Solo in India's BURNING Burial Site (Manikarnika Ghat, Varanasi) 🇮🇳

With my time in Varanasi drawing to a close, I felt I should get a better understanding of India's most sacred burial site where many Hindu's also finish up.
Manikarnika Ghat (मणिकर्णिका घाट) is famous for it's pyres which burn 24/7, 365 days a year, and are said to have never gone out since they were first lit around 3000 years ago.
Apparently as many as 100 bodies are cremated at the mouth of the river ganges (ganga) every day, requiring a colossal amount of firewood and commitment from the people tasked with this macabre occupation.
Those dressed in white are often the family members of those being laid to rest, and wishing 'moksha' (salvation from earthly reincarnation) for their loved ones.
Whilst it was tricky for me to film given consideration for the environment I was operating in, I nonetheless wanted to document this fascinating encounter. With Varanasi said to be amongst the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities, I was in for some real culture.
After that there was time to get a closer look at the ganga with a boat down the river, having narrowly avoided a close shave with a disingenuous street barber.
I wrapped things up with a return to the most spiritual of Hindu celebrations in ganga aarti where I met lots of friendly Indian people and ended my day on a high.
#india #varanasi #rammandir #manikarnikaghat
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📖 C H A P T E R S
00:00 Intro from Varanasi
01:00 Firewood
02:40 First Impressions of Manikarnika Ghat
08:13 Heading for a Boat Ride
09:54 Kind Message from Hindu Man
11:04 A close shave with scam barber
15:51 Boat Ride on the Ganges
23:00 Ganga Arti (Evening Celebration)
▬▬▬▬▬
🔗 K E Y L I N K S
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[@divyadharsrivastava3820]

Man I am from Kashi itself and we say a word "Jaye deta Mardava" means leave it/ignore it. It happens with even us local at times. I wish you had a great time afterwards.

[@InvestedAdventure]

Dhanyavad bhai, that is super helpful to know

[@wilkowanders]

Thank you for sharing this insightful video. Can't wait to experience it firsthand on my upcoming visit! 🙏

[@InvestedAdventure]

Have fun in your travels! :)

[@bettyconfettii]

Thanks for showing us India!

[@InvestedAdventure]

My pleasure, thanks for the kind words Betty. Where in the world are you watching from? I do wonder how it must feel from the comfort of home! Would be cool to hear your views on my other India videos too

[@rizvi1512]

Good video keep making more amazing knowledge not wondering around but have context that’s just simply amazing you genuinely deserve more views

[@InvestedAdventure]

Thank you so much for your kind words - this is exactly what keeps the fire burning when people cast aspersions on me

[@davidbottles3035]

That upper building is a crematorium used during the monsoon floods. Where you were standing is under flood waters.

[@InvestedAdventure]

Thats incredible, thank you for furthering my knowledge of this incredibly important place

[@marlonborja7345]

great content. Cant wait to see it on January omg!!!

[@InvestedAdventure]

Thanks my friend

[@GypsyTraveller24]

Nice video man... wish I could have the courage to vlog in public like u xD hope i can join you in your adventures in India.. keep the good content coming my friend😇😇😇I

[@InvestedAdventure]

Thanks brother - get yourself out there with the GoPro!

[@GypsyTraveller24]

@@InvestedAdventure some desi daru and I am ready to go xD probably ...😅😅I

[@user-or2rs4ie9x]

Wonderful

[@InvestedAdventure]

Thank you

[@intzarhussain1166]

Hello james ! Welcome to India welcome to Varanasi, i am from Varanasi, please ignore negative things because in al the world there are both types of human being either good or bad , anyway enjoy and live all the moment, if you want any help then i be available. Thanks you 🙏

[@InvestedAdventure]

Thank you very much for your amazing words brother, I will be sure to pin this

[@-AmanRoy]

k2we tu toh culture ki baat hi na kr

[@intzarhussain1166]

@@-AmanRoy Tere dimag me gand bhari h to uska kuch nhi h bhai

[@deirdrenugent1887]

A different world ❤

[@InvestedAdventure]

It is indeed. Kuala Lumpur is paradise (in absolute terms, never mind relative!) at the moment… but flying back to India this weekend for pt 2 of the tour

[@ManojKumar-kh3rx]

Hey james please come Lucknow only 350 km from Varanasi and maximum 5 to 6 hour journey so please you visit our city.

[@InvestedAdventure]

Hey Manoj, I’ll be sure to see about that when I’m back up north 🇮🇳

[@HINDHU20]

Har har Mahadev

[@InvestedAdventure]

Ah right

[@LilyBeth-wm6lg]

Hi james enjoy and keep safe

[@InvestedAdventure]

Thanks!

[@davidbottles3035]

I was there in March, it was the craziest thing I have ever seen and witnessed.

[@InvestedAdventure]

Right up there for me too, David. It felt more like a lucid dream than reality whilst I was there

[@PtTaai]

Hello james , i am from Varanasi. Brother i know there are some people who have problems with all other men. But brother you should ignore such kind of people. I am saying sorry as a Indian brother. Next time if you come to Varanasi let's meet brother. I will show you the beauty of Varanasi.

[@InvestedAdventure]

This is so very kind, thank you for sharing such encouragement and positivity

[@PtTaai]

@@InvestedAdventure Your welcome bro. Indian culture is to treat guest as God. Next time you come to India I would like you to become my guest.

[@Triryche777]

Sorry to say, but you've been scammed! There is no hospice (at least not at Manikarnika) and there is no need for donations as the firewood price they told you is a lie. A group of neighborhood locals scam tourists into believing that they are social workers/volunteers and offer to show you around so you feel like donating $$$. They also sell "photo permits" that don't exist, that's why they want you to stop filming as they want to earn their share. These professional groomers later split the money with the Dom Rajas, the keepers of Manikarnika. There's a group of at least 10 scammers, watch out!

[@InvestedAdventure]

Wow! Thank you for those insights - that’s absolutely incredible if it’s as you say (I have to take you at your word). 📍 Can anyone else corroborate?

[@chiragprajapati6312]

@@InvestedAdventure yes ia gree with @Triryche777 on every point , there is no need for donation for firewood.

[@Triryche777]

Every single tourist at my guesthouse had been scammed. Some were very uncomfortably pushed into paying as much as 80 (US) dollars for "good karma" . You pay a Dom but they later split the money. Once you are trapped, they offer other services, like being a tour guide, yoga, astrology, silk, souvenirs etc. They are waiting at the "wall" entrance and sneak up to tourists, all smiles and psychologically prepared. They make a full time living grooming tourists. I've observed this for many days. Unfortunately I'm a victim myself and it was confirmed by a local resident. ​@@InvestedAdventure

[@InvestedAdventure]

@@chiragprajapati6312 Thanks for seconding that

[@babakopubaer]

It is a shame that Indian authorities do nothing to stop scammers at one of their holiest places. I can confirm the scam as I did fall for it. I could not have imagined this to be possible. Great shame for all Hindu people.

[@Vyr1993]

ive quit smoking on this ghat been 1.5 years

[@InvestedAdventure]

Congratulations. A very wise decision

[@lakshmikrishna5660]

U have forgot to say northeast and andaman islands, also kashmir and leh

[@InvestedAdventure]

I will be visiting other regions soon brother

[@multilingualassam1190]

He'llo Sir, Come to Bodoland Region (Assam)North East India.

[@InvestedAdventure]

Wow, what’s there to do in Bodoland? It’s new to me

[@multilingualassam1190]

Lot's of There to do Starting From Scenic natural beauty to forest adventure, Paragliding, Have some traditional cuisine many more. I request you to visit my region Sir.

[@baseballfan88888]

@1:54 😂😂🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ What a way to welcome

[@InvestedAdventure]

Aye

[@baseballfan88888]

@@InvestedAdventure 😂😂👍👍

[@SurajSingh-lb3dy]

Nepal tour

[@InvestedAdventure]

I'd love to some day

[@channelv1]

Fun video. They should stop spitting and littering everywhere! Mr Modi had run a “swach Bharat” drive which worked very well in some places.

[@InvestedAdventure]

What does that mean brother? I’m curious to understand more

[@ujjwalakulshreshtha9665]

​@@InvestedAdventure Swachh means Clean, Bharat is India. Mr Modi is our Prime Minister, he had started a drive called Swachh Bharat. Mainly because people of India think they can litter anywhere and it is government duty to employ workers to clean it but through this drive he spread awareness that it is the people who need to keep the surroundings clean. There are govt employed workers to clean the litter but the people should not think that it is their right to litter anywhere they want. Many places are surprisingly kept very clean and I have also observed a change in people's perspective. You may think that it is a very basic thing for which we needed a drive to be launched but it was much needed. India is twisted 😂 So the person is trying to say above is that people should stop littering these public areas and spitting. Spitting as in people are habitual of chewing tobacco and all kinds of stuff and they spit it anywhere they please

[@RyngkatPhawa-gz4mw]

U dint pay for cleaning ur face

[@InvestedAdventure]

I got off lightly

[@askerman3228]

Dirtiest rituals to send of loved ones

[@InvestedAdventure]

It may seem that way to the outside world, based on our cultural norms, but this is an ancient ritual and hence I was fascinated to witness it. Even though there is no denying the stark reality

[@Viber1617]

​@@InvestedAdventurewhat u know about reality ..human body mind wisdom intelligence soul ? Can you enlighten me ?

[@askerman3228]

Further u can also add how bad this for the environment and sustainability.

[@askerman3228]

@@vpandey5452 as expected when u yourself don't have any knowledge

[@InvestedAdventure]

I know enough to see from barely 20 words that you must be a complete pillock

[@capitanmaspingon]

Howi is the smell there?

[@InvestedAdventure]

Like roses. Before they grow

[@ahsanbutt1486]

It it most pullouted water in Ganges as per described

[@InvestedAdventure]

The truth! I think it can get a lot worse than when I was there, too!