Wanderings in India - 8 - Varanasi

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Accommodation - Radisson Hotel

Weather - Hot & sunny 28C

What an experience Varanasi was!! We thought we had already seen much that India had to throw at us - but no not at all. Varanasi is India on steroids - chaotic, manic, frenetic, noisy - everything we had experienced but greatly magnified - but that is what Varanasi is all about!

The sunrise boat trip on the Ganges was sensational - just as we had imagined - viewing the bathing ghats, pilgrims from all over India and the world ritually cleansing themselves in the holy Ganges river. Colourful temples, bright lights and spiritual chantings reflecting across the Ganges with the sunrise casting a peaceful orange light across the water.

Would you want your clothes washed at the 'dhobi ghats'? - I think not - knowing what is floating in the river!

In the evening we joined the masses swarming along the narrow alleys down towards the River Ganges to witness the Ganga Aarti Ceremony on the Dasaswamedh Ghats. This ceremony, performed every night is part of the evening prayers. What a colourful, noisy spiritual experience with ringing bells, chantings, clouds of incense and numerous small deeyas (floating oil lamps) offered by devotees to Mother Ganga floating down the river.

That was that - our wonderful, exciting, interesting tour of Rajasthan and Varanasi is over - we fly back to the cold of Britain tomorrow. We have loved India and will hopefully be back sometime in the future.

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