Varanasi India

After a wonderful week in Kathmandu we took a one hour Indian Airlines flight to Varanasi, India. After an Indian Airlines flight from Kathmandu was hijacked a few years ago they just love to paw through your luggage a dozen times, even out on the tarmac. We checked into our lovely Palace on the Ganges hotel, right on Assi Ghat, and went up to the roof for a candlelight dinner to launch our Indian end of the trip. The next morning it was down a few steps to the Ghat to engage a boatman at 5am for a ride up and back on the Ganges at sunrise.


A salesman selling his wares.
Many of the huge building were built by the maharajas during the Raj era.

One of the larger ghats where many people rent boats.

Another seller.

One of the main cremation ghats.
A wisp of smoke from a recent cremation.

The yellow bits of fabric are from recent cremations. Yellow is the traditional color for burials.

Temples along the river.
A swimmer. There are numerous sewers emptying into the river.

A muslim mosque marks the farthest point of our journey. We spent four hours on the river.
A man pours water back into the river from a golden bowl.
Washer wallahs.
More clothes washing.
A musical group.

More washing and drying.

A fishing boat.

More swimming and rituals with golden bowls.

Back at the burning ghat. A body is being carried down the stairs.

More musicians.

More washing wallahs.

Fishing.

Fishing boat.

Goats on the stairs.


The last stop. Assi Ghat, the final one of the river, and just down from our lovely hotel.