The new city's like any other. But down by the ghats it is another world, a bustling holy carnival. Brahmins and sadhus lounge beneath tattered cloth umbrellas as the burning sun beats down. The devout fill the steps, doing puja and praying at the river's edge. Some kids splash about in the river, others play cricket, others sell postcards.
Barbers give shaves and massages on the steps.
Temple bells ring while music blares from another temple and more people surge towards the river. The flamboyant colors and pulsing energy of the place are breathtaking. It is a microcosm of all Hindu India. It is vibrant life and death. Death is very visible in Varanasi, and families take an active part in the whole process.