Arti Part(y) 1

One of the main things to do in Varanasi is to go to the Ghats and watch the Artis, which are the prayers to the goddess of the Ganges. There is one very famous, touristy one that we went to that had so much pomp and circumstance to it that I thought it deserved multiple posts (I also took about 300 pictures, and I want to display all of my handiwork). The first set of pictures are of our trip to the Arti and the area around the ghat, called Godolia circle (no one knows the right spelling so that is my approximation). The area is very dense and colorful with tons of shops and people trying to get your attention. On my way there I got hit by a cycle rickshaw (pictured next to the horse). It left a really impressive bruise. The next installation: at the water front. Stay tuned.

Love,

Violet

P.S. A very good example of Indian frankness and different sorts of flattery and etiquette presented itself yesterday. One of my friends Tanya was looking at pictures of my family with me. She looked at the picture of our family in front of the cape house and said: your mother is reeeally beautiful. I said: thanks, I know. Then she said: no, like really beautiful, like definitely more beautiful than you. I was still flattered, but no exactly sure what I was supposed to take from that. So to Jessica: you still got it!