To wash away sins

Hardwar, 18-03-1994. Hardwar is full with hindu pelgrims who come here to wash away their sins. Since it is here in Hardwar that the Ganges leaves the Himalaya, it is the best place to wash away all sins, or so the locals believe.At night the they all assemble at the bathing Ghats where holy cows wander freely feeding on discarded waste and lost underwear. A local family with a mongoloid son asking me to make a family foto and people in light green uniform asking/demanding a donation while flapping little booklets in my face. Little boys selling postcards and adult vendors selling miniature boats made out of banana leaves containg flowers and a little candle -have i not seen this stuff in Thailand- . Some of these boats are bigger than others and i have no doubt the price has something to do with this. The river is lit up with all these boats and their burning candles, the religious significance i can only guess.