As the sun rises each day worshipers come to the ghats (steps) to perform rituals, such as washing themselves, drinking the river water, and making floating offerings.
To die here is to be released from the cycle of life -- from reincarnation and reborn. If possible, Hindus want to die here, and then be burned on one of two funeral ghats -- which are clearly identified by the large piles of firewood.
You have three ways to view the ghats of Varanasi:
1) an automatic
photo loop,
2) a self-controlled
slideshow,
3) short videos:
a)
long view,
b) short view,
and
c) bathing.
Village
life along the river.