A Pilgrimage Special: Goodbye, Varanasi.

on
Goodbye, Varanasi. We were supposed to leave Varanasi in the evening, just before it turned dark but the train was delayed for more than an hour and a big crowd gathered till it turned dark and chilly. Earlier in the morning, we had visited the Ganga and had lunch at our hotel and now, we were headed by coach to the railway station with a packed lunch. Our guide had paid some porters to carry our luggages and there was much haggling over the price to be paid like usual. While waiting, Yoong Meng and I wandered around the railway station, drinking in the dark and drab scene and even buying toys from a peddler. As we waited in the cold, we chatted with some locals, a young university student and a couple with a cute, chubby girl and when we left, we did not just wave goodbye to the people but to Varanasi. Technically, leaving Varanasi meant our pilgrimage had ended. We were headed for Agra and then to New Delhi, before heading for home...

44

Varanasi Railway Station...


...porters...


Yoong Meng...



Inside our train...


Comments

Liudmila said…
Interesting compartments in the train. And the luggages on the head...
June 18, 2008 at 7:45 AM
footiam said…
India is a very colorful country. There are lots of surprises there. For instance, in public trains, you get to see vendors selling tea and these tea are served in little throwaway mud cups which are environmental friendly. That was years ago when I first visited India but I failed to see it the second time around and I thought perhaps, they have given that up for polystyrene cup.
June 21, 2008 at 9:10 PM
Post a Comment