Raw Sewage just might bring you closer to your god(s)! Varanasi was a huge leap from Bodh Gaya with a population of well over a million people. Varanasi is located on the Ganges River and is spiritually centered around the nearly 4 mile stretch of ghats. A ghat, in appearance, is little more than a set of steps that leads to the river, however, spiritually, they are very important to the Hindu universe. An estimated 60,000 Hindis come to this stretch of ghats each day while 30 large sewers expel raw sewage into the river. Ironically, the Ganges River is considered one of the most sacred in India, however, is also the most polluted. Living on the Willamette River (at varying levels of nastiness) in Portland is nothing compared to living on the Ganges. I read
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