India, being the land of extremes, doesn't hold back with the temples. This photo shows the very red Durga Temple.
Durga is the terrible form of the god Parvati, not to be confused with the tenor form of the singer Pavorati.
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India, being the land of extremes, doesn't hold back with the temples. This photo shows the very red Durga Temple. Durga is the terrible form of the god Parvati, not to be confused with the tenor form of the singer Pavorati. |
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A cool view. The obligatory shot for each country... |
Varanasi sits along side the holy Ganges River. Ghats are the steps or paths to the river's edge. The Ganges serves many holy functions for the people- one is a place for the dead.
The dead are often cremated at the water's edge, and the ashes put in the river. Others are merely put in the river without burning. Apparently, it's not uncommon to see bodies floating down. The one I saw was in an area where photography was prohibited. Lucky for you, 'cause you know I would have posted it...
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You can take a rowboat up and down the Ganges to view life at the Ghats. One of my charismatic boatmen steers us along. |
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Another use of the holy Ganges is to wash away one's sins. Since the most recent fecal colliform count was 250,000 times that considered safe, I chose to keep my sins. I had my share of serious infections in Borneo. |
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More men bathe away their sins. The guy standing up on the left, however, was brushing his teeth. I don't want to know what his sin was. |
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