Still Waters Run Deep

In of one of the final scenes of Return of the Jedi , Luke Skywalker burns the body of Anakin Skywalker, his father. This always seemed strange to me: most Jedis fade away when they die or fade away, but there is clearly something symbolic for in the burning, particularly since the helmet of Darth Vader is shown amidst the flames.

After two days in the Holy city of Varanasi, I have begun to understand the significance of the burning scene. The draw in Varanasi is the mighty Ganges river, which flows still and deep by a packed and dirty city in Uttar Pradesh state, in the northeastern central of India. Hindus come to Varanasi from all over India (from all over the world?) to observe a ritual of death. The body of a dead family member (father or mother, I think) is washed in the river and then placed on wood to burn, surrounded by the family.

Varanasi is a serious and tense place, not unlike the old city in Jerusalem. It's hard to tell if the Hindus and Muslims get along here and one senses that place and space are contested. Cows, goats, and dogs roam freely, even next to the burning bodies.