Witness the mystical bathing in the Ganges River and the sunrise.

I visited the Hindu holy city of Varanasi.
It is a standard area in northern India, but " Puja and "Bathing in the Ganges River and watching the sunrise" was one of the most impressive places!
I hope to convey a bit of the local atmosphere, so please take a look.

Puja - A Hindu prayer ritual

In Varanasi, we headed to a place along the Ganges River called Dashasumdh ghat in the evening.
According to the guide, this is a famous spot among the stepped areas along the Ganges River known as ghats.
Every day, a prayer ritual called puja is held here, attracting many people, but it seemed especially crowded this day because it was festival time.
They said it was a festival called Maha Shivaratri, celebrating the marriage of the god Shiva and Parvati.

This puja started after 6 PM, and the prayers and music were played at high volume, like a music concert!
The crowd was enormous, and the atmosphere was incredibly lively!
It was a major event that made me feel, 'I've truly come to India,' something you can only experience here.

By the way, the guide prepared a terrace seat on the second floor for us, so we were able to calmly tour even amidst the crowd.

About 10 minutes after the puja started, we left the venue under the guide's instructions.
The puja itself apparently lasts about 30 minutes, but staying until the end makes it difficult to leave due to the rush of people heading home.
Having a knowledgeable local guide with you definitely provides peace of mind.
Even so, it was extremely crowded on the way back (many people were heading to the venue at that time), making it quite difficult to leave.

Bathing in the Ganges and the sunrise

The next day, we left the hotel at 6 AM to head to the ghats of the Ganges River.
During the journey to the Ganges River, there were many people walking barefoot towards temples, and when I asked the guide, they said that during the Maha Shivaratri festival, worshippers walk up to 80 km to their destination. It was a scene unimaginable by Japanese standards.

Upon reaching the Ganges River, there were several places along the river where fires were burning, which were for cremating the deceased. About 10 years ago, they used to release the deceased into the river without cremation, but now the government has made rules to scatter the ashes in the Ganges after cremation. Because of this, they said the Ganges River itself has become much cleaner now.

At the Ganges River, the guide had prepared a rowboat for us, so we boarded it immediately.
The rower was quite small but incredibly powerful, rowing the boat for over an hour round trip. I was filled with gratitude for their effort.
During the boat ride, we saw many people bathing in the river, from small children to quite elderly individuals.

The sight of the sunrise over the Ganges River amidst a slight mist was mystical and truly wonderful.
As the sun rose, the atmosphere and colors of the place changed in a way that was quite charming (I hope this atmosphere is conveyed in the video).

Bathing and watching the sunrise on the Ganges River early in the morning was the most quintessentially Indian experience of the trip.
I think it was a very good experience to feel the air of India on my skin.

If you are interested in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi, please consult with Oooh Chat!