Ganga Aarti and Haridwar Part 2

The view of Haridwar and the ghats from the roof of our guesthouse. The area behind us is where the Ganga Aarti service is held every night.

Adrienne posing majestically.

Stephen looking pensive.

Every night around 6:30 the Ganga Aarti service is held along the river. An idol of the goddess Ganga is brought down to the water's edge, and Brahmins perform a pooja (prayer service). Music plays, fires are lit and swirled through the air, and banana leaf boats filled with flowers and ghee candles are launched into the river.

Towards the end of the service, people carry sacred fires through the crowds. It is customary to touch your hands to the fire and then touch your head as if to purify yourself. Some of the fire-bearers seemed to be official Brahmin pujaris, while others seemed to be beggar children.

More fire-bearers.

We took a walk along the river past the main ghats of Hardiwar and came across a settlement of people who we stopped and talked to for a while. This guy wanted to make sure that we got his chillum (hash pipe) in the picture with him.

This woman had an impressive collection of rings -- all on her fingers at the same time.

Stephen's first full shave in many months - the barbers here are great.

Some craftsmen making Hindu statues in a shop.

After Haridwar, we spent a day in Roorkee, a town about an hour away, with our new friend Abhishek (next to Stephen). He invited us to his home where we met his family and his mother made us a delicious lunch of dal, gobi, curd, rice, chapathi and tomatoes. Then Abishek and his frend took us on a tour of the town. We walked around the grounds of a famous university, drove along the Ganges, and saw a neat bridge built by the British. He even took us back to Hardiwar afterwards so we could catch our bus out. Thank you Abhishek, we had a great time!

Here's Adrienne after her typical nighttime ritual: read a page and a half of a book or magazine and then fall right asleep.