Ghats, Gouls on the Ganges
We eventually arrived safely in Varanasi and are staying at a delightful Heritage Boutique Hotel. The streets are narrow crowded and filthy with dog and cow muck everywhere so open toed shoes are not recommended.
Varanasi is a city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Regarded as the spiritual capital of India, the city draws Hindu pilgrims who bathe in the Ganges River’s sacred waters and perform funeral rites. Along the city's winding streets are some 2,000 temples.
We were woken up at 5.30 am by the Aarti chanting which takes place every morning.
An Aarti is a devotional ritual that uses fire as an offering. It's usually made in the form of a lit lamp, and in the case of the Ganges River, a small diya with a candle and flowers that's floated down the river.
We took a boat along the river past a number of Ghats what sights we saw, lots of people bathing and bodies being burnt.
We then walked along the Ghats, seeing funeral prossesions, being hassled by hawkers you can buy a bottle to fill with your own Ganges water (not suitable for drinking).
Varanasi is a city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Regarded as the spiritual capital of India, the city draws Hindu pilgrims who bathe in the Ganges River’s sacred waters and perform funeral rites. Along the city's winding streets are some 2,000 temples.
We were woken up at 5.30 am by the Aarti chanting which takes place every morning.
An Aarti is a devotional ritual that uses fire as an offering. It's usually made in the form of a lit lamp, and in the case of the Ganges River, a small diya with a candle and flowers that's floated down the river.
We took a boat along the river past a number of Ghats what sights we saw, lots of people bathing and bodies being burnt.
We then walked along the Ghats, seeing funeral prossesions, being hassled by hawkers you can buy a bottle to fill with your own Ganges water (not suitable for drinking).
Feel like I can smell it myself.. x
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