From Brahma to Buddha, Spring 2007

Matt visits with a Sadhu

Thus far I have been interviewing Sadhus on the banks of the Ganges, also in ashrams that grace the interior of the city. My translator, Ramesh, has been a wonderful and funny man to hang around. Though we have spent a lot of time getting to the babas, the small amount of time I have had just interacting with these unique individuals has been great. The other day I saw this old baba bathing near Harishchandra ghat. He had long flowing white hair , a potbelly, and a huge crowd of sadhus watching him. He began reciting mantras - head shaking, hands clenched. It was later when he put on his authentic Rudraska hat as well as his tiger skin coat that I knew I had to interview him. The last two days have included an intense dialogue with this compassionate man. According to him, he has a following of 5,000 people. Just finding his personal kashi residence on Chasing Ghat was exciting. Yesterday I talked and took photos of his tiger skin and his unique silver cobra snake chasity belt that he was wearing. Well, I plan to interview him a couple more times though I am trying to get a broad perspective of pilgrimage. I plan to interview the dalits involved with cremation and how they faciliatate pilgrims, aghoris at Kinaram ashram, Sufis at their Varanasi shrine and maybe some other things. Interviewing takes time and my translator is not always free so I will pick what I feel would best suit me. I am trying to get a broad perspective on different kinds of religious devotion.

I have learned a lot just about the process and I have cherished the adventures and the ones that will follow.

Thanks for tuning in,
J.B.