Varanasi

Varanasi is one of the holiest sites for Hindus and is known as the city of learning and burning. Home of Shiva, the river Ganges or Mother Ganga is where pilgrims come to wash away their sins. It is also one of the holiest crossing places where mortals can cross over to the divine so all Hindu ashes will be set free in the water of the Ganges. It's not for the faint of heart. The sites and smells of the numerous crematoriums and then the blotted bodies floating in the river are difficult. There is an earie quiet on the Ganges...an interesting mixture of life and death. Devotees joyfully bathing, swimming, spalshing, drinking, washing (their body, hair and laundry) in the holy water while fires burn and bodies are being cremated near by. For some reason, "holy men" or sadhus are not cremated and their bodies are just put in the Ganga. I read that an estimated 45,000 uncremated corpses are disposed in the river every year. (We had the "priviledge" of seeing about 5 human corpses and lots of animals during our boat rides.) The sacredness of the place is palable. No words can describe the experience. I'm glad I had the opportunity to witness. I will never forget.