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India Adventure continues Varanasi Ganges River

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Contributed by: Penny Sheltz on 5/1/2008

Varanasi is the oldest city of the world, more than 3000 years old and is famous as the city of temples.
We awoke early to go to the Ganges River. We walked past people making flowers and candles to float in the river. Arriving at the Ganges at day break we saw thousands of people already there. We walked down the river front steps called ghats to watch the people bathe in the river.
Then boarded a boat at sunrise to ride along the series of steps that extend for miles along the Ganges shore. The holy city has been a symbol of spiritualism, philosophy and mysticism for thousands of years and has produced great saints and personalities.

Hindus consider it auspicious to die in Varanasi, so some ghats are known as burning ghats, where bodies are cremated (in full view) before their ashes are placed in the Ganges.

While the use of ghats for cremation is well known, they are used to give last rites to those who do not need cleansing by fire to purify their soul. Some bodies are wrapped in cloth, and washed in the Ganges before they are burned. Sunrise was a magical time for a ride, when the ghats are filled with Hindus bathing and starting their day - one of the most famous sights in India. It was very interesting to watch the people bath near the cremations of bodies burning.

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