Ghats – Ganges River, Varanasi, India

Varanasi is located on the bank of the sacred Ganges River. The river is one of the holiest places in India populated with numerous ghats. Hindu pilgrims come to bathe at the ghats - a ritual believed to washes away sins. While most of the ghats are used for bathing, there were several "burning ghats" where bodies are cremated. It's an auspicious place for Hindus to die, since expiring here offers moksha - liberation from the cycle of birth and death.