Behold! The mighty Ganges river! We traveled all day in a public bus (not recommended for the faint of heart or if you have an aversion to the smell of armpit) to reach Haridwar, the region’s holiest Hindu city – only to find out that extensive work being done on the waterways. We found no pilgrims bathing in the fast-flowing Ganges, as promised by our trusty Lonely Planet guide. Nope. Just a dirt-filled canal with a trickle of water.
We’re apparently about 4 months early for a big event. Haridwar hosts the mega Kumbh Mela every twelve years (January or February 2010 is the next one). It’s a pilgrimage event that draws millions to this relatively small city. Work is being done on the waterway (I’m listening to an excavator as I type this) in preparation for it. So, the Ganges canal doesn’t paint the pretty pilgrim picture I had in my head.
No, it’s more like a promise of something good that we don’t get to be apart of.
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