Sunrise on the Ganges River.  According to Hindu
tradition, Varanasi is the oldest city in the world.
She is selling neem sticks, which are used as
 toothbrushes.  The method is to nibble off the
 bark, then chew on the fibers until they separate
 and become something like a brush.  Neem has
 a natural antimicrobial property.

Pilgrims who comes to bathe and pray at sunrise enter
 from the west side of the river, so they can face
 the sun,  which they revere as a source of light
 and knowledge.
The local barber sits on the bank of the river,
shaving his customer, who is calmly watching
 the sunrise amidst the chaos.

This is a few miles upstream from the cremations,
 but the water is still very polluted.   Hindus believe
 that the River Ganges will cleanse sins,
and make the pure even more pure.
Grooming and praying by the river’s edge. 
Future yoga teachers in training.  
Mike is walking tall.
The “dohbi wallah” washes clothes in the river.  
A rinse,  a few pounds on the rock, and a twist.
  Incredibly fast!  I don’t think he has a delicate cycle.
Men wear a “upanayana” or sacred Hindu
threads twisted over their shoulder.  One
 thread is for reincarnation, one for marriage
 and one if the man has become a father. 
This man has three twisted together in a
thick rope of religion and family.

Rolling down the river…
The Ganges river starts as pure glacier runoff from
the Himalayas.   All Hindus have a small bottle of
sacred Ganges river water in their home.  If possible,
a sip is given to the dying to cure ills and to cleanse sins.