Meeting an Old Friend in Varanasi

Almost three years ago, I was in Varanasi and currently on my 6th month in my solo backpacking trip when I received the news that my grandma died. I spent my last day in this city, grieving at the banks of the Ganges River near the burning ghat. My eyes were closed as I silently try to imagine having my final conversation with my grandma and bidding her goodbye when I suddenly heard giggling voices of kids.

One of them painted my hand while I was trying to refuse repeatedly thinking that I’d be charge for it. She laughed and the two other kids laughed as well and she said, it’s free don’t worry. I spent the rest of the morning laughing and talking with them.

In one of the most difficult time of my life, I met strangers who through their own small ways comforted me. Strangers that I thought I’d never meet again in my life.

As of the time of writing (May 25), I’m in Varanasi again and spent the afternoon walking around the ghats and taking pictures and decided to rest near the main ghat while watching everything that’s happening around me when I suddenly heard a familiar voice.

A young Indian girl approached me trying to sell postcards and I politely refused. As she stubbornly kept on making her sales pitch, I suddenly remembered who this kid was.

She’s one of the young strangers that helped me for a brief period of time go through the deep grief that I was experiencing.

She didn’t remember me which I was expecting since I know that vendors like her must have met hundreds or thousands of local and foreign tourists everyday.

While she continues to try to sell me postcards I asked her some bits of information that I remembered from her during our conversation almost three years ago.

It made me smile as she confirms those bits of facts that we talked about in the past.

I didn’t bother to introduce myself anymore as I was getting teary eyed already. I bid goodbye and left her a small piece of souvenir.

And as I walked away from the crowd, I closed my eyes and uttered a silent prayer of thanks to Mother Ganga and a plea to give her and her family a great life.

Editor’s Note: This article is also posted in my FB wall last May 25.