A Way To Assi Ghat

I have visited Assi Ghat many times but today it was different in the sense that I was alone; by foot and with a Fujifilm digital camera in a rainy, cloudy day. Suddenly a gust of raindrops was beginning to pour and for the next five minutes, it was in a rest like a periodic cycle. I was enjoying both as it was feeling me the nostalgia of my childhood when we ran in the heavy raindrops, striking against our face and body with heavy school bags on the shoulder. I walked along the KabirNagar road and saw the banners of coaching speaking of PRIME CLASSES, JRS Institute, APEX Institutes, Ashok Singh’s Academy and many more. It is amazing how just in 4 years, number of coaching increased from one to seven, just beside the KabirNagar road with appealing names. It is not so far when this road will match to Kakadev Gali of Kanpur in the number of coaching institutes.

I just passed near the famous Durga temple known more as Durga-Kund. There was a great rush of devotee as usual. There were two queues of the beggars at the two side of the gate of temple. Their eyes were restlessly watching with convincing dismay. Many people were familiar with their good acting and few were exception. At every second, I could see how tempo drivers were bowing his head, murmuring Jai Mata Di. I wonder if those are the man who beat his wives and humiliate their mothers.

As I reached Assi Ghat, it had become somewhat dark, earlier because of dark clouds. One can easily find a fair number of foreigners near the Ghat, enjoying the pious, calm and mystical feeling, sprouting from the river Ganges. Some foreigners were clad in Indian traditional dress Dhoti-Kurta with twisted long hairs and a large red tilak on their foreheads. People were gathered around the shops selling spicy chats, roasted mazes and special-tea. I saw some couples, expressing their love in the cool and peaceful ambiance of Ganges, after anyhow getting a private place. As to respect their privacy I only spotted them for a second and moved forward.

I watched; I enjoyed; I contemplated. Now it was time to return. I reached beside the Manas Mandir and ordered a Lassi. First I smelled the lassi; let its coolness, sweetness to flow through nostrils to mind and then to my stomach which stimulated my craving of taking it to my dried mouth. In a second it was finished and finally with refreshing footsteps, I walked towards my home.


*photos are subjeted to copyright.