Varanasi, India on the Ganges

Typical traffic in the ancient narrow streets of Varanasi

Visiting Varanasi has been on my to-do list for many years. In northeastern India on the Ganges river in the state of UP, Varanasi is considered a holy city. Many Indians make a pilgrimage here or would wish to. Holy men can be found in Varanasi, some resident and many visiting as part of their own spiritual pilgrimage.
Varanasi has become increasing popular with tourists. We were fortunate to visit at a quiet time. Like everywhere, tourism is having its impact on this delicate cultural environment.
It was a powerful and at first almost scary experience to observe some of these holy practices.

Cars are few in the narrow streets of this city.
Mostly bicycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws,
motorbikes and cows

There are many steps to reach the ghats

Our Hotel on the Ganges, Varanasi

Our boatman on the Ganges at 6:30am

Amazing sunrise on the Ganges

Morning bathing at one of the Ghats on the Ganges

View from our hotel rooftop

An old Palace on the Ganges now serves as a hostel for holy men

Fishermen 

Many tourist boats at the main ghat

The burning ghat. Notice all the stacks of wood.

The burning ghat is one of the ghats where the
bodies of the dead are purified on pyres of fire.
These fires go almost 24 hours a day. There are
usually 4 or 5 bodies in individual pyres at anytime.
The ashes are then swept into the Ganges. Holy men
infants, pregnant women and lepers are not burned
as they are regarded as already pure. Instead their bodies are weighted with stone and they are dropped into the river from boats.

Everyday the cows climb down all these steps to reach the river.
At the end of the day they climb back up and  travel the narrow streets
of the city back to where they are fed, milked and cared for.