Varanasi has a certain energy that is difficult to describe…
It feels otherworldly like a city built on another planet, in another time, under a different atmosphere. The enormity of the Ghat steps goes unnoticed when framing the monolithic buildings overlooking the Ganges River. The narrow passageways of “The Maze” (a densely populated area by Main Ghat) welcome you with cool shade from the hot afternoon, but are winding enough to completely disorient you. You find yourself cutoff by cows every day and barking dogs at night, but the city feels very safe and welcoming. Most of the city is beige; either from the color of stone and cement covered in dust, the dust on the ground, the dust in the air, or the dust on the people. The air smells of dust and smoke from burning plastic as well as freshly baked goods, complex incense, and brewing chai; in other words completely rancid and absolutely exquisite all at the same time. The sounds of honking horns, rickshaw bells, puja drums, barking dogs, and amplified prayers in Hindi follow you to all but the most remote corners of the city. It is a place of magic. It is a place of wonder. It is a place of bafflement.
Our group of absurdly fantastic volunteers consists of the perfect combination to support, protect, and encourage us all to be as explorative and outgoing as possible. We mingle with the locals, clown for the backpackers, play games with the street children, chat with the NGOs, and try absolutely ALL the food. I find it hard to imagine what this city must be like to people who just come for tourism because we have such a vastly different connection with it. Our group dynamic is absolutely crucial in allowing us to experience Varanasi in the way we have while making so many deep connections with the people of the city. For this I am eternally grateful.
We had our last show in Varanasi on March 2nd. To be clear, it wasn’t us as PWB volunteers performing, but our pupils from Asha Deep who were taking the stage. It was their Spring Extravaganza Showcase featuring acts from all the classes with our circus acts mixed in. Honestly I can’t think of any recent shows where I’ve been so anxious! Between us we invested hundreds of hours working with these kids and they really had some super duper skills to share!
The stage was set right in the middle of the main plaza on Assi Ghat. Our guesthouse was located a few blocks away and by this point in our trip Assi Ghat had securely positioned itself as my favorite spot in all of Varanasi. Asha Deep had been negotiating the possibility of hosting their show on Assi Ghat for months and it was a huge honor to be given the permission. Hundreds of red plastic chairs were lined in rows facing the raised stage before noon and word started to spread that something special was happening that evening.
Around 3:00pm the kids had started to gather with many on their way and the PWB crew was in full preparation mode. Face paints and colorful fabric was flying everywhere. Bags of props were being lined up and sorted. Sound technicians were checking wires and testing microphones.
Mango and I led a small group of students in an improvised circus pre-show (well, Mango did most of the supervising while I positioned several cameras mounted on the stage). We were running slightly behind schedule, but that was ok because the crowd was continually growing by this point. We got the signal that the show was ready to start, ended our pre-show, and gathered back stage. With the pull of a lever and a swing of red curtain the show began.
The show lasted several hours and was filled with songs, dances, skits, jokes, and of course circus skills. There were 19 acts in total and we were leading seven of them including clowning, fan spinning, hooping, poi spinning, juggling, staff spinning and a fire finale. We bought sheets of bulk fabric that we cut into bandanas and other accessories to give the acts a group look, then we watched as our baby birds took their first steps out of the nest to fly.
It was beautiful.
The acts were superb! Our intention was to provide technical training for these kids while still keeping them engaged in a sense of play and fostering their curiosity for personal expression. Our show demonstrated that and more. We were very inclusive and designed the acts with a variety of skill levels incorporated. We also had several finale fire acts that were meticulously choreographed and displayed skills at a professional level. It all went down without a single mishap… well maybe one mishap.
About halfway through the show a giant bull trotted up towards the stage along the left side of the crowd and by the time it was within 30 feet it decided to clear a path for a better view. Suddenly screams came from the crowd as people dashed out of the way. Plastic chairs were scattered haphazardly as the bull charged through the audience, into the side staging area, around one of the speakers, into the back dressing room, then back out again and off into the night.
Not “The Bull” – Just for SIZE reference
Luckily no one was injured and the stage was left intact. Not even one sound cable was unplugged which was very impressive considering the tangle of cords the bull ran over. This all happened during the changing of two acts and was over within 25 seconds, so most of the crowd didn’t even notice. The PWB team looked at the show organizers, then at each other, and it was quickly and silently decided that the show must go on!
The closing act of the Asha Deep show included fire hoops and contact staffs. The crowd cheered wildly as the boys formed their acrobatic pyramids while spinning fire. The staffs lit the kid’s faces with a beautiful glow and I will always remember the excitement emanating from their eyes in front of all those people.
Our last two days in the City of Light consisted of saying goodbye to numerous friends and counting all the props at the schools while incorporating what we were donating. I woke up early on March 4th, the day we were to board our train for Kolkata, and I wondered around the Ghats and surrounding areas by myself. I watched the sun rise over Assi Ghat to the sound of hundreds of people participating in laughter yoga. I tried to absorb everything around me: the smells, the sounds, the colors, and all my sensations. Varanasi holds a very special place in my heart and although I was sad to leave, I know I will return soon.
~Spades
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