Page 25 - india

dian equivalent of the local pub. Watching
Top: Buddhist monks enjoying a sunrise ghats through the day is instructive; they
boat ride. Opposite top: An inspiring ex-
perience for pilgrims and visitors - sunrise start to liven up before the sun rises, when
those with early starts mingle with the par-
on the Ganges . Below: The ghats of Vara- ticularly pious in a morning scrub to wake
nasi early in the morning..
up the senses and rub off the smell of an-
other hot, sweaty tropical night.
The busiest time is after sunrise when ev-
eryone turns up for their morning ablu-
tions and absolutions; kids frolic in the river,
playing games with the tourist boats while
their mothers start on the clothes washing
and old men ponder how long it will be be-
fore they'll be floating down the river per-
manently.
This is the essence of India. While the kids
splash more water out of the Ganges than
the monsoon puts in, a solitary man prays
towards the sun, chanting Hindu prayers
and scooping water up in his cupped hands,
pouring the holy river out in a parabola in
front of him and repeating the slow move-
ment five or six times before he slowly
turns round, holding his hands together in

Wine Dine & Travel Spring 2014 25