Our guide in Varanasi told us that it is every Hindu’s dream to visit Varanasi to bathe in the River Ganga. This morning we were out on the river, which is one of the world’s most polluted, watching the pilgrims dunk themselves, pray, soap themselves and wash in the Ganga. We also saw laundry men busy at work washing clothes, towels, sheets, everything in the river; pounding them or beating the clothing dry and laying it all on the ghats (steps) to dry.

Last night our “cruise” took us to the cremation sites where multiple funeral pyres burned. Before laying a deceased loved one on the flames, members of the family carry the body on a bamboo stretcher to the river to dunk it in. Cremation takes 3-4 hours and when completed, the ashes are put in the Ganga River.

The streets of Varanasi are narrow and cramped with open drainage running on each side, busy traffic going every direction, cows everywhere (even inside stores) and cowpies in the street. Men openly urinate into the gutter and side of the road.

Food is being prepared by many street side vendors and people (not Westerners) are eating it; women wash dishes in the muck. Men, women and children are crowded in the shops and stalls. Dogs roam freely.

Today when driving, we saw a jeep with a stretchered body on top heading to the river. The bodies are wrapped in bright orange and gold foil so they are easy to spot.

Our guide, who is from Varanasi, told us the “people are content.”

So what about Varanasi? It assaults you; horrifies you; but we have been here 24 hours and somehow, you acclimate to it. We will leave tomorrow, but this will go on. The drive to the airport will not be as shocking as the drive in from the airport yesterday. I am ready to go.

There is a great Mark Twain quote on Varanasi which I will look up and post. Hopefully some pictures will follow (I can’t get them to upload at the moment).