Post from Michelle:
This morning I hired a man to take me out in his boat on the Ganges River. I wanted to see the Hindu pilgrims bathing in the river, washing away their sins and making offerings. As we slowly glided down the river, I stared in fascination at the busy bank. The ghats were alive with activity. I watched as men and women stripped to almost nothing and plunged into the water. Children splashed and swam as a woman stood over them, lifting her hands to the heavens, her lips moving in silent prayer. People washed their clothes, pet dogs, and children in the holy water - a baby screamed in protest as a mother scrubbed her naked body, soap suds flying like electric sparks. Orange marigold petals floated by the boat, the remains of an offering. It was intriguing to witness the sacredness of a river and the people who worshipped its waters.
