All posts filed under: Culture Addict

There is a MASSIVE Swastika Painted on the Banks of the Ganges River in India

Walking the banks of Varanasi’s Ganga is an exercise in sensory overload. Between open-air cremations, bathing men, errant cows and women doing laundry, you can understand how I almost missed a giant swastika painted on the sloped riverbank. If it weren’t for Greg, I may have sailed right by it, blissfully unaware. “Wow, stop, check this out. There is a massive swastika painted on that ghat.” Taking a few steps back and craning my neck, yep there it was: a fifty-foot plus swastika sitting at the foot of Jain Ghat. It’s so big that you can actually see it on Google Earth: So, what’s with Varanasi’s giant swastika, you ask? In Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religions, the swastika is a symbol of good fortune. The word swastika has Sanskrit origins, meaning ‘luck’ and ‘well being’.  And while you’ll garner some cold side-eye for drawing them in the West, swastikas are fairly commonplace in India. They adorn homes and vehicles, feature in the names of stores, and appear in ritual and traditions. You can read more about …