Next on our list was Varanasi, one of the holiest sites for Hindus, and a place we were very intrigued to visit. We questioned whether to go since it was commonly described by locals as 'dirty' (?!!) - but what we found was an immensely spiritual, colorful, bucket list experience- and yes, though navigating our way through alleys occupied by a plethora of cows, pigs, monkeys, dogs, and hence, uh, poo, wasn't the most pleasant of times, this was (mostly) all forgotten once we witnessed the array of religious rituals taking place on the Ganges River, including bathing in the river at sunrise (seen from a boat- NOT in the river, hello lifelong illness), elaborate ceremonies at sunset, and cremations all day, everyday. It was stunning, and sincerely an image (one of many on this trip) that will stay in our minds.
Our last stop in northern India was Bodhgaya where we paid homage to the bodhi tree where the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment. This made for another incredible spiritual experience as we watched an orange sea of monks perform prayers, while we attempted to absorb some of the peace during our whirlwind trip. In addition to the famous tree and temples, we visited a spectacular 82 ft Buddha statue, with the entire experience leaving us with a (brief) sense of tranquility and calm before we jumped on an overnight train back to Delhi.
Pictured: Hindu ceremonies on one of the ghats, sunrise over the Ganges, a sinking temple, the bodhi tree, around Bodhgaya, and a massive Buddha statue
