Take Me To The River...

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Varanasi was the next stop on the magical mystery/religious tour. Goodbye peaceful Buddha, hello colourful cacophany of Hindu deities and rituals. With the holy waters of the Ganges flowing past it, Varanasi's riverfront was an interesting venue for people watching, and all the spiritual activities that go with it. Pilgrims and locals come to the river to swim, worship, perform morning ablutions, do yoga, complete their laundry, play cricket, pray, do breathing exercises, fish, fly kites, cleanse and cremate their loved ones, to list a few of the activities that you can see in the course of a day. Varanasi was more than just a river. As one of the ancient cities of the world, the old city was a great place to wander the maze of narrow alleyways and temples, while avoiding the occasional bovine and its droppings.

Unfortunately the Ganges' water wasn't holy enough for the weakest among us, as a member of the party had to spend some quality time cleansing the many impurities out of their system. It wasn't very nicey.

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Photos

The Holy Water Needs a Little Help
Big Pharma has hit Varanasi.

Ganges Gang
Off to school, but sadly, the early morning begins with henna, necklace, flower and candle sales.

Holy Cow!
Water buffalo getting the royal bovine treatment and a little TLC.

Going for the Holy Fish
Despite the fecal count and oxygen deprivation, they were still pulling fish out of the water; we stuck to the veggies.

Morning River Traffic
Boatloads of pilgrims, gawkers and trinket sellers crowding the holy waters.

Riverside Laundry
Ganges water...gets those hard to clean stains out.

Varanasi Harmony
Balancing the needs of the tourists with the lives of the locals.

Ghat's It
One of the many ghats along the river.

Cremation Ghats
A quiet morning by the ghats. Note that canines and corporate advertising can't stay away from the sacred area.

Preparing for Cremations
The wood is carefully weighed according to what a family can afford. The location of the ghat on the river also affects the price of cremation.

Hooray for Bollywood
Filling in as extras for the Bollywood release of 'Ganges with the Wind'

Junk Food Urging
Looking for that special bag of masala flavoured chips in the streets of Old Varanasi.

Ou est Sylvie?
Getting ready for evening Puja show.

Ahhh...David
Yes, even the water had an effect on Sylvie.