Varanasi: Where Every Offering Finds Its Way

Varanasi is governed by time itself, making it an ancient, layered and eternal living city. The presence of Shiva and Shakti is tangible and intangible at the same time. Known as Kashi, Varanasi, is considered the holiest place to die; is equally the holiest place to remember.

When families come here to perform Shraadh and Pind Daan, they are not just offering prayers. They are participating in something much older than memory. They are adding their love and grief to the countless offerings already carried by the Ganga.

Kashi as described in the scriptures:

The Garuda Purana says that death in Varanasi leads to immediate liberation. But even if the soul did not leave its body here, a Pind Daan performed in Kashi grants deep peace and detachment from the cycle of rebirth. The Kashi Khanda of the Skanda Purana mentions that Lord Shiva himself whispers the Taraka Mantra into the ears of those who die or are remembered here, granting them freedom.

In our great epics, too, the significance of Kashi is echoed, where the presence of the Ganga purifies and uplifts not just the body, but the soul. The Sthala Purana describes Kashi as the city where Vishwanath (Lord Shiva) remains always awake, guiding every soul toward moksha.

It is interesting to note that since Kashi is the place to attain moksha, Ganga is not considered pure to be collected since it washes off the sins and carries it to the sea.

What to Do: Performing Pind Daan in Varanasi

The rituals begin along the banks of the Ganga, most often at Manikarnika Ghat or Panchganga Ghat. A priest of an ancestral lineage will guide you through the process. The prepared pindas, comprising rice, black sesame seeds, ghee, and water, are offered to the departed souls, along with mantras and remembrance. You may be asked to sit in silence for a while and recall the name of the person you are offering. And when you finally release the pinda into the Ganga, you will feel something within you shift, too.

What’s special in Kashi is the presence of the Pancha Theertha, five main ghats where various rites for the soul’s peace are conducted. Performing the ritual on any of the ghats brings deeper comfort and spiritual liberation.

The Divine Anchor: Kashi Vishwanath

The soul of Varanasi is Lord Shiva, in the form of Kashi Vishwanath. The temple, which sits in the heart of the old city, is considered one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and the protector of all who pass through life and death here.

Visiting the Kashi Vishwanath temple after performing the Pind Daan is a way of completing the prayer. It is said that Shiva does not forget a name spoken here. He holds each soul in his awareness, gently guiding it home.

There is a sacred belief that a pilgrimage to Kashi is only considered complete after offering prayers at Rameshwaram. It is said that after attaining liberation in Kashi through Lord Shiva’s grace, one must seek the blessings of Lord Vishnu in Rameshwaram to balance the journey of the soul. The journey begins at Rameshwaram with a sankalpa in the mind, carrying the sands of the sea at Agnitheertham, travelling to Kashi to make Shiva lingas and offering them to the river Ganga, collecting the water from Ganga and offering them as abhishekam to the Lingam at Rameshwaram. This concludes the holy theertha yatra.

Further Pilgrimage Paths

After completing the rituals, many pilgrims choose to visit Sarnath, the site where Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon. Others head to Annapurna Devi Temple, where the goddess of nourishment blesses all offerings.

Another sacred stop is Adi Keshava Ghat, where Vishnu is worshipped. It is believed that offerings made here bring balance, a union of preservation and closure.

After Varanasi, pilgrims often travel to Prayagraj, where the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and the mystical Saraswati meet. It is considered auspicious to bathe there, symbolising the washing away of residual grief and karma.

Varanasi does not hide grief; rather, it allows it. One can cry here, sit in silence, and walk along the ghats carrying the memory in the chest like a soft lamp. Every offering made here, no matter how simple, finds its way.