The Ganges is like nowhere I had ever visited before. It doesn’t distinguish between the rich and the poor, only between the dead and the living.
Chris’ father died 18 months’ ago. He attended the burial ceremony at the Ganges at the time, but we all wanted to visit the site with my step-mother-in-law, and pay our respects
It is a very raw experience. The beggars and the poor dominate, and those making a living around grief, selling religious services, boating trips, food and flowers, complete the scene, together with stray dogs and, of course, the cows.
Small groups gather around low tables to pray and perform rituals, before dipping in the Ganges and taking their loved ones by boat down the river to disperse their remains. There is no grandeur, in fact quite the opposite, This is religious practice at its most core level.
It is not a place to which I care to return. I’m glad I went, and it was an important experience for us to share as a family.
Hi, I’m Rachel 