Varanasi, India Photo Gallery

Situated on the banks of the Ganges River, Varanasi, India, is a gathering place for sadhus, men who renounce worldly pursuits and often spend years wandering India on a spiritual journey.  

Here, a boatman finds warmth from the rising sun on a chilly morning along the Ganges River.  

Originally built in 1887, the double-decker Malviya Bridge in Varanasi is one of the major bridges across the Ganges. The lower level is built for railroad transportation; the top is for all other traffic.  

Women in brilliant saris gather at sunrise at Hanuman Ghat along the Ganges. Ghats are embankments along the river where people can descend the stairs to take a dip in the holy water. There are 84 ghats in Varanasi.  

Each morning, hundreds of Hindus bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges River at Varanasi, believing it will cleanse the soul and erase sins.  

A sadhu in Varanasi pauses along the banks of the Ganges River before his morning bathing ritual.  

Varanasi is one of the holiest places in India, attracting pilgrims and sadhus to the ghats along the Ganges River. Hindus across India hope to travel there at least once in their lifetime.  

The first light of the day brings a quiet moment for a pilgrim. This is a frequent scene in Varanasi as hundreds of Hindus from across India travel to the sacred city to bathe, pray, and visit the temples.