INDIA, VARANASI: CHRISTMAS EVE MASS AT ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL

 December 24, 2025

I wasn't too thrilled about spending Christmas in a non-Christian country, but in the end I think it was a good experience. We enjoyed our Sunday service in an LDS Ward, and we had the opportunity to go to a Christmas Eve Mass in Varanasi in St. Mary's Cathedral, a Gothic Revival-style church that is the episcopal seat for Varanasi. Since Catholics make up only 0.1% of the population of the Agra Ecclesiastical Province that includes Varanasi, it is impressive that they have this building and could pull off this level of celebration.

St. Mary's was established in 1854 during the British colonial era and attained cathedral status in 1970. The current church was finished and dedicated in 1993.

The cathedral was less than a mile from our hotel, so we decided to walk there rather than worry about catching a cab, rickshaw, or Uber. Once we got in the general vicinity, the church was hard to miss because of the lit-up Christmas decorations.

The highlight of the outdoor decorations was a nativity scene that ran almost the entire length of the yard from the entry gate to the church building. The stable and Holy Family were in the center, with the shepherds arriving on the left end . . . 

. . . and the wisemen arriving with their camels on the right end.

INDIA, VARANASI: WALKING TOUR

 December 24, 2025

We arrived in Varanasi on a flight from Delhi at about noon. Compared to Delhi, Varanasi has a small airport, but it was still very interesting. I have no idea what this tree sculpture is all about, but I love the symbolism of trees, so I had to stop and look.

This next display is one I could decipher. The G20 Summit, an annual meeting of leaders from the world's largest economies, was held in Delhi in 2023. A branch of the G20, the G20 Culture Ministers' Meeting, was held in Varanasi.

So why were we in Varanasi, a city I hadn't heard of before Bob told me he wanted to go there?

Varanasi is a huge city on the Ganges River that is the main pilgrimage site for Hindus, much like Mecca is for Muslims. It is one of the world's oldest continually inhabited cities, and according to Hindu mythology, it was founded by Shiva, one of the three principal Hindu deities along with Vishnu and Brahma. One story is that Shiva brought the Ganges from heaven to earth in his hair. Another is that Vishnu pierced a hole in the universe from which the Ganges flowed to earth. Either way, this is a sacred spot for Hindus.

The modern city is about 32 square miles and houses 1.2 million actual residents, but in 2024, 11 million tourists came to the city, making it possibly the most crowded city in the world. Many of the tourists are not coming for sightseeing, but rather to die here and/or spread their loved one's ashes in the Ganges. Dying in this holy city is said to result in moksha, or release from the endless cycle of dying and rebirth. It is thought that about 32,000 corpses are cremated each year on the banks of the Ganges, after which their ashes are spread on the river. Other Hindus come here to bathe in or even drink from the river, which is said to have healing properties. 

But I am getting way ahead of myself. Our first stop was at our hotel, the Taj Ganges Varanasi. That's a pretty presumptuous name for a very normal-looking hotel.

Photo from Booking.com

INDIA, DELHI: GURDWARA BANGLA SAHIB SIKH TEMPLE, THE GANDHI MEMORIAL AT RAJ GHAT, AND BACK TO THE INDIRA GANDHI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

 December 23, 2025

We had spent the morning with a new guide on our Food and Faith Tour, and he was okay, but he spoke way too fast and his accent was hard for us to understand. We were very happy to get our first guide, Sajeet, back. He was amazing, in both presentation style and content.

Our first stop was the Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, one of the the largest Sikh temples in Delhi and associated with the eighth (of ten) Sikh Gurus, Guru Har Krishan (not related to Hare Krishnas). This Guru is known for healing many people suffering from cholera (or smallpox, depending on whom you ask) when he stayed in this spot in 1664, a disease that he himself contracted and died from that year.  "Bangla" is derived from the word "bungalow" and refers to the original structure that stood on this site that was owned by a Raja, or prince. Guru Har Krishan stayed at the bungalow during his visit, and sometime thereafter it was converted into a place of worship to honor him. 

As in the Sikh temple we visited earlier in the day, there was a helpful sign listing the basic tenets of Sikhism, along with several other posters that gave additional information.

I think the information on the turban below is especially interesting. I am familiar with groups that require women to cover their hair, and it is nice to see one that requires men to cover their hair!

This particular Gurdwara ("place of worship") is particularly focused on service. For example, they have a medical diagnostic center where patients can get an MRI scan for about 50 rupees, or less than a US dollar. 

However, the most impressive part of the Gurdwara is the Langar, a free community kitchen that provides meals for anyone who needs to eat. By the way, the practice of "Langar" was initiated by Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. He lived from 1469 to 1539 in present-day Pakistan.

INDIA, OLD DELHI: FAITH TOUR

 December 23, 2025 

We had scheduled a tour called "Food and Faith." We had done the food part (see previous post), and so now it was time for the faith part.

We began with this typical street scene:

Except it wasn't typical, at least not in India:

Established in 1814, the Central Baptist Church is one of the oldest Christian churches in Delhi. It is located on a VERY busy road in the Chandni Chowk market area where we had just eaten a lot of delicious food.

It is a pretty building with a colonnaded porch with arched openings.

INDIA, OLD DELHI: CHANDNI CHOWK MARKET

 December 23, 2025

Remember how I said you shouldn't drive as a tourist in India? You shouldn't cross the street by yourself either. There are no crosswalks or traffic lights and crossing takes a special kind of skill. This is one of the many harrowing experiences we had crossing with a guide, who in this video is holding on to Stan.

The way a lot of locals get around is in this little three wheelers that we came to know as tuk-tuks in Thailand. In India they call them rickshaws, and they function like taxis. These are one-seater taxis for one to three passengers.

Two-seaters can take four to six passengers, depending on how squished you want to be.

I can't remember if our guide rode with us. Maybe he was up in front.

INDIA, "OLD" DELHI: JAMA MASJID (MOSQUE)

 December 23, 2024

Just a note about the weather in Delhi. The temperatures were generally quite pleasant, with highs in the 60s and low 70s, but the air quality was horrific. These are screen shots from my phone from the evening of December 22 and the morning of December 23 showing an AQI of 428 and 420, respectively.

For context, the airnow.gov website has this enlightening chart: 

YIKES.  If you wondered why my photos all look a bit fuzzy, it's not my phone camera; it's the air. Delhi often has the worst air pollution of anywhere in the world.

We got picked up at our hotel after an early breakfast (which was fantastic, of course) for the day's adventures. On our way to our first destination, we passed the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of the Republic of India, who right now happens to be a woman. It's the building on the left below. Constructed from 1912-1929 during the period of British rule, it has 200,000 square feet and 340 rooms. The building on the right in the photo below looks like a stadium of some kind, but it was British Parliament House between 1927-1947, after which it housed the Indian Parliament until 2023. It is where the Constitution of India was created. It was recently replaced by a newer building.

Our first destination on this smoggy and also drizzly morning was in Old Delhi--the Jama Masjid ("Congregational Mosque"), one of the largest Sunni mosques in India and still actively used today.

After climbing a lot of stairs, we emtered through one of three gates. 

INDIA, DELHI: QUTB MINAR COMPLEX AND FUN TIMES IN THE IMPERIAL HOTEL

 December 22, 2025

I admit that I am obsessed with the traffic in India. Here's yet another post beginning with traffic footage. This one shows us trying to cross the street on foot. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS ON YOUR OWN. You should be with a guide who can, well, guide you across.

 

Pay attention to the signage, which is often good for a laugh or at least a smile.

And watch out for the traffic cops. Some don't look so friendly. And the trees have eyes (eyeglasses?)!

Our next stop was the Qutb Minar Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I'm not sure how to pronounce it, but it sounds like a disease.