
There are burning places where 24 hour cremations occur 7 days a week. Bodies are covered in ghee ( liquid butter) then dressed in their best clothes dipped in the river, to set the butter, the body then dries for a while in the sun. The family member then lights the pyre the body goes on and is stacked with special wood which absorbs the smell. The family then wash in the Ganges and take the ashes home.
Today we also went to Hindu, Buddhist & Chinese temples, in fact it was a nine hour tourist marathon. I had hoped for a nice shower, G & T & bed, but alas this place never sleeps, the hotel is dry and there is a Valentine's fracas downstairs with fireworks, chanting and folk dancing.
Tomorrow we fly to Mumbai. Himself has written to the Grand Exec Chef at the Taj Mahal Hotel to arrange a meet, alas he hasn't replied. We're going for afternoon tea, he'd better show up! :)
All a bit grim, but that's life I suppose.
Lunch was nice tho a maharajas thali and a Shahi thali (vegetarian) just £3.25 the lot.

The monkey spooked a cow in the street and a major incident nearly occured, cow hit rickshaw and people fell of bikes - disaster!
Tomorrow we hit the dusty road 30k back to the airport, they really do need to bring the airport closer to Varanasi.
Was it all worth it - you bet. Such an amazing place, an assault on the senses, sight, sounds and smells - and there were lots of them.
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