from Bihar to Bangalore
a journey through India
land of cows & call centres
from Varanasi
Episode 1 The Holy Water
He who hasn't seen the river Ganges, hasn't seen India.
To Hindus, the Ganges is the source of life.
And when you die, the river takes you back again.
If you're lucky, you'll be cremated on its banks.
If you don't have the money, at least your ashes will be scattered in the river.
On every train you'll find a family with the urn of an aunt or grandma...
heading for one of the cities along the Ganges.
I never know what to make of such spiritual places.
I mean, I already feel ill at ease in a church.
Hello.
I was given the business card of BP Unyal, astrologist and former scientist.
So I trust him to be able to give scientific advice about my aura.
But I have to wait my turn.
What is that? -This is Ganga water.
Can you show it? Why did you take it?
We do puja with this.
Take it like this. -Just drop it?
It purifies the body.
It comes from the epicentre of the earth, from Mt Kailash.
And it emerges in Gangotri. -Thank you so much.
Scientifically it is believed...
that it contains some bacteria which eat other bacteria.
So it contains bacteria...
So there's no growth of bacteria in the water of the Ganges.
That's why we believe... -So, aura...
Aura...
So this is your instrument to read my aura.
It's an ordinary magnifying glass. -Sit down and concentrate on this part.
Then I will tell you. -Sit like this?
Like this. No, face towards mine, then I'll read you your aura.
Close your eyes and concentrate, then I will tell you regarding this.
Health wise, you will have a good health.
And approximately, if you lead a good, disciplined life, you'll live about 87 yrs.
87?
And regarding money, property, you will have good money...
good properties, assets, like an apartment, a house.
In coming time, you will not face any shortage...
or any acute shortage of money within your life.
Near the age of 35 you'll have a new relationship.
And you'll also get married, maybe.
If you could give a short answer. We just started a series about India.
We just started travelling. What's your feeling about our work here in India?
We'll be making a series. How will the series be?
This work too will be fruitful for you. You will gain some knowledge.
You will...
This work will be appreciated by the people who will see your work in India.
Thank you so much. -This chakra is very good.
First seat of mind, second seat of mind, third seat of mind. Very good.
How much is it? -Let me see. 700.
Do you have 300 back?
Each year, the people of Varanasi honour their god Shiva with a festival.
Shiva is not only the god of creation, but also of destruction.
Rather funny, considering that there are over 300 million gods in Hinduism.
Are you from Varanasi? -Yes.
Can you tell me what's going on today?
This is the wedding day of Shiva and Parvati.
Today we celebrate the marriage of these two gods.
Just as with our own marriages, today we celebrate their wedding anniversary.
There's a temple over there. That's where the procession will begin.
From there it will pass through the entire city.
Tonight a large wedding procession for Shiva will leave from the main road.
It's sacred ash.
If you're truly devoted to Shiva, you rub sacred ash on your body.
This city is the city of Shiva.
Everyone here who is devoted to Shiva rubs sacred ash on his body.
And Shiva is here? -Yes.
Where? -Everywhere. But you don't see him.
Is Shiva also in this tea? -Yes.
Shiva is in this tea, in you and also in me.
Shiva is in him, in everyone. Shiva is present in everything.
You will find him in every stone in Varanasi.
That's how we say it. Shiva is present in every stone in this city.
It's a question of belief. If you believe, you can see Shiva.
Only then can you see Shiva. Otherwise it's just tea.
It's not that simple for you to learn and know about Hinduism.
I know, but I'm trying. -Yes, that's what I mean.
All these people are half-knowledgeable.
So that's the type of message or what you can learn from them.
I'll tell you one more thing.
Islam, Jain and Christianity, all these are religions.
Whereas Hinduism is not a religion, it's a way of living.
Don't go in depth. -Because I'll never understand.
oh, my heart love Lord Shiva
love Lord Shiva
love Lord Shiva
Shiva is so powerful. Even the most powerful warriors and spirits fear him.
Ghosts and spirits serve him. The Ganges sprang from his locks.
The Ganges flows from his locks to the Himalayas.
It flows to the Himalayas, around the world and back to the Himalayas.
How important is the river Ganges to you?
When you bathe in the Ganges you will be cleansed.
All your sins will be washed away. It's a spiritual thing.
In your next life you'll be a good person.
You become blessed and you'll be a good person.
Do you also drink from the river?
Yes, we drink the water from the river.
Can you play something on this instrument?
Play something.
Can you play music?
It's not dangerous?
Dangerous. -Dangerous? Okay.
A half-chewed snake is a bit too much...
but the best way to get to know a country is to jump in at the deep end...
as I learned in Russia. If you resist too much, you won't get anywhere.
What's that? -Marihuana drink.
Marihuana?
We're at an ashram where a lot of men live...
who left their earthly life and their family and children behind...
and actually came here to die.
I'm really anxious to hear what drives these men to come to this place.
Hello. I'm looking for Swami Ishwaranand.
Why did you leave your home? -Well, it's like this.
My sons live in Madhya Pradesh.
I came to Varanasi to pray to God.
Then I left my home and now I live here.
How long have you been living here? -Six years.
A ritual is performed to take the vow of celibacy.
The ritual lasts for three days.
After those three days we become hermits.
Then the guru gives us the prayer stick and we become mendicants.
I'm 70 years old. I'm here to find deliverance.
I'll stay here till I die. I'll never leave this place again.
I'll stay here till I die, then I'll find deliverance.
I'm happy here. My family is very happy.
My loved ones don't feel unhappy.
When someone dies, his soul goes to Brahma.
Once he's there, he'll never come back again.
He'll be considered dead.
When that happens, he's brought to the site of cremation.
There he's cremated. The soul leaves the body and goes up to heaven.
Once there, he has to explain how he got there.
Then the last ritual takes place and it's concluded that there's nothing left.
Karma.
Swami, aren't you afraid to die? -I'm not afraid.
If I have to die today, it's fine.
They say it's better to die without loved ones around.
My life will be blessed when birds feed off my flesh.
When I came here, I didn't want my family ever to come visit me.
When I die, the sacred men will submerge me in the Ganges.
The fish will eat from my body.
The animals will have something to eat. Then I'll be blessed.
Can I see the prayer stick? -Yes.
Where is it? -I have it with me.
Swami, where's the prayer stick? -Here.
Why is it packed?
330 million gods and goddesses dwell inside it.
The mantras of all 330 million divinities are stored inside.
All of them? -Yes.
When you sing to the gods, all misapprehensions disappear.
When that happens, you realize that nothing or no one accompanies you.
Then you can start doing good deeds. That means...
You are one, alone?
Yes, I'm alone. That's what I meant to say.
The Ganges is our mother. She protects everybody.
After a bath in the Ganges you'll be free of all your sins.
After the bath we ask her to wash all our sins away.
After that...
We're here in Varanasi because of the power of the Ganges.
And we worship Lord Shiva.
When my life on earth is over, I'll go to heaven.
What are you doing? Let me pray. -One moment.
Life is predestined. You have no control over it.
It's as if free will doesn't exist. Somehow that's also comforting.
I've often been envious of the carefree nature of the Indian people.
There's no point in fretting or worrying, you can't influence life anyway.
It's as if life is a film and you're just playing a part.
You just went into the river? -Yes.
That's our faith. The faith in Mother Ganga.
How often do you go bathing? Once a year, two times a year?
This is the third time. The third time I come here.
You don't worry about the quality of the river, the water quality?
Water quality? Quality of water?
The quality of water is not as good as it should be.
But it's a matter of faith for me.
My father and mother also came here. But they are no longer alive.
They died in Pratapgarh.
Did you bring the ashes to the river? -Yes, on the bank of the Ganga River.
If we die, we go to heaven, to the other world.
hail Shiva
hail Shiva
I was watching the cremation from a distance.
It seemed the proper thing to do.
You don't see tourists with cameras at Dutch funerals either.
But one of the men at the pyre signalled to me.
He asked me where I was from and what I thought of India.
As if that whole cremation wasn't going on.
I asked him who was on the pyre.
My grandfather, he answered. He didn't sound sad.
Being cremated in Varanasi means not coming back to this world again.
His grandfather had finally reached Nirvana.
During the final stage of dying...
your soul leaves the body and you become one with the Lord.
Then a last rite is performed so that the soul can rest in peace.
The body perishes, but the soul lives on and becomes one with the Lord.
It becomes the ultimate power. The body was only a kind of coat.
And for that coat we perform this last rite.
We decorate the bier. Death is a certainty.
Death is something beautiful. Where there's life, there will be death.
Only gods never die.
Once life is formed in the belly of the mother...
death is inevitable. The body, the coat goes to waste...
but the soul becomes one with the Lord and is blessed.
It becomes one with Rama and Shiva.
That's why death in Varanasi is so beautiful. Nobody cries here.
Everybody smiles happily...
because an older relative becomes a saint...
after singing a mantra making him the god of the house.
They will praise him profusely. We can't describe our faith.
That's why death in Varanasi is so beautiful.
Excuse me, can you show us the room?
Of course. The rooms are the same downstairs and upstairs.
Downstairs? -They're the same as upstairs.
We have twelve rooms.
Come in. -Hello.
She's his wife.
This is that man's wife.
He's her husband.
That's their daughter-in-law.
Excuse me, where are you from? -We're from Bihar.
From Champaran? -No, from Sasaram.
He who dies here, will never say 'ouch'.
Only those who die outside Varanasi do so.
No one here says: Ouch, this hurts or that hurts.
To find deliverance, peace and silence are required.
I've brought her here with joy, not with sadness.
When at the hospital they said there was nothing they could do...
we brought her here so she can find deliverance.
If she recovers, I'll take her home. If not, she can die here.
She's being treated with Ganga water. -She drinks very little.
She's drinking water. -Yes, she's started to drink water.
At first she wouldn't drink at all.
Thank you very much.
This morning I stepped out on my balcony overlooking the Ganges.
A monkey took a shit here last night, but my chair had already been cleaned.
I sat down and looked out over the river.
Not far from me a hand floated by, the lower arm still attached.
The fingers were clenched into a fist.
A fisherman pulled in his catch, someone was washing clothes.
400 million Indians live along the banks of the Ganges.
No wonder the water is so dirty.
Near Varanasi it contains 100 times the safe amount of faecal bacteria.
Let's have a look at the actual river itself. Mother Ganga.
So regularly your university takes samples.
Yes, Varanasi University regularly collects samples.
We analyse the water quality and then we report to the government.
Here, exclusively in Varanasi...
for the first time I have estimated that 33,000 dead bodies...
human dead bodies, are burned on two cremation grounds.
Harishchand and Madhaganika.
In Varanasi alone? -In Varanasi, 33,000 per year.
And these bodies are burned with the help of 16,000 tons of dry wood.
In India dry wood is used for the burning of the bodies.
From this huge quantities of ashes are released into the river.
Also some parts of the body remain and are directly thrown into the river.
So I have estimated...
that 300 tons of half-burned flesh is released every year into the river.
So 3000 dead bodies of humans...
and approximately 6000 dead bodies of animals.
This is just in Varanasi. Can you estimate how many tons...
of partially burned pieces of body are floating around in the entire Ganges?
Since I don't have the data for the entire Ganges, I can't tell you.
I make scientific estimations. -You're right, you should be precise.
Just to interrupt you.
Don't you want to warn this man who just took a dive about the risks?
This river is also linked with the faith of the people.
And it has been scientifically shown that regular bathers in the river...
have developed resistance in their body.
Because of this resistance, the water doesn't adversely affect their health.
Has that been scientifically proven? -Yes.
But if you take a bath, you will be adversely affected.
So that's the point of worry. -For me it's better not to take a bath.
I'd suggest that for the first time, please don't take water in the area.
Have you ever gone bathing here? -Yes.
But nowadays, now I know the water on this side of the stream is polluted...
I won't take a bath in this area. -You go midstream.
I go to the middle or to that side.
I heard that if you're pregnant and you die, you're not burned.
Then you're not burned, and if you're a saint, you're not burned.
Babies are also not burned. And they put them on a stone?
They go midstream and sink it there.
The exclusive character of the river at Varanasi is the half-moon curvature.
But Mr Tripathi. You swim midstream, where they throw all the bodies in.
Often when we come to take samples, we also take a bath.
So first you sample the quality... -Yes, and then we take a bath.
First we analyse the quality.
When it's safe, then we take a bath. Otherwise not.
The Ganges begins in Rishikesh, at the foot of the Himalayas.
Hard to imagine this is the same river as the sewer flowing through Varanasi.
Most spiritual tourists go to Rishikesh, of course.
It's all aura readers, meditation centres, gurus, spiritual bookshops...
and my personal highlight, the four-day workshop 'The Art of Dying'.
At primary school half of my class had parents who were into Bhagwan.
That was back in the 1980s.
I'd forgotten all about it and thought it had passed...
until I was in Pune last year, seat of the Bhagwan movement.
To my surprise it was full of people from all over the world.
Bhagwan is alive and kicking, although he's now called Osho.
What happens is this. Our lungs contain over 8000 pores.
But we only use about 1500 of them.
In order to open the pores, we breathe quickly and deeply.
When the pores open, extra oxygen enters our lungs...
which makes our blood much purer.
The second step is driving out anger. We call this 'catharsis'.
We have so much suppressed anger inside us.
From childhood on, everyone suppresses anger.
So we have to get rid of that anger.
And that's how the repressed anger is released.
Hitting and kicking, so that the madness goes out.
How old were you when you got the tattoo?
It was four years ago.
In Jabalpur, where Osho was teaching at the time.
I think he was teaching there.
I went to a camp, and that's where I met him.
Now he's with you forever. -Yes.
When I see a picture of Osho or have eye contact with him...
I get this feeling he's there for me.
What attracts you so much in Osho? There are many gurus. Why Osho?
Lover. -Lover?
Explain what that is. -Osho?
Outside him there's nothing.
First I was looking for love.
I've been in various relationships, but now I don't need one anymore.
Not like before. I don't need a relationship anymore.
You're not married? -No.
Because Osho is enough?
Osho is enough?
Exactly.
Why do you think so many people from the West like Osho?
Because the West has developed in such a terrible way.
People have had enough of this materialistic lifestyle.
They've become accustomed to working hard on automatic pilot.
But now that they're wealthy and have everything, they still feel an emptiness.
They have the feeling there has to be more in life.
And they come here to explore that possibility.
India has always been very spiritual.
They feel the urge to look for something different.
I'm here to meet Gophal, a young yogi who can tell me about the yoga culture.
I wanted to meet here because I want to see the ashram...
where the Beatles found inspiration for The White Album. It's over there.
They spent the summer of '68 there with their guru.
I believe Ringo Starr was the first to leave. He didn't like the Indian food.
He'd brought two suitcases, one with clothes, one with red beans.
When the beans were finished, he went home.
But he did write 'Don't Pass Me By' here.
Hi, Gopal. Good to see you. I'm fine.
Last time you had less hair. -It has grown.
Why was it so short? Any reason? -No, I just decided to shave it.
K and I are the same age, but our lives couldn't have been any more different.
K ran away from his parents, who lived in a village in Bihar.
Why? He never wanted to tell me.
During his wanderings he met his guru.
For ten years he lived with him, cooking for him, looking after him.
Is everybody able to do yoga? -Definitely.
It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or advanced.
Anyone can do and practice it. But it requires your inner wish to do so.
If you have something in your mind you want to do, nothing is impossible.
Whether your body supports it or not, if you wish to do something, just do it.
What do you have in your hand?
This is a 'neti pot' we use for 'jala neti'. We fill it with lukewarm water with salt.
We insert it through this nose and water comes through the other side.
It's a cleaning process that helps activate the inner glands.
You breathe healthier and it improves your eyesight.
I always have a stuffy nose. -It's good for that. Very good.
This is called 'sutra'. There are many different sutras.
These sutras we insert inside. It makes you feel like sneezing.
But you slowly let this go inside, then use two fingers to take it out.
Out of your mouth. -Just rub it a little bit and pull it out.
Some people have lumps inside or cannot breathe properly.
It helps them. Your hearing capacities also improve with this process.
This process is thousands of years old. -Okay, let's see.
Let's try it.
My nose is always bothering me. Maybe this will help.
But I actually think it's just going to hurt a lot.
Separate your feet. And this knee.
Open your mouth.
Which hole? Does it matter? -No.
Open your mouth. Insert inside.
No, not that side. This side, here.
Yes, slowly lift your hand. Open your mouth more.
Lift up more.
Does it start going?
No, it's not coming.
Open your mouth. -Yes, it's coming.
I can feel it. -Come back a little bit.
Blow your nose. Yes, blow.
Wash your hands.
Blow your nose.
Water.
You pull it back out of your nose? -Through the nose.
You can go right or left.
First we have to see on which side your air is flowing more.
If on the right side it flows more, go with the right.
Like this. -It looked a bit hard.
Is there a beginning or an end? -Yes, the beginning is here.
Open your mouth. Look up, head up.
It's very unpleasant.
Open your mouth. Lift it up more.
Good.
Do you feel like it has come there?
You will feel that something is there inside.
You can apply some honey or some ghee on top.
I can push, but it doesn't go further. -Okay, come back.
Oh, this feels very...
Slowly.
Maybe I'm just not spiritual enough.
At what age did you leave home? -I was twelve.
So why did you decide to do that?
First, cultural background, second, faith.
In India we consider everything that happens to be predetermined.
That we are here is predetermined.
It's not that suddenly we happen to see each other.
So in my faith this has been predetermined.
And my action, my will, supports that action that is predetermined.
We move along with that, like water flowing.
And if you want to float along with this river...
you just slowly move your hands and you'll be floating along the river.
Maybe it's true we swim against the current too much in the West.
We think everything can be controlled and that we can eliminate all risks.
But the notion that everything is predestined also has its dangers.
If you have no free will, nothing will ever change.
That may be the reason why the caste system still exists.
Or why the position of women in India is often still appalling.
A few months ago I was here at the Matridham Ashram...
a place where sannyasins live who care about the environment.
The river is polluted and they protest against that.
Last year one of the swamis died during a hunger strike.
I've been told that another swami is on a hunger strike now.
Our leader, Kumar Bharati, has just arrived in the place...
of the peaceful protest.
Professor D.D. Agrawal, now Swami Gyanswarupsanand...
is doing a continuous fast for Ganga.
He's been fasting since February 8. -So that's almost a month now.
Yes, I think today is the 23rd day. -Can he eat fruit?
Since February 8 he's been taking only lemon, water, salt and a bit of honey.
Nothing else.
I met him in Varanasi in December.
Mr Agrawal...
His name is Swami Gyanswarupsanand.
He has renounced his previous name.
I'm sorry. Excuse me.
For a Westerner it's hard to adapt. I'll do my best.
Swami Swanandji, you spent a considerable amount of your career...
as a scientist. How do you look back on your life?
The moment one enters sannyasinship...
you forget all that happened before.
The date of birth becomes the date of sannyas.
So as of now my date of birth is July 2, 2011.
Do you ever think of the time before that?
I can only think of that as a preparation for this phase.
I feel that I was being prepared by Lord Rama himself...
for a specific task, and this is the culmination of it.
Don't you think that India also might need you as a scientist?
You know so much about the river... -I'm sorry to say it again...
but Westerners feel that one can keep on living as long as one wants...
or as long as you're needed. No.
Everything is ordained, everything is fixed in time.
And in any case, I can't survive more than a few more years. I'm past 80.
Nobody is needed in this world. It's the Lord whose games these are.
Depending on one's previous actions.
We believe in rebirth. It's just changing clothes.
If you change clothes one day, it doesn't mean that you are no more.
The soul lives on.
So into whatever birth I pass next...
It doesn't matter. Whatever the Lord needs, I do.
So this time is for me to look towards my soul, towards my next life.
Not this life. I'm not worried about this life at all.
Actually I'm counting the days until I'm able to change these clothes.
You're counting down? -That's right.
The countdown has started.
How many days?
That only the doctor can say.
I wish it's not more than 15 or 20 days.
I feel 15 days is sort of optimal.
See how happy he is?
Are you not observing how happy he is?
He's not worried. We are worried, he's not worried.
Help me and tell me when I can start.
oh, Mother they who partake of your pure water
will attain the highest state
oh, Mother Ganga
The hunger striker is eating again and is still alive.
And the river Ganges is as polluted as it ever was.
But I didn't get sick from my glass of Ganga water.
Maybe the river really is more sacred than I will ever believe.
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