the blue river on the other
side is Yamuna. The third invisible river is beneath these two. The region where these
three rivers meet is the Sangam or Sangamam. This is the holiest of all the Thirthas.
Every Hindu should taske bath here to attain salvation. The boatman stopped near a
platform constructed for anchoring the boats. All the people from various boats assemble
here and take bath. The husband and wife pairs take bath together. All the people dip into
the river at least nine times, chanting: Om Namakshivaya. Sangam is around 7 km from
the heart of Allahabad. From our Mutt or residence, we drove to the river site. Each year,
tens of thousands of people take dip at Sangam during the Magha Mela. Besides, lakhs
of people take bath at Sangam during Ardh Kumbh and Kumbh Mela. The Kumbh Mela is
held once in twelve years. Two important rituals are to be performed at Sangam. The first
one is Veni Daanam: the husband should comb the hair of his wife; split it in three parts,
and knit and tie the hair together After that\, a small part of the hair at the end is to be
cut; and this is to be dipped into the Sangam. The other ritual is, the sand that we
brought from Rameshwaram (from Agni Theertham or Sea) is to be dissolved at Sangam,
after performing Pooja, considering the sand as Shiv Linga. We have noted that, whereas
hundreds of people dump the hair at sangam, nowhere have we noticed hair floating on
the water; the entire hair gets immersed: it does not happen in other waters: where the
hair tends to float. We collected water in a fivelitre plastic can at Sangam. Later, this
was poured in a dozen brass containers of various sizes and volumes; and then sealed.
There are a number of shops at Allahabad, for just this purpose. Generally, the shop
keepers who sell these containers don’t charge separately for sealing them. The
remaining water was brought in the same plastic container to Chennai, for distribution to
friends and relatives in small containers purchased at Chennai.
Rameshwar Yatra
One must perform Rameshwar Yatra before and after the Kasi Yatra. Then only, the Kasi
Yatra will stand completed as per traditional procedures. For A south Indian, the
procedure is as follows: First, go to Rameshwaram. Take bath in the 18 Tirthas. Get soil
from the Agni Thirtha (the sand beneath the sea). The sea itself is known as Agni Thirtha.
This will be packed in a container or bag (plastic) and given to you after Pooja. Visit
Rameshwaram Temple. At Triveni, the Priest would do Pooja for the Shiv Linga made
from this sand and Archana and Aarti would be performed. After that, this would be
immersed in the Triveni at Prayaag (Allahabad). We should again visit Rameshwar after
completing KasiTriveniGaya Yatra. The Ganga water taken from Kasi and/or Triveni will
be brought to Rameshwar for performing Abhishek on Rameshwar Lingam. Then the Kasi
Yatra would be complete after offering food and daan to 10 dampatis or couples. In
Rameshwaram there are 51 Theerthas; inside the Rameshwar Temple itself, there are 22
Theerthas; of which 18 are functional now. You should take bath using the 18 Theerthas
inside the Temple. The Agni Theertha is the Sea water outside the Temple; where one
must take bath and bring the sand from beneath the Sea near the shore. The Rameshwar
Yatra itself is an involved one, having several sequences and procedures. I don’t intend
to write a detailed description of this for want of time; I leave it to others.
Vedic Rituals During Kasi Yatra
The Kanchi Mutt at Kasi has suggested a comprehensive list of rituals to be performed
during Kasi Yatra. I have reproduced them below:
I. At Prayaag (Allahabad): (Triveni Sangam)
Anugnai (Sankalpam)
Vighneshwara Puja (Prayers to Lord Ganesha)
Prayschitta Sankalpam (atonement for sins committed, knowingly or
unknowingly)
Veni Daanam (Women offer a part of their hair to the river praying for the long
life of their husbands. The husband combs and plaits the wife’s hair,
decorates it with flowers and cuts off the tip of the plait and offers it to the
river. It is an interesting fact that while hair normally floats on water, at the
Sangam; it immediately sinks to the river bed. Though almost all married
women offer their hair here, there is not a single strand found floating on the
river.)
Triveni Sangam Snanam (husband and wife bathe together at the confluence
of the 3 rivers, holding hands. One has to go to the confluence in a boat. A
sort of platform has been erected at the point for the convenience of pilgrims)
Hiranya Shrardham
Pinda Pradaanam, Kshetra Pindam, Tarpanam
II. At Kasi (Varanasi)
I have presented the Vedic Rites to be performed in three series as follows. Each series
can be performed during a day. However, we have performed selected rituals from each
series in a single day for want of time.
I. Series
Anugnai (Sankalpam)
Vighneshwara Puja (Prayers to Lord Vigneshwara)
Poorvanga Godaanam
Poorvanga Dasa Daanam
Naandhi Shrardham
Vaishnava Shrardham
Punyaa Vajanam (purification ritual)
Maha Sankalpam
Prayschitta Sankalpam: for atonement for sins committed, knowingly or
unknowingly
Pala Daanam
Uttaranga Godaanam
Manikarnika Teertha Shrardham (Anna roopam / Hiranya roopam)
II. Series
Pancha Teertha Yatra (One has to go in a boat to these 5 Ghats and perform the
rituals):
i) Asi Ghat (Haridwar Teertham) – this is where the Asi river merges with the Ganga.
Performing the rites here is believed to give one the fruits of performing the rites at
Haridwar.
ii) Dashashwamedha Ghat (Rudra Sarovara Teertham) – this is the place where
Brahma performed 10 Ashwamedha Yagnas, and hence it is considered sacred to
perform the rites.
iii) Trilochana Ghat ( Vishnu Paada Udaka Teertham)
iv) Pancha Ganga Ghat ( Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Kirana, Doodhapappa
Sangam); Bindu Madhava Temple
v) Manikarnika Ghat (Manikarnika Teertham, Chakra Pushkarni Teertham)
III. Series
Ganga Puja (it is a tradition to bring back small sealed containers of water
from the Ganges and distribute it among our near and dear ones. One
container is kept at home as it is considered sacred and one is taken to
Rameswaram where it is used to perform Abhishekam to the lingam. All these
containers are kept and prayed to before they are distributed.)
Dampati Puja: Prayers offered to an elderly married couple, invoking them as
Vishwanath and Annapoorna (We did Namashkar to the Ganapaadigal and his
wife; offered a saree and dhoti to them).
Uttaranga Dasa Daanam
Kala Bhairava Samaradhana (invocation and prayers to Kala Bhairav)
III. At Gaya: Gaya Shrardham
Anna Shrardham and Preliminary Rituals: These were performed at the
residence of the Priest
Palguni (Falguni) Teertha Hiranya Shrardham: this is the traditional Shrardham
performed on the banks of any sacred river; in this case, River Falguni.
Vishnu Paada Hiranya Shrardham: We go to the Vishnu Paada Temple: the
pindams are offered at the Holy Foot of Vishnu and we place our head on the
Foot and do Namashkar.
Akshaya Vata Anna/Hiranya Shrardham
Akshaya Vata Pinda Pradaanam: The pindams are placed at the base of the
banyan tree, Akshaya Vata.
Tharpanam to the ancestors
Offering food to the Gaya Brahmins
To enquire Gaya Brahmans if they are satisfied (according to legend, the
Brahmins at Gaya are not easily satisfied and it is a tradition to ask them
anyway in an attempt to satisfy them)
Acharya Sambhavana: payment of the dhakshina or fees to the Chief Priest
or Pundit