India- Varanasi

Assi Ghat, just outside Hotel Ganges View where we stayed

The little girl who tried to swindle us, a common occurrence among children in Varanasi

Family picnics on the far side of the river; dead animal floating in the foreground

First day of the annual festival to celebrate the coming of the monsoon

The small burning ghat, where cremation ceremonies take place 24 hrs/day.  Families come from all over India with their deceased family members for cremation on the banks of the holy Ganges. Interesting tidbit- women are not allowed at the cremations because in ancient times (and still in some parts of India today), women would throw themselves into the fire if their husband were being cremated, or male family members would throw the woman into the fire, as life is not worth living for the woman if the man is not alive to take care of her.  Also, women are emotional and tend to cry, which is frowned upon during cremation -- death is not a time of morning, rather a time of celebration

sunrise boat ride along the Ganges River

bathing in the Ganges (again, people travel from all over India to bathe in the holy water)

large burning ghat from afar

evening ceremony at Dasaswamedh Ghat

crowds on the water for the evening ceremony