Ashish Kaul
“Banaras ke Logo ne to ab Ganga ko bhi Baant liya’ ( People in Banaras have even divided Ganga ) says Rahul , a 17 year old Mallah (Boatman) on Dashashwmeedh Ghat in Banaras, referring to the cruel division of Ganga Aarti on Dashashwmeed Ghat. The same Ghat has two warring brothers conduct separate Ganga Aarti at the same time. The globally popular spectacle that draws thousands of people, foreigners and Indians alike every evening is now leaving them frustrated and confused. Since both the Aarti’s happen simultaneously one can neither hear nor enjoy either.
Kashi is at war with itself and a town in deep turmoil; with crumbled infrastructure and explosion in unplanned development, almost non-existent sanitation and sewerage, the heart of Banaras that lied in Kaashi is grasping for breath. The modern heart of Banaras is not different from being Dharavi of Mumbai with locals, tourists and pilgrims jostling for space. The ancient Kaashi is fast giving into commercial development with crumbling houses being converted into lodges and temples offering Moksha. One wonders if the celebrated author, Mark Twain referred to the same Banaras city stating, “Banaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.”
From the millenniums old city to the modern Kyotized Banaras, Kashi has died many deaths that started with the journey of Varanasi. A city which has been thriving on the banks of Varna and Assi rivers since 1100 B.C.E! Probably where one of the oldest religions of the world blossomed and survived. Banaras is the second ‘Kyoto’ in making; Neon hoardings to saffron clad priests, this probable ‘transformation’ is visible everywhere and so is the appearance of Saffron and Green flags on every rooftop. The transformation from Varanasi to Kyotized Banaras is much alluring but what one does not realize is the fact that in this journey the true essence of the city which survived simultaneously with tantrums, ethos and echo has lost its identity and magic. Varanasi lived in ‘muhallas’ while Kashi lived on roads, ghats and temples. Varanasi belonged to those who lived there while Kashi was open to everyone as the epitome of salvation. Together these two cities formed the real Banaras which was devotional, responsive, captivating, charming, mythical yet true. And every resident of the city felt gratified on being a true-blue Banarasi. But with changing time, things started to change.
“Shiv to ab na Ganga me he aur na Ganges” laments Raveesh (name changed), a young Hotel Manager who is a witness to the decaying heritage of Banaras. Banaras has become a center of religiously certified loot where hapless pilgrims are often pushed against the wall to extort money in the name of Gods and the ancestors. “Kaashi ke baba ab Vishwanath nahi 100 ke Gandhi baba he jo sab jaga chaltey he aur naye yug ke Kaashi ko chalatey he” says Raveesh. Even the centre of Indian soul, Kashi Vishwanath Temple is not exempted from the slow and systematic decay. I have seen the decay not just in the practices but also on the gold that once adorned on the temple. About 10 years ago when I visited the temple the Gold was bright and covered the entire temple tower. The signs of disappearance of the Gold are extremely vivid. The stories of priests and Government officials being participants of this loot are common yet discreet. Raveesh says now Baba vishwanath is just a silent observer to the loot in his name.
Ganga is at the core of Vedic existence, from the times immemorial Ganga has been the harbinger of civilizations, knowledge and salvation. However, the same Ganaga that signifies salvation is itself in deep peril. “Ab to Ganga peene to kya Nahanee ke liye bhi shayad safe nahi” says Purnendu Vyas ( name changed). The reason is the current levels of pollution in Ganga has reached a zenith when it reaches Banaras. By this time, Ganaga carries highly toxic waste from Kanpur tanneries and Industries that flout every waste disposal norm. How do you cleanse Ganga in Banaras when the root cause of pollution lies all along the way. By the time Ganga reaches Kaashi it visibly turns black. “Before Ganga is to be made Nirmal, it must become a free flowing river first says Madhukar Mishra, a senior Journalist in Varanasi. Ganga no longer is a flowing river that can clean itself and only then can the Ganga become nirmal once again” Says Madhukar. At many places Ganga has just been reduced to a shallow stream and at many places a reservoir thus preserving the toxic waste and polluting the Ganges. The second most critical factor is the state of ETP’s (Effluent Treatment Plants) along Ganga. ETP’s are essentially continuous processing facilities that can’t afford down time.
Proceeding from the river banks if we take a glance at the river, the ugly game of politics and business seems to be jeopardizing the status of Ganga and Banaras. The Central Government seems to be much concerned about cleaning the Ganges water. They have also setup an altogether different department for it by the name of “namami gange pariyojna.” But, is the Government thoroughly honest about it? Many ETP’s have been set with anyone hardly knowing how many of them actually function. The cause of concern here is how many of these plants would actually survive if the city was to face massive power shortage? Can we have a cleaner Ganga only by cleaning it at Banaras? Don’t we need to do it comprehensively including all stakeholders? Have we forgotten what happened in Shimla in early December 2015 when the failure of water purification plant caused mixing of sewage water with potable water? Owing to this failure, thousands of people suffered from jaundice and other grave water borne diseases. Can we be sure that with malfunctioned or flickering electricity, it will not be repeated in Banaras?
The mockery of money in Banaras may haunt one post their death. The financial status here decides where a person’s last rites would be performed. Harishchandra ghat, where Maharaja Harischandra the epitome of honesty worked in penance has now transformed itself. The Ghat has installed an electric crematory is for those unprivileged who cannot afford to be cremated in a pyre of usual wood or sandal wood at Manikarnika ghat. “Ganga ab moksha bhi Paise ke hisaab se deeti he.” Says Rahul; Moksha is available for Rs.10,000 (Rs.Ten Thousand) at Manikarna Ghat and for those who can’t afford the luxury of wood , for Rs.1,000 ( One Thousand) at Harishchandra Ghat.
In the semblance of the old Varanasi and Kyotized Banaras, Kashi has almost failed to survive. Along with it Kashi Vishwanath has also become exclusive to uptown and heavyweights. The system in and around Kashi Vishwanth is so money grubbing that one cannot have a good glimpse of their god without the sound of money falling. Once the destination for spiritualism and devotion, Varanasi is succumbing to commercialization, limiting itself in the glittering and highly endorsed pockets of ‘ancient culture’ which only has the name Kashi imprinted while the ‘soul’ is living somewhere else. The ‘soul’ of Kashi still lives in those by-lanes where young children get up early to learn Sanskrit and where Annapurna trust continues to feed the hungry. Although river Verna and Assi have lost their luster with time, the real Varanasi still resides amidst the loud mirth of Assi Ghat. This Varanasi does aspire to be ‘Kyoto’ but not at the cost of extreme commercialization. The question boils down to, why do we need Kyoto in the first place? Why have we forgotten that ‘Kashi was Kashi before anyone’s Midas touch too? Doesn’t the pride remain intact in being the city it was? Can’t we have a modern Banaras with Kashi’s ‘atma’ living in it?.
Eminent writer Kaashinath Singh once wrote, ‘Jo Maza Banaras me vo na Paris me na Faras me’. I wonder which Banaras did he dream of? The one that is struggling and dying a painful death every day or the one that we are being made to dream of?.
(The author is a media & entertainment veteran, currently Business Head of a transnational conglomerate.)
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