Leg 6 / Etapa 6

6th Leg: New Delhi –Benares (Varanasi)

 

I remember New Delhi and Gandhi’s Park as one of the most important moments of our trip. After long walks during the day and a short rest in the park, we discussed the next step of our trip. The decision we made, drastically changed our original plan. We realized that we had to change the target of the trip.

  • It was Impossible to go through Bangladesh due to heavy monsoon rains
  • We would have money to reach Bali but not to return home
  • Instead of Bali, we decided to go to Nepal and then to the South to Bombay

6. etapa: New Delhi – Benares

 

Nju Delhija I Gandijevog parka, secam se kao jednog od znacanjinih momenata naseg puta. Jedno popodne posle duge setnje I malog odmora u parku, razgovarali smo na temu nastavka puta. Doneli smo odluku koja je drasticno promenila tok puta. Konstatovali smo da moramo da promenimo ciljeve puta tj originalan okvirni plan;

  • Nemoguce je ici kroz Banglades zbog obilnih monsunskih kisa
  • Imali bismo novac da stignemo do Balija ali ne I da se vratimo kuci
  • Donosimo odluku da umesto Balija idemo na sever u Nepal a onda na jug u Bombaj

Agra

 

On the way to Benares (Varanasi) we visited Agra (Taj Mahal).  We arrived in Agra in the morning.  It was still dark.  A lot of people were sleeping outside, on streets on some kind of simple beds.  A lot of animals were there too: dogs, cows, camels…

Agra

 

Na putu za Benares obilazimo Agru (Taj Mahal).  U Agru smo stigli ujutru, jos je bio mrak.  Ulice su licile na velike spavaonice. Vecina ih je spavala napolju, na uiicama, uredno, na krevetima.  Tu su se mesali ljudi, krave, kamile, psi….

Taj Mahal

 

  • Mausoleum built in 17th century by Shah Jahan
  • In memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal (The jewel of the Palace)
  • Combines elements from Persian, Indian and Islamic architectural styles
Tadz Mahal

 

  • Mauzolej, izgradio u 17. Veku Shah Jahan u znak secanja na svoju preminulu suprugu Mumtaz Mahal (dragulj palate)
  • Kombinacija stilova Islamske arhitekture I arhitektura Persije i Indije
Agra Fort (Red Fort of Agra)

 

  • Built in 11th century
Agra tvrdjava (Crvena tvrdjava u Agri)

 

  • Izgradjena u 11. veku

Benares (Varanasi)

  • Regarded as a Holy city by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains; around 1,000,000 pilgrims visit the city each year.
  • One of oldest continually inhabited cities in the world
  • The city was founded by the Hindu god, Lord Shiva, around 5000 years ago (legend says) but it is believed that it is around 3000 years old
  • Has been a cultural and religious center in northern India for several thousand years
  • People from all over India prefer to be cremated here and their ashes to be thrown in the Ganges river
  • The city is full of old, sick and disabled people
  • It is believed that a bath in Ganges river purifies body and soul and all sins are forgiven
  • I noticed that the city is full of pretty long lizards with long, upward curled tails, running mostly on the facades of the houses. Nobody pays attention. I heard that they are good because they eat insects
  • The balconies and windows are covered with metal meshes. Later, I realized that is because of monkeys
  • In Varanasi there is a monkey temple; occupied by monkeys, literally. There are a lot of such temples in North India and Nepal. Up to that point, I thought that it was possible only in SF movies and cartoons (I remember Johnny Hazard)

Benares (Varanasi)

  • Sveti grad Hinda, Budista, Dzainista I Sentoa. Oko 1.000.000 hodocanika ga poseti svake godine.
  • Jedan od najstarijih konstantno naseljenih gradova na svetu
  • Po legendi, osnovao ga je Hinduisticki bog Lord Shiva pre 5000 godina. Ipak, veruje se da je star oko 3000 godina.
  • Bio je centar culture I religije severne Indije
  • Ljudi dolaze iz cele Indije da bi umrli, bili spaljeni ovde i njihov pepeo bio prosut u reku Gang
  • Grad je pun starih, prosjaka I bogalja
  • Isto tako, veruje se da se kupanjem u Gangu svi gresi oprastaju
  • U gradu sam primetio dosta velike gustere, dugacki preko 50cm, sa povijenim repovima navise koji se krecu po fasadama kuca. Niko na to ne obraca paznju a, cuo sam da su dobri jer unistavaju insekte
  • Isto tako, na terasama I prozorima su metalne mreze. Kasnije sam shvatio da je to zastita od majmuna kojih ima puno u Indiji
  • U Benaresu postoji i majmunski hram. Okupirali su ga majmuni, bukvalno.  Takvih hramova ima vise pogotovu u severnoj Indiji a i u Nepalu.  Do tada sam mislio da je to samo proizvod maste pisaca I stvaraoca crtnih romana (secam se Dzonija Hazarda)