We decided to stay at the South end near to the Assi Ghat. There are two “burning Ghats “ along the Varanasi stretch of the Ganga. These being Harishchandra Ghat and Manikarika Ghat.
We witnessed a most moving burning ceremony at the poorer Harishchandra Ghat, where a young lad of about 10 years old was heading the ceremony in burning the body of his dead father. When a person dies their body is first cleansed in the ganga and anointed with Ghee ( purified butter) before being wrapped in cloth and flower garlands. The body is then lain out on two bamboo stretcher poles and lofted upon a pile of wood to which more is added on top. The elder son then ignites the pyre with the eternal holy flame collected from a nearby temple and the process of burning starts. The Burning is administered by a caste of people called Doms who rake and tender the burning until all remains have been consumed, this takes about two and a half hours. After the burning the ashes are scattered into the ganga. The whole experience was very moving and humbling, just watching this young lad perform his duty was amazing.
The remaining Ghats are mostly used as bathing or washing Ghats, where a boat ride at dawn see’s pilgrims bathing and cleansing themselves in the Ganga. The scene is really colorful and with hundreds of pilgrims going about their daily lives it was another aspect of India we hadn’t seen before. At dusk there is another chance to catch some more Varanasi action along the Ghats, again from a rowing boat we witnessed pilgrims floating lotus candles out on the ganga, the downside to the evening boat was the mosquito’s who lay in wait for the unprepared traveler who has forgotten to apply their mosquito repellent… just like we did, and hell did we get bitten !! At times it looked like it was snowing with the millions of mosquitos illuminated by the riverside lights..
We really enjoyed Varanasi and also took a morning out to visit Sarnath, which will be covered in the next blog.
Young lad cleaning his herd.
Boats in a row Varanasi Ghats.
Some Cows just love to pose...
Temple Mural Varanasi.
Along the Ghats. Manikarika Ghat the main burning Ghat along the Varanasi front.
Ancient Mosque.
Boats for hire.
Varanasi Ghats.
Life along the Ganga.
Sunset on the Ghats.
The Burning Ghats at dusk.
Evening time at Dasawamedh Ghat.
Assi Ghat at 6 a.m
Empty Steps at dawn.
Early morning boats start to gather on the Ganga.
Daily life on the Varanasi Ghats.
Kedar Ghat at Sunrise.
Ganga Sunrise 
Ganga Sunrise
Ganga Sunrise
The Ganga awakes.
Bathing in the Ganga.
Dasawamedh Ghat at sunrise.
The Pilgrims bathe in the Ganga.
Scindia Ghat Varanasi.
The busy Dasawamedh Ghat at dawn.
Bathers at the busy Dasawamedh Ghat.
Munshi Ghat
Ganga reflections.
Kedar Ghat.
Kedar Ghat.
Around Kedar Ghat..
Holy man having an early morning ciggie .. 
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