Up early this morning (5:30) for heritage walk back in the old streets of Varanasi. We still cannot get close to the ghats. I think the Ganga is cresting today, it looks even higher than yesterday, if that's possible. It's moving fast and the swirls on the surface make you know how much movement is below the surface too. It's churning in spots, definitely not safe for boats. We cannot see any steps at all, so this means no bathing, prayer services or normal funerary action. It's kind of a bummer for us as academic tourists, but it must be a serious problem for families who have come to cremate their dead. I wonder if those functions can still be performed now in the way(s) that are important for fulfillment of religious obligations. There's a question to put to Girish.
The walk this morning was a lot like yesterday's, follow Ajay Panday, hear stories about the architecture and how it reflects not only religious/cultural beliefs, but historical phenomena as well. For instance, we saw a riverfront mosque today whose 65 meter minarets were destroyed--one by a natural disaster and the other dismantled by the government to keep it from toppling over onto nearby houses. We saw a small mosque that's been maintained by a Hindu family for over 30 years. We saw a temple to Krishna that allowed no photos, but celebrated the cow-centric aspect of this deity. To hide the temple from Moghul invaders in the 17th century, it was built in the shape/style of a home, with a large open courtyard (freshly swept, though incompletely, of its cow droppings from the previous day). We went to one of the last municipal "stables" where cows are housed. This one had 42 in its care, and whereas I'm unclear on many of the cow-maintenance details, I learned that female cows are owned by individuals. Male cows are manifestations of Lord Shiva; no one owns them. The bulls are said to be Nandi, a "vehicle for Shiva". Male calves are offered to Shiva, then become holy (?). Female cows are milked morning and night, but they can wander the streets during the day. Ajay said there have been smuggling issues with the cows of late, where they get taken to Bangladesh, sold and slaughtered. Ick.
We started our day in a Koosti (sp?) ring. It's a rectangular wrestling "ring" in an airy garden, again in a courtyard up a few flights of stairs, tucked into the labyrinth of the tiny streets. The Ramayana and other sacred texts make mention of koosti, it's of religious significance. Hanuman is the god of strength and power, and his devotees especially might be inclined toward this ancient practice (though Ajay said it's dying out in the face of modern sports like cricket). The soil is mixed with clay, turmeric, neem (a healing tree), curd, and mustard oil, so it's good for the body. Ajay said people from all communities used to take part in this sport, but now it's mostly just the milk men community (?!). He offered that maybe they have the best access to good health, given what they sell. There is a tremendous emphasis on milk in this country, for health and religion (more in north than south, perhaps?)
Story: Brahma created the cow and said it was sacred. He invited all the gods to take a piece of the cow's body and claim it, so that part would be representative of them. Lakshmi thought very (too?) highly of herself and waited until the last moment. She asked Shiva which part of the cow would be for her. All parts were already claimed, so he told her the dung would be hers. We see here that it is gathered, dried and used as fuel or to patch houses in villages, or even to tamp down the dust in the front yard. It's very important culturally.
We finished the day with our first street food: a samosa-like blend of lentils, cumin and perhaps potato, deep fried and smoky flavored. Then bread like luchi from Bengal (fried pockets of bread--burned my fingers!) and a spicy tangy sambhal. Yum. The last stop was the home of Harish Chandar (not sure I spelled that right), the founder of modern Hindi. We met his grandson, a man in his 70s, I'd bet. Chandar was an incredibly accomplished writer, poet, journalist and social reformer. He helped get education for girls off the ground, he wrote and acted in plays (not done by respectable people at that time), published journals and knew lots of the literati of his era. His most important accomplishment was the creation of a single version of Hindi. Apparently he was consulted by folks in the British administration who were looking to impose a more uniform educational structure in this part of the Empire, and they were looking for a language to unify the various language/dialect groups. I'm not sure how he did it--since I know almost nothing about Hindi and even less about its dialects--but his was the version adopted by the British and now used in schools everywhere. He died at the age of 34. Who knows what he might have added to the culture had he lived longer.
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Afternoon session in Sarnath:
Central University of Tibetan Studies: orange robed monk with long pinky nails, wide gold wire-rims. Asst. Prof. AyurSastri. This university started in 1967, became autonomous in 1977. Construction on this campus in 1980s.
4 goals of university:
- Preserve and present Tibetan culture
- Restoration of lost texts from Tibetans (more than 80 as of today, in Sanskrit and Hindi)
- Get kids from border areas to study at university level
- preserve traditional ways of studying even modern courses/subjects
Tibetans exodus of 1957, Dalai Lama fled in 1959, many came as refugees here.
Buddhist philosophy. Shaman (one of major cultures of India; other is Brahman) 7th century went to Tibet, ongoing exchange programs with India until 17th c. (Buddhism and secular ethics). Indian culture lost Buddhism, but it was retained in border cultures of Himalayas, some texts preserved in Tibetan translations.
Begin with verses of praise, salutations. Varanasi still survives, was one of 6 big cities in time of of Buddha.
Dalai Lama wanted to prioritize opening of schools. Many scholars had come to India bc so many scholars from 3 great monasteries had to flee. Came to be intellectual and spiritual community here, seeds of universities here. All courses taught in Tibetan, Sanskrit is also compulsory. After that, Hindi and English are options. Interesting range of courses, offer exchanges with 5 college of Massachusetts (students and faculty). Exchanges with Austrian, Australian and other universities. Lots of work done on translations (for example, Western idealism now).
He is difficult to understand...75-80% of the point is easy to hear, but not the last few words of the sentences.
The goal of life is to be released from suffering. We are all interdependent. Learn to see the world as it is, without exaggeration, without undervaluing. This is the right view. Learn to apply the four noble truths in your life. You want to fulfill your responsibilities. Cites commonality with karma, but difference too. Buddhists: conscious action is important. For Hindus, there is less stress on conscious effort, conscious realizations.
Buddhism: don't do any evil things, instead accumulate meritorious deeds. Transform your mind. Buddhism is a religion, but it has science of mind, it has a philosophy, and it has psychology. These have to be part of the practice, even for non-believers, secular ethics.
Sitar concert was lovely. I met several interesting musicians, including a drummer who plays regularly at Wellesley College, my alma mater. He knows Victor Kazanjian well, a man I've read about but never met. I'll have to reach out and make contact, once I get everybody's business card in order. That is a bigger practice here than in the States. Or perhaps when I travel, should just get some printed.
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