India’s Ganges River, although notoriously polluted, is believed to have healing, purifying properties—a belief bolstered by tests conducted on the water. In Varanasi, one of the country’s seven sacred cities, locals interact with the river via ghats—stepped platforms leading down into the water—and use them as sites for multiple ceremonies. There are bathing rituals for “purification of sins,” pilgrimages to collect sacred water, and even designated ghats for cremations, where pyres burn 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can see the phenomenon for yourself if you take a boat tour along the Ganges.
To dress in sacred places, avoid overly revealing clothing and cover shoulders and knees, as this is a common requirement in churches, mosques, and temples. Women may need to cover their hair in certain religions, and it is best to wear loose-fitting clothing like long pants or skirts and longer sleeves. For men, long pants and shirts with sleeves are appropriate
