Varanasi, where all aspects of life and death, even the most intimate, are before everyone's eyes, has a palpable sense of spiritual energy and irresistible colours. Throngs of pilgrims crowd the banks of the river to consult the sadhus, receive blessings, light ritual lamps and bathe in the sacred waters. Seen from a boat bobbing on the Ganges, the ghats, with their iridescent palette and backdrop of temples and towers, are one of the most stunning images on the planet.

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