I returned to the Dungeshwari ghat in Varanasi, which is on the west side of the Ganges River, to watch the sunrise and pour the ashes of my good friend, Charles Egbert, in the river, as he had wished. I boarded a small boat rowed by one man to take me out onto the river for a proper place to pour the ashes. I waited for a signal from the boat-driver on when to sprinkle the ashes. He nodded and I then carefully placed the ashes in the Ganges alongside the boat. Charles's ashes dropped onto my fingers, as if he was shaking my hand and saying 'thanks.' It was an honor to do this for Charles and Carol. I called Carol back in Vermont to let her know what I had done.
There were hundreds of people bathing in the river cupping water in their hands and splashing it on their heads. This is an ancient Hindu ritual that is done to wash away sins and pay homage to ancestors and gods. This was one of the most palpable expression of reverence and faith I've ever seen.
Several people were washing clothes in the river and pounding them on the steps. I wondered just how clean they got after washing them in the river.
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| Men bathing in the Ganges |
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| Sunrise on the Ganges |
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| My boat driver |
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| View of the ghats from the river |
I saw people after bathing in the Ganges go to the temples to pray. There are many temples on the river.
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