Varanasi: The Sacred Ganges

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Varanasi is said to be the oldest city in the world and is situated on the banks of the Ganges. It is India's holiest Hindu city with a spiritual and religious legacy that goes back nearly 3000 years. The 90 or so ghats (stepped terraces) define the life and identity of the city.

In the late afternoon our guide took us to the river where we boarded an old timber boat and were rowed along the banks to watch the evening activity. We saw the colourful evening prayer ceremonies being performed, though we felt that really we needed audio equipment to record the hypnotic mantra chanting and bell ringing to really capture the atmosphere. We passed a cremation ghat where pyres were burning brightly in the darkness of the night.

This morning we returned with our guide to The Ganges for a longer boat ride along the banks. The photographs say it all.

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Photos

The ghats
The ghats cover more than four mles of the west bank of The Ganges.

Old men bathing
Thousands come to Varanasi every day to bathe and pay homage to the Ganges.

All ages come to The Ganges.
Woman and child at the water. Our guide told us that often newborn babies are brought down to the river and immersed there.

Laundry
The men seemed to be doing the laundry by beating the items on large stones at the edge of the river. Everything was laid out immaculately in the sun to dry and looked remarkably clean.

A cremation ghat
Funeral pyres burn day and night at the two cremation ghats. Bodies wrapped in shrouds lie alongside piles of wooden logs brought in along the river.

The Leaning Tower of Varanasi at the Scindia ghat
This temple competes with the tower of Pisa! Having been affected by the monsoon rains, the temple started to collapse into the river.

Night scene on the ghats
The evening Aarti (ceremony) taking place on the ghats. Oil lamps are offered and bells rung while sacred mantras are chanted.

Comments

[Alex]

Hello
Hi John and Lynne Loved reading about The Sacred Ganges. I totally feel I'm there with you! What great pictures you have taken. Really capture's the place. It seems most mystic like. All is well with me, I have at last started driving! Ax

[Me mine My]

Hello, Mr. John Birch My name is Aof. I come from Thailand. I study in tourism major in Naresuan University,Thailand. And i have a report to interview a tourist. And I saw your blog. You are travel so much. Can I interview you, please I'm not good in English. If something wrong in my message, I have to say "sorry" Aof (Thailand) [e-mail]

[Tracy]

The chaos of the holy city
Fab pics in Varanasi !! I remember being there in that overwhelming heat,and whilst out with friends we persuaded a rickshaw driver (cycle) to let us transport him by his own cycle rickshaw!,extremely hard going but we all had a laugh.Just looks so amazing,hope you are both keeping well, Lots of love, Tracy and India xxxxxxx

[joseph]

nice places
oh it is a good stuff i am not seen the varanasi up to this extent. i think the varanasi is a nicest and holiest place in India.so many holiest temple in varanasi. i like this article, which is pretty good please give me a full details about this.

[joseph]

nice places
oh it is a good stuff i am not seen the varanasi up to this extent. i think the varanasi is a nicest and holiest place in India.so many holiest temple in varanasi. i like this article, which is pretty good please give me a full details about this.