Varanasi

We spent a week in Varanasi for the Diwali festival (not Dev Dipawal). We finally toured the chowk.
A quiet corner on Tulsi Ghat Small shrines and an ages-old tree And a beautiful view of sunrise over the Ganga
Sunrise A day begins at the Deva Center with a communal "om" Helping hands Deepika and Siv
Siv's english workshop Sandeep and Siv Workshop participants Workshop participants
Siv and Sandeep Siv, Sampa and Vimla Sampa and her drawing books Vidya puts a bindi (tikka) on Siv's forehead at Annapurna Center
Annapurna Center Annapurna Center Monkeys at the Sankat Mochan (Hanuman) Temple in Varanasi John at the entrance to the Sankat Mochan Kushth Ashram (center for leprosy victims)
Morning on Assi Ghat Sunrise over the Ganga Sunrise over the Ganga Mud at Assi Ghat
Women celebrating Karnika All dolled up A morning chai Sweeping the street - a sysiphean task
Two ages, same task Cow and woman Leading a blind woman Young girl dancing with her dog
Chotto and his family Chotto is a rickshaw driver A flute seller -- and player Varanasi by night at Diwali -- Dashashwamedh Road
Siv taking the view from a restaurant balcony A shrine illuminated for Diwali Diwali lights on a hotel Diwali floor drawings by Sampa
Aarti ceremony, an offering of light to the goddess Ganga, at Dashashwamedh Ghat Aarti ceremony Heading for the chowk (with Siv's head) Flower market
Flower market Lotuses and marigolds Checking out the bluma Diwali figures on sale
A narrow lane in the chowk Boy with kohl-decorated eyes in the chowk Indian sweets -- you eat the silver foil Parakeet seller in the chowk
Cow eating the flower offerings to the god The Durga Tank and Temple in Ramnagar, across the river from Varanasi Durga Temple, Ramnagar Figure of Durga with two elephants
Durga Temple shikhara Beautiful reliefs on the Durga Temple Tourist in the entrance to Maharaja's palace, Ramnagar River side of Maharaja's palace
Maharaja's palace View of the new bridge from the Maharaja's palace Siv and our 11-year-old guide, who spoke excellent english John heads off to the chowk again
Inside the Vindu Madhan Temple at Panchganga Ghat Ganesh statue in the Vindu Madhan Temple John in mirror at the Vindu Madhan Temple Siv and Dilip, our jovial host at the Hotel Temple on Ganges