Saturday, February 14, 2015

Sunrise on the Ganges

Saturday, 14 February 2015

We got up early this morning to view the morning activities on the Ganges.

We were on the river before sunrise.
Varanasi is built up to the Ganga (Ganges) continuously for several km.
Morning is the time for ritual bathing.
The river is also used for doing laundry -- the dhobi ghat.
At the top of the steps are temples, guesthouses, hotels, and mansions (havelis).
There are also cremation ghats -- no photos allowed. Varanasi is the holiest city for Hindus, and dying and being cremated here assures completion of earthly life. This photo shows stacks of firewood for funeral pyres.
Atop the ghats  is a maze of narrow streets or "galis" (pronounced "gullies"). It doesn't take much for a cow to block travel.

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