Benares summary for Bsc sem 4

Benares is an anecdote and travelogue by Aldous Huxley. He talks his experience and impressions of city of Banaras when he had visited it.

Kindly play following video for summary in Gujarati:

It was time of eclipse. So, as per hindu faith so many people had gathered in the city. As per hindu mythology when a big serpent swallows the sun, eclipse happens. Huxley finds it laughable as he knows the scientific truth behind the phenomenon. He, being a reporter, is in a small boat with a cameraman to report on the happenings. 

He describes the ghats full of religious crowd which he estimate consists millions of people. He describes how people have come without any facility of staying or meals. People are coming in herds and staying at sides of road wherever they find some place. As eclipse was about to happen people were ready for holy bath and prayer which can save the sun. 

On some ghats a princess embarks for the bath. There is special provision for her as she is a princess from some state. Decorations have been made for her and she has an army of servants, ready for arrangements at her command. On other ghats some dead-bodies are being burnt and ashes are mixing with water of river. Some holy men are sitting on the ghats. 

As eclipse happened, people threw themselves into the water and started praying. There were so many people that police had to control them and drive them out so more people waiting for their turn can pray. Then Huxley and his companion comes to shore. They walks towards center of the town and notices line of beggars as long as the walk. He describes an incident where a bull eat from the bowl of a dozing beggar.

Huxley speculates that animals do not have intelligence like humans. So they act according to instinct. We, humans, on the other hand try to find reason and explanation in everything. Huxley here attacks on the religious superstition of the people.

At last he asks that how many people from there would gather for independence of India and finishes his essay with a wish that if could destroy the religious superstitions.