Boat Ride on the Ganges River.

Before our trip to India I was on a call at work with a man who had spent 1 year traveling the world. We were talking about our itinerary and when I told him we were going to the city of Varanasi he just laughed and said...."Varanasi is one of the craziest places on earth." Now that I have been there I could not agree more. This ancient city is one of the oldest in the world and is built on the banks of the holy Ganges River. The architecture in this city is amazing; there are hundreds of temples (ghats) along the shore and they all vary in size, color and age. In the Hindu religion/culture this is one of the holiest cities on earth. It is considered a "pilgrimage" for a faithful Hindu believer to go to Varanasi to bath in the Ganges River. Doing this washes away a lifetime of sin. In addition, it is a preferred place to die and be cremated. If a Hindu believer is cremated and their ashes placed into the Ganges river it will break the cycle of re-incarnation. The history, architecture and people in this city combine to make it easily one of the most fascinating on earth. Walking in "old Varansi" along the banks of the river you will see people bathing, dead bodies being carried to the river, bodies being cremated on the shore, cows walking free, hundreds of colorful boats, old holy men meditating, etc, etc, etc. To be honest; it can be truly exhausting. The sights, smells (think cremation) and constant stream of people can be overwhelming. Not only is the city famous for its history and religious culture but it is also famous for its "touts." You are constantly being asked if you want to take a boat ride, want a shave, haircut, flowers, etc. After a day of working our way through all of this a local man at our guesthouse named "Papu" told us the secret...you must experience Varanasi from a boat. We took his word on this and he helped us find a very friendly local boy who was willing to take us around. This was truly an amazing experience. Getting away from the hustle and bustle of the shore and seeing this amazing city from the peaceful waters of the Ganges was breathtaking. You slowly float by and watch the amazing pageantry of the city unfold. Faithful people bathing, loved ones cremating family members on the shore, water buffalo swimming, people doing laundry, young boys in fishing boats, etc. We enjoyed this experience so much that we took numerous other boat rides in the early morning, late evening, etc. Floating along this historic river and watching the beauty and uniqueness of Varanasi unfold was one of the most amazing experiences we have ever had. Whenever someone asks me about Varanasi I explain it the same way it was explained to me. I simply laugh and say..."Varanasi is one of the craziest places on earth."