Bryfling

Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi: Boatmen fixing the underside of a relatively large boat at Dasaswamedh Ghat before it’s time for the evening aarti, i.e, when boats are in most demand. — **Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi:** Boatmen fixing the underside of a relatively large boat at Dasaswamedh Ghat before it’s time for the evening *aarti*, i.e, when boats are in most demand.

Varanasi, India: Cows add to the traffic in the little alleys but the passersby don’t mind - they instead lovingly touch the cow’s head (probs consider it as Nandi), mutter a prayer or two, and move on. — **Varanasi, India:** Cows add to the traffic in the little alleys but the passersby don’t mind - they instead lovingly touch the cow’s head (probs consider it as Nandi), mutter a prayer or two, and move on.

Varanasi, India: The boatman came up with an elaborate explanation involving wars in the skies between gods and asuras for the sunken temple in the Ganges but I believe that it was just plain, old poor engineering. — **Varanasi, India:** The boatman came up with an elaborate explanation involving wars in the skies between gods and *asuras* for the sunken temple in the Ganges but I believe that it was just plain, old poor engineering.

Varanasi, India: Probably the most photographed persons in India, here’s a shy shot of one such sadhu. — **Varanasi, India:** Probably the most photographed persons in India, here’s a shy shot of one such *sadhu*.

Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi: Boats calmly row up to the ghat as it nears seven o’ clock, time for the evening aarti - a wonderfully synchronized ceremony for the gods.

Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi: A devotee praying during the evening aarti at Dasaswamedh Ghat while his friend seems more interested in my camera. Don’t miss the Airtel ad slapped across the boat - proof of the fact that even religion can be twisted, tethered and commercialized. — **Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi:** A devotee praying during the evening *aarti* at Dasaswamedh Ghat while his friend seems more interested in my camera. Don’t miss the Airtel ad slapped across the boat - proof of the fact that even religion can be twisted, tethered and commercialized.

Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi: In the midst of cows running helter-skelter, sadhus smoking chillums, firangs energetically taking photos, devotees taking dips, priests getting ready for the evening aarti and little children selling flowers and diyas in crudely woven baskets, an old man finds the time to get a shave. So many things happening all at once - this is the beauty of India! — **Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi:** In the midst of cows running helter-skelter, *sadhus* smoking chillums, *firangs* energetically taking photos, devotees taking dips, priests getting ready for the evening aarti and little children selling flowers and diyas in crudely woven baskets, an old man finds the time to get a shave. So many things happening all at once - this is the beauty of India!

Varanasi, India: On a hot April day with temperatures in the high thirties at 6 am, hundreds of people take dips in the holy Ganges to either bathe, cleanse themselves off of their sins, or just take a swim. In this photo, local boatmen take an early morning bath before getting ready to row hordes of tourists up and down the length of the Ganges. — **Varanasi, India:** On a hot April day with temperatures in the high thirties at 6 am, hundreds of people take dips in the holy Ganges to either bathe, cleanse themselves off of their sins, or just take a swim. In this photo, local boatmen take an early morning bath before getting ready to row hordes of tourists up and down the length of the Ganges.

Prayag Ghat, Varanasi: A little boy all of nine years old with an adorable lisp and big, brown eyes selling flowers and diyas to tourists and devotees getting ready for the evening aarti at the ghats. — **Prayag Ghat, Varanasi:** A little boy all of nine years old with an adorable lisp and big, brown eyes selling flowers and *diyas* to tourists and devotees getting ready for the evening aarti at the ghats.

Varanasi, India: This place is a photographer’s delight - so much colour everywhere you turn. Despite being as Indian as can be - born and brought up here and having lived in India all my life - Varanasi was exotica extraordinaire for me. We live in a beautiful country, folks… (which is why this year I am only going to travel within India. Next on the cards is probably Kerala or Ladakh!)