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 Gurus and the ’Guru’ mantra of the Banarasis

By Meera Vohra

Banarasis addressing each other as ‘Guru’ may appear strange to outsiders but interacting with them from close quarters one feels that the title fits them like a glove in this case like a gamcha ( the universal accessory of Banaras (istaan).

This ‘guru’ nomenclature has not been given to them in charity or as some divine prasad, which they usually attribute their entire eyebrow raising quests but certainly not this quality of being called a ‘guru’. It is a hard earned title as you see varieties of them adding the right touch of Banarasipan to the city.




The street smart gurus

These gurus are found in rampant numbers especially on roads or lanes. The traffic moves at a snail’s pace but these gurus refuse to slow down. They will find a way through even the most smothering traffic bottlenecks and often be the reason behind such jams. Making use of the device called brake only happens when a collision is inevitable. Banging the vehicle from behind does not require any reaction from them .Some remorse is shown only when there is a head on collision that too is taken in a stride. The indicators on their vehicle are just an accessory as they prefer taking recourse to facial gestures to signal their next move on the road.



 

Gurus in disguise

Appearances can be deceptive and Banaras is the best place to vindicate it. A boatman can take you for a ride, literally, by his ordinary appearance unless he decides to sing along. His mellifluous voice and knowledge of the ragas, without any formal training, could have you gape- mouthed. There are examples of grumpy looking middle aged men with no iota of romance in their demeanour, belting out romantic numbers at a musical evening, which are a regular feature in the city. These hidden gurus certainly add an element of surprise.


 

Know it all gurus

They are most easily located. When you see a Banarasi give several eons ago information about the city as a first-hand account, with some ‘personal’ touch you have found the real ‘guru’. Inha par to baitha raha Brad Pitt , pointing to an elevated platform , humhe to auka kulhar wali chai pilai rahe,( I arranged for chai for him) could be some ‘precious’ information given by a boatman to an outsider striking a conversation with him on the growing footfall of celebrities coming to the city. If the conversation turns by any chance spiritual then there is no stopping him. Using all his conviction he will make you see (even if metaphorically) the trident on which Banaras is situated. So never underestimate the power of conviction of a Banarasi

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 13, 2024 at 5:09 AM

    Had seen Gurus of Allahabad (Now Prayagraj). Came to know about Gurus of Varanasi, thanks to this article. May God bless the gurus who are a different breed of this holy city. Good write-up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nirmal JoshiApril 2, 2024 at 9:30 PM

    Written in a lighted and casual style, the article brings out the mood of Banarasis as they are, no matter whether someone is an intellectual or a layman... Interesting read.😊

    ReplyDelete

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