This Thursday, the first episode of the second season of Partners around the worldwhere Pancho Saavedra and Jorge Zabaleta showed their experience knowing the culture of India.
With a share of humor and culture, the duo shared their adventures in Bombay and Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India and where they got to know the most important river in this country, the Ganges.
Because Zabaleta already knew the Asian country, since he traveled 21 years ago with his sister, the actor was not as affected by cultural differences, compared to his partner, who was visibly moved on his tour of the Ganges.
While Pancho Saavedra was surprised by the lifestyle in India, Jorge explained to him that the people of the country have a culture that is very different from that of the West.
Within the experiences that they lived in the country, the duo met a curious monk who even smoked marijuana in front of them. However, the moment in which the entertainers were most impressed was when they visited the crematoriums that are located on the banks of the Ganges River.
There they were able to demonstrate a “very strong cultural shock, because it is a very harsh city for Western society.”
This river has a sacred connotation, and at the same time it is the most polluted in the world. The place is the favorite place to die according to Hindu culture, since men go to cremate their loved ones.
Women are excluded from these ceremonies because they are considered very sensitive. Pancho Saavedra was impressed with the meaning given to death in that part of the world, since it is synonymous with celebration, dance, music and dance; contrary to what it is for the West: loss, sadness and deep pain.