During my 8 years of stay in Varanasi, I have been to its world famous, Vishwanath temple, infinite number of times. Every time a relative visited our house, my parents would take them along to the temple, and the sad part was, I had to go as well. As a kid, my heart would start cringing even at the thought of going there. I would always wonder why are people so much inclined on visiting that unclean and overcrowded temple when there are better places to go as well.
It is now that I have understood the actual importance of this cultural landmark which makes Varanasi so special. It’s this very Vishwanath temple which brought so much value and credibility to the city, and made it so popular all across the globe.
Isn’t it our job to preserve this priceless piece of heritage in the best possible way?
If the answer which pops up in your head is ‘yes’ then why isn’t it actually happening, why is there no maintenance at all?
Trash is thrown anywhere and everywhere on the narrow lanes which lead to the temple. There are open gutters and uncovered drains, making the place extremely unhygienic. I always had to watch my step so as to avoid putting my feet in cow dung, which is not a rare sight inside the temple premises. I understand that cow has been given the status of mata in Hindu religion but that does not mean we let them dump shit wherever they feel like.
I always used to see many policemen patrolling the temple inside out, but I would rarely see a sweeper emptying the dumpsters. It seemed as if the overflowing trash cans were unattended for years. The authorities are smart enough to realize that a place like this should have a high level of security. But are so stupid, to not understand why cleanliness is so important in such valuable places.
People outside India already have a set notion about our country that it’s untidy and clumsy, then why do we have the urge to prove them right, is beyond my understanding. Vishwanath temple is one of the prime tourist places in Varanasi, and if we keep that place in such a bad shape then it won’t be long before the number of tourists visiting the city start dropping sharply. There are multiple small scale industries perpetuating in that region which are heavily dependent on tourism. Just imagine what will happen to them if tourism starts taking a hit because of the low maintenance of this place.
Not just the authorities but the shopkeepers, the pandas, the vendors, everyone has to realize the importance of maintaining the place in a good condition. Close to the temple, in the street leading up to it, there are few small houses. As mostly it was early morning when I visited the temple, I had seen a couple of times, the residents emptying their dustbins on the road itself. The people living in those houses have to participate equally as well. They cannot just litter the place for the sake of their convenience.
On one hand Narendra Modi is dreaming of making Varanasi a smart city and on the other, people are not even able to preserve the oldest and most precious heritage of the city.
I loved walking in the narrow streets of the city, they had a different charm all together and I am sure they continue to possess that. We should not let anything ruin that charm. Just by avoiding a little carelessness, the authorities along with the people who live there can bring about a whole lot of difference. And the temple desperately needs some attention before it gets too late.
