Why Is ‘94’ Written On The Ashes At Kashi’s Sacred Manikarnika Ghat? Here's The Lesser-Known Reason Behind It
Varanasi, more popularly called Kashi is a city where life and death seem to coexist along the ghats of the holy Ganga. While the city is home to dozens of ghats, Manikarnika is among its most sombre and pious ghats. It is on this ghat that funeral pyres are burnt every day. In fact, if legends are to be believed, it is said that this ghat has been active for thousands of years, with hundreds of cremations taking place here every single day. While Hindu funeral rituals are clear, there is one ritual that has stuck out, especially on social media, where it is going viral. The number ‘94’ is written on the ashes of those who have been cremated at the Manikarnika Ghat. Locals in Kashi say it’s a tradition known only to those who live near the ghats; outsiders performing the final rites often don’t even notice it. At this sacred cremation ground, once the fire cools and the ashes are ready to be immersed in the Ganga, the number 94 is written on the 'raakh'. According to Hindu philosophy, humans have 100 karmas (deeds) that control how their life and afterlife is. Of these, 94 lie within human control, while six, which include life, death, fame, disgrace, gain, and loss, belong to Brahma, the divine creator. The writing of ‘94’ symbolises the burning away of all humanly controlled deeds, those that define one’s moral, social, and spiritual existence. What remains, the six karmas, are beyond anyone’s reach. In a post on Quora, one user called Vipin Tripathimani, explained why this number is written on the pyre, “The Gita also states that after death, the mind takes with it five senses. This number is 6: the mind and the five senses. No one except nature knows where, in which country, and among which people one will be born next. Therefore, the 94 karmas burned away are going with the 6...The next 6 karmas will now create a new life for you." Some believe the number 94 itself is a mukti mantra, a prayer for liberation (moksha). After writing it, the priest breaks a water-filled pot over the pyre in a farewell ritual that symbolizes the severing of your ties with this world. For Kashi’s residents, “94” is a final message. Quite like a silent message that says 'You did what you could in this life. The rest is in the hands of the divine.