We started out before the sun rose this morning to view the sunrise on the Ganges River and all the activity on it.

We walked the same way to the Ganges as we did last night. Is this the same cow that was here last night?

We are on the Dasashvamedha Ghat, one of more than 90 ghats (a series of steps going down to a river) covering 4 miles of the river. This monkey was putting on a show.

A small shrine on the ghat. The ghats are lined with many temples and shrines.

Close-up of the shrine.

Buddhist monks out early. Not only Hindus visit the sacred Ganges.

Boats awaiting passengers to view the Ganges.

We got on the same boat that we were on last night.

My tour group on the boat.

Our rowers.

A balcony seen from the river.

With a lion overseeing it.

A ghat further along.

With a picture of Ganpati, another name for Ganesha, the elephant god.

A view of the colorful Dasashvamedha Ghat.

This boater can watch is TV if he gets bored.

Another ghat.

Another ghat.

Moving along.

A boat of Buddhist monks and their followers dressed in white for purity.

The Manikarniks Ghat where funeral pyres flame both day and night. This photo was taken from a distance as we were asked not to take photos when we were closer to the ghat. Though hard to see in the photo, there was a cow near one of the pyres and two goats frolicking on the steps.

Some of the wood piled up for the pyres. The mourners bring the deceased's body, covered in a shroud, to the ghat, place it on the funeral pyre, and have a Hindu priest say a prayer for the departed.

More wood piled up.

Heading back to where we came from.

The Scindia Ghat. These towers proved to be too top heavy and had collapsed. They were rebuilt in 1937.

Sunrise over the Ganges.

Sunrise over the Ganges.

Sunrise over the Ganges with the sunlight reflected in the water.

Many boats on the river.

Moving along.

A balcony with a shrine.

A man on a ghat.

A woman on a ghat with her bright clothes reflected in the water.

Another ghat.

Close-up of the artwork.

Another woman with her clothes reflected in the water.

Women walking on the top of a ghat.

Moving along.

Boats on the river.

Two men on the steps.

The Dasashvamedha Ghat seen through an empty boat. This ghat is Varanasi's most sacred site. It is where the Sacred Prayer Ceremony was held last night. It is named after 10 simultaneous horse sacrifices performed by Brahma the Creator.

The colorful, sacred Dasashvamedha Ghat.

Dasashvamedha Ghat.

Boat on the river.

On the Dasashvamedha Ghat.

Close-up of one of the paintings.

The other painting.

The sacred water of the Ganges will wash away one's sins.

Close-up. I put my finger in the water--it was warm.

Close-up.

Drying off.

Moving along.

Moving along.

A temple.

The Darbhanga Ghat.

The towers and turrets are of old havelis (private mansions) built in the early 1900s.

The Munshi Ghat. The names of the ghats are written above the steps.

A woman praying.

He might be a holy man.

A boat vendor.

Another ghat.

A shrine.

Artwork on a wall.

Clothes, etc., are also washed in the Ganges.

Wet cloth is beat on the boards.

And then hung up to dry.

Or laid on the ground to dry.

More ghats.

Buildings on a ghat.

A hotel or guest house.

A decorated boat.

Another ghat.

A building on it.

Close-up of the artwork on it.

More of the artwork.

Colorful buildings on another ghat.

Many colorful steps here.

Kedar Ghat. More colorful steps.

Closer-up.

The striped building is a temple.

Close-up of the top of the temple.

Close-up of the top of the temple.

Close-up of the top of the temple.

A group of people bathing in the sacred Ganges.

A pretty building.

Cloths drying in the sun.

This goat and some goats were covered up against the morning chill.

We got off our boat and climbed up the steps of a ghat to reach the street. Couldn't be the same cow we saw this morning! Lots of cows here.