all that is missing.....

This is not the best photo, all that is missing is a cow, a 100 people or so and the smell, you have a pretty good idea what the streets are like around here.  ( I took this early this morning)

Bathing in the Ganges

This morning there were people bathing in the Ganges, it cleans away all your sin. I will upload video when I get home... it is really quite something.

Hindu evening ceremony

Thousands of people come to visit the river every day, in the evening they have a ceremony...

Preparing for the ceremony...

On the banks of the Ganges River

Just to get to the river you have to go through narrow streets lined with beggars and garbage, thousands of pilgrims and holy men making there way to the sacred river.

Boat men, the river is really high right now because the monsoon season came late, the river is following very fast and very high so they are reluctant to take people out.

Looking back at the ghat, there are steps here that lead into the river, but it is flooded right now.

Sarnath

Buddha came to Sarnath to preach his first sermon, and meet his first disciples. It is considered one of the most hoy Buddhist sites and many pilgrims come here from all over the world to pay respects.

The tall stupa marks the spot where Buddha met his first disciples.

Monastery grounds

Always the school groups....

The girls were polite and reserved;

The boys were crazy... and liked to follow me around.

Jain temple at Ranakpur

I had never been to a Jain temple before and I will say that this one was really extraordinary...

Inside the temple, fully covered and no shoes...