Dawn on the Ganges – India

Dawn on the Ganges – Varanasi, India

Washing and puja, a Hindu ritual of prayer, are among the early morning activities performed on Ghats (steps) of the holy Ganges River. The Ganges flows serenely by the city of Varanasi, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, estimated to date back over three thousand years. From practical to spiritual, the Ganges provides water, washing, prayer, and even burial to the inhabitants of this ancient city. Said to be the holiest of the all Hindu cities, death in Varanasi is thought by some to bring salvation. Many come to spend their final days in prayer on the banks of the Ganges and then have their ashes scattered on its holy water.