As the boy and Pandit Ramcharan walked through the narrow lanes of Banaras, the air began to change. There was a strange smell—a mix of smoke, sandalwood, and the Ganga river's moisture.
Pandit Ramcharan looked calm, but serious.
> "Today," he said softly, "we are going to the place where time stops, and death becomes freedom."
The place was Manikarnika Ghat, where funeral fires burn day and night, without stopping.
The Eternal Flame
As they reached the ghat, the boy slowed down.
Several pyres were burning. Smoke rose into the sky. Some families stood silently. No one cried loudly—only soft prayers could be heard.
> "This fire," said Pandit Ramcharan, "has been burning for hundreds of years. It never stops. That's why we call it Akhanda Agni—the Eternal Fire."
The boy looked at the burning wood, the ashes, and the quiet faces of those saying goodbye to their loved ones. His notebook was still in his hand, but for the first time, he didn't feel like writing.
The Story Behind the Name
Pandit Ramcharan sat near the old steps of the ghat and pointed toward a small pond.
> "Do you know why this place is called Manikarnika?" he asked.
The boy shook his head.
> "Long ago, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati came to this city. While they were here, Parvati's earring—called a mani—fell. Shiva dug a pond here to find it. That pond is called Manikarnika Kund."
> "Because of this, Lord Shiva gave a blessing: whoever is cremated here will be free from the cycle of life and death."
> "People believe Lord Shiva himself whispers the Tarak Mantra into the ears of the dead at this ghat, helping their soul reach moksha—freedom."
Death Is Not the End
Nearby, a member of the Dom community, who helps with cremations, smiled at the boy and said:
> "Don't be scared, babu. Here, we don't cry. People come here not for sadness, but for peace. This is not just death—it's liberation."
The boy stood quietly. There was no fear in his eyes now—just respect.
Pandit Ramcharan asked gently—
> "Will you write something today?"
The boy whispered—
> "No, Pandit ji. Today, I think silence says more than words."
The Fire That Never Dies
As the sun began to set, the flames of the pyres reflected on the surface of the Ganga. It looked like even the river was carrying fire.
Pandit Ramcharan looked at the boy one last time and said—
> "This is Manikarnika—the fire that never dies.
Here, every ending is a new beginning."
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