THE HOLY CITY वाराणसी

 HAVING MY LUGGAGE CARRIED ON SOMEONE'S HEAD IS WELL WORTH THE 50 RUPEES!

THE BEST APPLE PIE IN INDIA. 

MY LOVELY FRENCH GUIDE CHARLES, HE SPENT SIX MONTHS WORKING IN AN NGO ORPHANAGE FOR CHILDREN BORN INTO PROSITUTION, A LOCAL IN THIS CITY.

THIS MONKEY IS FIERCE!

FIRST EVER BOAT RIDE ON THE GANGES!!

OUR OFFERINGS READY TO IGNITE AND SET FREE INTO THE HOLY LAKE..

BEAUTIFUL, PEACEFUL, MEDITATIVE BOAT RIDE ON THE GANGES.

PURE SERENITY.

 THE SACRED CREMATION SPOT. BODIES ARE BURNING 24/7 IN THIS MAIN BURNING GHAT. PILGRIMS COME FROM ALL OVER INDIA TO BE CREMATED HERE. LARGE PILES OF WOOD ARE STACKED WITH EACH FAMILY BUYING WOOD FOR THE CEREMONY WHICH ONLY THE HIGHER CASTE CAN AFFORD. BODIES WITH ANY DISEASE ARE THROWN INTO THE LAKE INSTEAD OF BURNT, SO THE CHANCES OF SEEING A CORPSE OF HUMAN OR ANIMAL ARE NOT UNCOMMON.

 PEACE OFFERING. OM SHANTI.

EACH EVENING A CROWD GATHERS AT THE DASASWAMEDH GHAT NEAR THE CENTRE OF THE HOLY CITY OF VARANASI TO WITNESS AND TAKE PART IN THE EVENING PUJA CEREMONY IN WHICH OFFERINGS ARE PRESENTED TO DEITIES ON THE GHATS ALONG THE GANGES RIVER. THIS PLACE HAS SO MUCH LIFE AND SOUL JUST BEING IN THIS CITY INDUCES A SENSE OF MEDITATION AND INNER PEACE. TAKING A BOAT ACROSS THE GANGES IS ALMOST A DAILY RITUAL, TO TRAVEL ACROSS GHATS. SUCH A PEACEFUL EXISTENCE.