In Varanasi, India, more than 90 ghats (stairways) lead down to the banks of the Ganges River. Hindus come from around the world to immerse in the river they consider sacred. Unfortunately, this was often a difficult proposition. The ghats were covered in mountains of mud deposited by seasonal flooding. Worshipers avoided some ghats where … Read more
“Do it in ONE day only. Get in and get out.” That’s the advice I was repeatedly given about visiting the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. People said Agra was a dirty, dusty, crowded city that didn’t warrant a visit of more than a few hours. Being a bit of a rebel, however, I was … Read more
A sunrise boat trip down the Ganges River in Varanasi, India, is the very best way to experience some of the 90-plus ghats (stairways) that descend to its banks. Assi Ghat, the southernmost of the ghats, is a popular place to hire one of the small wooden boats that make the journey each morning. From … Read more
For two whole days I walked along the banks of the Ganges River in Varanasi, India. Trash littered the shores and sewage flowed into it from outfall pipes. At the cremation ghats, priests picked hip and chest bones and casually tossed them into the river. Yet every morning at dawn, worshipers flocked to the ghats … Read more
My love for Indian food is second only to my love for Thai food, so when I was invited to visit Delhi, India, sampling traditional north Indian dishes was at the top of my must-do list. As luck would have it, I didn’t have far to go. The Gupta family, who own Prakash Kutir B&B, … Read more
