When Hiroko met Jaggu

The river, it seems, had done more than its bit for couples here. It was the boat trips that brought 25-year-old Tibaki Hiroko, from China, to Jaggu Sanhani (28). Hiroko enrolled at the Banaras Hindu University two years ago because she wanted to learn Hindi but Sanhani remembers she spent most of her time at the ghats. “She likes boating and used to come to the ghat very frequently and after having a cup of tea at my stall, used to keep boating in the Ganga for hours. I used to be her khewaiyya (boatman) and slowly we developed a liking for each other,” says Sanhani. “We decided to get married and although I faced some resistance from the people of my community, we went to China in July last year and got married. We also registered our marriage in the court in Varanasi when we came back.”

Now, Hiroko is back at her parents’ for their first baby. “I will be going to bring her back once I receive the good news and will definitely call you to inform you once my baby is born,” he says.

And the stories continue. Twenty-six-year-old Shimito (name changed), from Japan, has already found her life partner. She likes running up and down the huge stairs to the river, she says, and of course, sitting on the banks with her lover. They will not speak further, though, for fear of what the future holds. “I have been to almost all parts of India and finally decided to settle down here. I found Amit (name changed), we share a good rapport. It’s for me that Amit is learning Japanese. I am also learning Hindi very fast. “Hum donon shaadi kar ke saath rahenge,” Shimito falters, doubling up in laughter.

This bride was brought from Japan

Some find their destiny here, some bring it with them. Shanti Ranjan Gangopadhyay (now 77) had to go all the way to Japan to find his bride, Kumiko. Once a close associate of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan, Gangopadhyay is poet, writer, sculptor, philosopher and painter rolled into one.

Gangopadhyay’s love for art and poetry took him to Japan in 1973 where he met Kumiko at her father’s restaurant. “I was also an avid art lover and after meeting for the first time in my hotel, we started meeting regularly. I also went to see Shanti’s art exhibition and liked his paintings very much,” Kumiko recalls.

“Gradually, we fell in love and despite my father’s objection, my mother and brothers helped us and we got married in court in Japan. After two years of marriage, I moved to Varanasi with my husband and now it is impossible for me to live away from this holy city.”

The couple now own “Pension” at Pandey Ghat, a house-cum-guest house which they let out to foreigners.Says daughter Bibha, who works for a multi-national company in Delhi, “I enjoyed living here and for me, this city is my own. I am in Delhi but I wait for even a little holiday to rush back to my parents and city.”