MANIKARNIKA GHAT, VARANASI: Destruction (Pralaya)

SITE INTRODUCTION Map - Manikarnika Ghat at the edge of the Ganga Manikarnika Ghat, popularly thrown as burning tem of energy flows in culture and ecology. ghat, is the great cremation ground in Varanasi The disturbances caused by social practices where all who die are promised moksha (sal- have caused water and air pollution. The ghat vation). It is the oldest ghat on the Ganga built as a site of purification of ritual contamination in the beginning of the thirteenth century and of death is itself polluted from the waste gen- where the cremation fire has never died out. erated by cremation practices. Although Man- Shiva, the conqueror of death, is eternally pres- ikarnika Ghat is sacred, it is unhygienic thus ent here as is Vishnu, the creator and sustainer creating a paradox in the meaning of the sacred. of life. Thus, death and life follow each other Our project addresses this paradox and aims as symbolized by cosmic creation (shrasti) and to reduce the dissonance between ritual and MANIKARNIKA GHAT, VARANASI: destruction (pralaya). Built to adapt changing physical purity. The abundant waste is used water levels in the Ganga as she rises and falls, as a resource for producing clean energy for A LANDSCAPE OF DEATH the ghat has been continuously remolded by sa- cremations. Atmospheric and ground pollution cred rituals and mundane, everyday practices. are addressed in specific design interventions. Yini Chen, Amita Sinha The landscape of Manikarnika Ghat is a sys- 1 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT SITE CONTEXT Current Cremation Practice Existing Cremation Practice Ganga River water death carrying the dead body to Manikarnika Ghat life waiting in historic buildings and decorating the body cremation final ritual bathing N Manikarnika Ghat cremation fire 䌀cremation爀攀洀愀琀椀漀渀瀀爀愀practice挀琀椀挀攀爀漀甀琀route攀 dipping the body with sacred Ganga River, ready to be burnt great sadness deep serene Fire and water are sources of rich iconography which fire is the chief agent. Flowing rivers are Manikarnika Ghat is the landscape of death rep- ashes are gathered from the funeral pyre and in Hindu mythology, associated with life giving very significant in the Hindu schema of purity resenting a silent dialogue between the depart- immersed into the Ganga. In the ritual process powers as well as destruction in cosmic con- and pollution, especially the River Ganga who ed and the alive. The dead are carried on the of cremation, the body returns to the five panch- flagration at the end of time. Fire signifies the nourishes millions and is so pure that everything shoulders of mourners through a narrow alley to bhutas, essential elements--fire, water, earth, germination of life and burns away the impuri- and everyone who comes into contact with her the ghat. The body is anointed and dipped in the wind, and sky--of which the material world is ties. At Manikarnika Ghat shared by Vishnu and waters is sanctified and cleansed. The belief in Ganga for the last cleaning in the holy waters. constituted. Manikarnika Ghats symbolizes and Shiva, the individual cremation is a sacrificial the Ganga as the remover of the greatest of all The cremation ritual commences—the body performs as the heart of the riverfront. fire, leading to rebirth, and mimetic of cosmog- pollutants--death—has led to her banks being is lit with fire after the ritual circumambulation. ony occurring through sacrifice. Manikarnika cremation sites. The boundaries between puri- Midway through the burning, the skull is broken Ghat is outside of time, signifying the perpet- ty and pollution, sacred and profane, waste and with a wooden pole in the ritual, kapalkriya for ual cycle of destruction followed by creation, in utility, are blurred at Manikarnika Ghat. the soul to escape. As the fires die down, the 2 SITE CONDITIONS Skyline As the center of the three-mile-long sweep of the ghat stretch, Manikarnika Ghat is instantly recognizable by its smoking fires, soot-covered buildings, and stacks of wood piled on boats and landings. The design language of the ghat consists of prototypical forms—bas- tions, balconies, aedicules, portals, pavilions and platforms—in different sizes and mate- rials, and in many combinations. The prototypical architectural elements are repeated erratically, setting up a syncopated rhythm and unifying the complex visual structure. A photo by Bourne, c.1880’s Source: ebay, Mar. Changing Water Levels Dry season/Normal 184.4ft Danger 222.4ft 100-year flood(2013 monsoon) 240.2ft Stairs set up an interesting rhythm especially when they cascade down the streets and from buildings located at higher levels. In the dry season, cremation occurs on the silt bed while during monsoons the ghat is covered with water, and cremation site is shifted to higher ground. In the 100-year flood, the Ganga rises over the temples and shrines at lower level. 3 SITE CONDITIONS SITE DESIGN Water Pollution Clean Energy, Clean Water underground drainage surface drainage surface water/drain pipes ditch silt organic waste Manikarnika Ghat Cremation Center Ganga River Existing Organic Waste New Energy & water system The cremation of 32,000 corpses on the ghats The organic waste produced at Manikarnika Ghat leaves every year results in immersion of ashes on a is proposed to be treated to produce biogas, a large scale in the Ganga. Thus, the shoreline is Indian Banyan Ficus benghalensis Tree of Shiva clean energy source for supporting cremation. dotted with ash mounds. Cows and other ani- Peepal Tree Ficus Religiosa Tree of Budda The burning stoves fueled by biogas will be in- cow dung mals wander everywhere and the ghat is littered Neem Azadirachta indica Ayurveda, Gudi Padva stalled under the cremation platforms. Only few with their dung. Liquid waste from the streets squash varieties logs will be needed for burning as a symbolic Indian Lotus Nelumbo nucifera Sacred to Hindus and Buddhists bamboo flows in the river since the underground drain- gesture. Filtration beds on the shoreline will age system is inadequate. The organic materi- overflow/organic waste directed into digestion tanks treat sullage carried by surface drains. They can al, including cremation ashes and household biogas supply for religious rituals be planted with grasses, pumpkins, and squash. flowers waste from the old city contributes substantially primary filtration treatment Trees, especially neem, will purify the air and to the Ganga’s pollution as evidenced in 500% secondary filtration treatment provide the much-needed shade from the hot increase in BOD (biological oxygen demand) in clean inlet/discharge sun. wood chips the river after leaving Varanasi. 4 SITE CONDITIONS SITE DESIGN nonflammable translucent exhaust filtration screen Air Pollution Clean Air dust intake filtration screen low air pressure “dust room” wind “hose pipe” exhaust fan clean air to Ganga minimal symbolic wood wire-meshed top biogas stove site prevailing winds blow east-west ash tray for family collection biogas fermenter gas motor+ (biogas production) electricity generator Filtration Screen Leftover Ash Collector nonflammable translucent material brick receptacle base cow dung crops wastewater food waste The dominant wind direction on the ghats is Cleaning Service from west to east, which scatters the ashes, operable door on the screen Family Ash Collector Cremation Platform View built-in drawer inside the biogas, plus only a ilttle bit Ganga River dust, and smoke produced by cremation, nega- cremation platform of firewood Ghats for Sitting tively impacting the air quality. The surrounding stone tread sourced locally buildings are covered by soot and their original facades are no longer visible. The ambient air temperature in the vicinity of cremation sites reaches as high as 60 degrees Celsius under the scorching June sun. Lotus is a powerful symbol in Indic iconography. Filtration screens in the shape of lotuses are proposed to provide privacy for the cremation ritual. Suspended particulate matter will be deposited in screens and cleaned periodically. The visual connection with the river will not be lost since they are made of non-flammable translucent material. 5 SITE DESIGN Reclaimed Manikarnika Ghat - Plan reception room existing temple cremation processional gate existing hospice log weighing and retailing log storage chambers hospice plaza existing guest house vernacular sitting chowkis existing Vishnu’s Footprint Temple Vishnu’s footprints LED ground light existing Manikarnika Kund artifacts workshop+vending units shading canvas zone tea stalls and resaurants elevated viewing platform riparian buffer zone vitalize Processional sacred religious ritual routes nurture Places mundane spatial practices barber’s plaza floating deck/log arriving cremation dipping tank existing landings, platforms ramp for log carts ash/smoke filtration screen pilgrim bathing tank individual cremation platform squash community garden supplied by biogas Ganga River The proposed design interventions organize movement for loading and unloading logs organizes log delivery es. These interventions reclaim Manikarnika Ghat as a patterns, reduce congestion, and create more public on boats. Several plazas with traditional seats and can- resilient cultural landscape where the last journey of the spaces for the bereaved and other visitors. The de- vas shading or trees are proposed for mourners. Tea dead is given dignity on a processional route, mourners ceased are cremated on individual burning platforms stalls, tuck shops, and wayside food stalls are organized are offered privacy, waste is converted into a resource, rather than in haphazard crowded locations. A new dock at different locations, adding vitality to the public spac- and air and water pollution are mitigated. 6.

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