Travel engages all five senses, sometimes six, and we experience destinations through all of them. Sight is obvious, but hear a certain drumbeat, and it reminds me of sitting around a campfire in Botswana. Smelling coconut and papaya always brings me back to a Caribbean beach. When I feel sweat running out of every pore, I recall summer in Chonqing or the plains of Venezuela, while a tiny taste of fermented fish sauce is all it takes to be transported straight to Thailand.These memory triggers are powerful, and they become so deeply ingrained through repetitive exposure. The holy city of Varanasi (aka Benares or Kashi) hits each of your senses all at once, and it can be overwhelming! It’s best if you make enough time to take it slow and absorb the atmosphere little by little. If not, you’re sure to miss out. There are numerous holy places, temples and historic spots dotted around the city. A never-ending maze of skinny, tall buildings in pastel colors winds off in every direction from the main road. It’s easy to get lost, but interesting to wander, squeezing by cows and being greeted by school kids. All the action, though, happens along the river. The Ganges (Ganga) is a pilgrimage site for Hindu people, and one dip in its waters is said to bring purity to the living or salvation for the dead, releasing the soul from the cycle of reincarnation. Early in the morning, bathers are most numerous. Men lather up and scrub, most wearing a small strip of cloth and finishing with a ritual of retying sarongs and combing hair. The faithful arrive throughout the day to splash, dip completely under and ask for or receive blessings. Brahmin priests are always nearby to assist.  Others sit and meditate or do yoga. Sadhus (religious ascetics who have given up family and all earthly possessions to seek enlightenment) sit and smoke, drink tea or meditate. They are usually striking figures in their orange or yellow robes and shaved or dreadlocked heads, carrying just a staff or alms bowl (or trident or conch, depending on their sect). Tourists and locals sit in the sun on the steps and watch the comings and goings. Boat rides are offered every few steps in the main sections. Cows wander everywhere, chewing on whatever they find. There are also endless packs of dogs and goats. The combination of waste from all these creatures, from open drains (and zippers), along with remnants from offerings, ceremonies and ashes don’t make the river look (or smell) so appealing, but the faithful are able to look past the lack of sanitation. Efforts are being made to clean up the river, but it’s a big job, and slow going with lack of funds and such poor infrastructure to begin with. The riverbank is lined with a series of mostly 18th and 19th century palaces, temples, terraces and other buildings. Each has a different history, but all are tied together by the ghats, series of stairs leading down to the river. It’s usually possible to walk from one end of town to the other without leaving the steps. Dhobi Ghat is for laundry, with people pounding clothes out in pursuit of purity. Mansarovar Ghat is named after a holy lake in Tibet, while Narada Ghat honors a divine musician and sage. Picturesque Scindia Ghat has a Shiva temple partially submerged in the river. The main burning ghat, where  cremations are held around the clock, is Manikarnika, easily spotted by ever-rising smoke. The sacred well here is said to have been dug by Vishnu at the time of creation, even predating the river. Behind the ghat are huge, old scales to weigh the wood to be used for the cremations. Different woods are different prices, and the most prized is sandalwood. It’s said to be an art to know just how much wood is needed. The Doms are the ones to officially deal with the bodies, carrying them on a bamboo stretcher through the alleys to the ghat. Up to 200 cremations per day can happen here. Once the process is complete, remaining ashes and pieces of bone are gathered up by the eldest son or a senior male of the family and tossed into the river. In the late afternoon the sky filled with colorful kites, as people were gearing up for a big, annual festival. There was some serious competition among the boys chasing after kites that had been severed from their strings and floated back down to earth. Sunset is also a great time for a boat ride, and being rowed along watching the changing light on the ghats, followed by the evening puja (ritual offerings) ceremony at the main ghat, is a quintessential Varanasi experience. We spent some of our time on the river helping our young boatman fetch a dozen or so kites that had gone down in the river. Away from the river, we visited several important temples. Durga Temple, also known as “monkey temple” is dedicated to the Goddess Durga. The temple was built in the eighteenth century, and is stained red with ochre. The multi-tiered shikhara (spire) rises from the rectangular tank, called the Durga Kund, on which the temple sits. Hanuman Temple’s grounds were filled with monkeys. Two giant trees, symbolizing the love of Shiva and Parvati, grow toward each other and become one about 15 feet up. People tie strings to the trees (one for the boys, the other for girls) to bind the relationship for life. Ramnagar Fort is located on the opposite bank of the Ganges River, south of Varanasi. Built in the eighteenth century, it is the ancestral home of the Maharaja of Benares. The fort has a temple and a museum within the grounds and some nice views from the outer balconies. The museum contains an odd but interesting assortment of guns, swords, old cars, palanquins, sedan chairs, ornate howdah chairs (the ones that go on an elephant’s back) and a famous clock that shows time, date, sun/moon phases and a variety of astrological information. Also of note, founded in 1916, Benaras Hindu University later played an important role in the Indian independence movement, and is still a leader in education, producing many famous scientists, artists and leaders. It includes a medical college, engineering institute, sports fields and an auditorium. Also on its grounds is the New Vishwanath temple, an impressive building, open to those of all backgrounds and religions. Photos from Varanasi