Wood For Cremations Being Moved Off A Boat At Manikarnika Ghat, Varanasi. One Of The City's Oldest Ghats, This Iconic Site Is A Storied Spot For Traditional Hindu Cremations. Manikarnika Ghat, The Main Burning Ghat, Is The Most Auspicious Place For A Hindu To Be Cremated. Dead Bodies Are Handled By Outcasts Known As Doms, And Are Carried Through The Alleyways Of The Old Town To The Holy Ganges On A Bamboo Stretcher, Swathed In Cloth. The Corpse Is Doused In The Ganges Prior To Cremation. Varanasi Is A City In The Northern Indian State Of Uttar Pradesh Dating To The 11Th Century B.c. Regarded As The Spiritual Capital Of India, The City Draws Hindu Pilgrims Who Bathe In The Ganges River’s Sacred Waters And Perform Funeral Rites. Along The City's Winding Streets Are Some 2,000 Temples, Including Kashi Vishwanath, The “Golden Temple,” Dedicated To The Hindu God Shiv

KEYWORDS

oldest ghats iconic site storied spot traditional hindu cremations manikarnika ghat main burning auspicious place cremated dead bodies handled outcasts doms carried alleyways old town holy ganges bamboo stretcher swathed cloth corpse doused prior cremation varanasi city northern indian state uttar pradesh dating 11th century regarded spiritual capital india draws pilgrims bathe river’s sacred waters perform funeral rites winding streets temples including kashi vishwanath “golden temple dedicated god shiv