A 5am start, a tuk tuk across Varanasi to the Ganges river. This is a moment I have longed for in India. People line the ghats, washing and praying. We jump in a boat and our guide rows us out into the river. He explains well as we cruise up to one of the burning ghats, where a funeral is underway. I don’t find it sinister at all, this is a part of Hindu culture. After a minute or two watching at a distance we head down river and pass many more ghats. The sun is rising and music floats across the river. We coast down to the major burning ghat. A small funeral is underway. Piles of sorted wood lie around waiting for the next ceremony.
Once back at the shore we head to a few temples, that offer some interesting windows into Hindu life.