VIBGYOR

Friday unwinding

Salman Rushdie sat in a studio dominated by the cold blue of Hard Talk. He talked about the different books - "there are people who enjoy reading my books". Yes, I enjoyed reading Midnight's Children but did not have the patience to read Satanic Verses. I silently thanked my satellite provider who started broadcasting BBC - we could now watch some hard hitting, honest interviews.

In Varanasi on Friday Evening

German television often visits exotic facets of India. This takes us to different parts of India. One such evening long back we were stuck at a junction in a market in North India. The traffic flowed from all four directions into the junction. This junction was manned by a single policeman. The traffic moved albeit very slowly.

Friday evening was one such evening when I visited another exotic part in India.I was extremely tired after a tough week at work and sank down into my Poang in front of the TV.

As I travelled from a street in Germany where a lady did parallel parking most beautifully to the mountains where cows grazed to a glass factory where molten glass was curved to form the handle of a beer mug to another furnace in a completely different industry, my eyes were arrested by this picture. Suddenly I was in Varanasi courtsey the television. The ghats of Varanasi have always fascinated me. Many foreigners have been aghast by the scenes of cadavers floating in the Ganges and people having a dip just down the river. Just a few days back I listened to the contempt in the voice of a Hindu Indian colleague as he described the scene. I was curious about what tone the program would take.

The German voice followed a family in which the patriarch of the family was expecting death any moment and wanted to die in Varanasi. They lived in Mukti Bhavan where the eldest daughter and the eldest son tended to the father in his last days. While the daughter cooked and the son tended to the physical well being of his father, massaged his father's skeleton, the mother looked on with pain in her eyes. They could not bear to see the old man's pain they said. However this was his wish and they wanted to respect his wish. "God called me here to die" - the old man says - "so I want to die here in Varanasi. Varanasi is paradise..."

After dwelling a few minutes on the family, the voice moved to show the different facets of Varanasi. It moved to the ghats where the dead were being cremated. It stopped to reflect on the ton of wood required per year, brought into the ghats by boats and sold. In between, as it talked about the different temples and the customs of Hindu, it would return to the family to check on the situation. I watched this in dismay as I felt squirmish watching a person awaiting his death. I was struck by the loyalty of the son and the daughter who had left their homes to take care of their father's wish. The father's condition was debilitating and I thought it was cruel that they were subject to a television crew at that time.

It again continued to the different temples where it followed the religious ladies who worshipped the Shiva and showed how the monsoons affected the city. The water flooded the city and people walked in knee deep and sometimes waist deep water. Nevertheless most people enjoyed it  - "the Ganges has come to meet us" one man said. Another lady rushed towards the Ganges walking in knee deep water. When asked "Don't you find it difficult living with so much water flowing around?", she answered - "No... this is not enough - I want to have water upto my chest and pray in the Ganges. I am just going to the riverside".

The young Swami they interviewed had given up all his wordly desires and possessions and followed a Sanyasi Guru. After explaining what a Sanyasi meant and showing the fervour generated by the arrival of the Guru, they talk further to the Sishya. He has started a computer school and some welfare programs. "They say Sanyasis have given up everything - but have I really given up everything, I do not know. I am still trying to understand the meaning of life and death. Varanasi is the link between life and death for me. Hence I am here." - he says.

The voice returns to the family. The father feels much better now - the family is packing to leave. "It was my father's wish", the son says looking relieved and happy. "God gave me back my life here - he wants me to go back" - says the old man. The son carries his father to the Auto and they leave smiling happily. The voice informs us that the old man died a month later in his village and could not have his wish to die in Varanasi fulfilled. The family brought his body to Varanasi to cremate.

By interviewing the people who believe, the documentary retained the exotic flavour of the Hinduism.