TRAVEL THE WORLD - MAHESHWAR, INDIA

The population of India is more than 1.1 billion. It is understandable that when traveling there, you expect to see a lot of people. They tend to be gregarious. For instance, if you have a problem and are seen discussing it, in no time at all there will be ten people, usually men, congregating nearby to listen and offer helpful suggestions. Some of the most popular places for people to gather are the ghats beside the rivers. Maheshwar is an out-of-the-way town that is not accessible by train. At the city of Indore, we hired a driver to take us there. The Narmada river is very clean and beautiful, and the people were having an enjoyable time. Maheshwar and Mandu, located in the same district, were wonderful places to visit - all the more so in that they were quiet and far from the more popular tourist destinations.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - VARANASI, INDIA

Here we are in a small boat on the river Ganges in 2007. This is the holy city of Benares, now called Varanasi. It is located in Uttar Pradesh, in the northeast part of the country. We traveled there by overnight train, a trip that took us more than 24 hours, but in spite of this was an enjoyable adventure. Indian trains are amazing: clean, safe, comfortable, reasonably on time and full of friendly, helpful people. In the photo are the ghats, or steps, leading down to the water. Here, devout Hindus bathe in the holy waters of the Ganges and say their daily prayers. The water is terribly polluted and has been tested as totally unsafe. However, those who bathe in the river apparently come through the experience unscathed.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - ORCHHA, INDIA

The Betwa, photographed in 2007 in the town of Orchha, is a very beautiful river, clean and calm. As with many of India's rivers, ghats have been built along its banks. These are steps leading down to the water where a purification bath is taken and prayers are offered to one of the Hindu deities. Because Hindus regard river water as sacred, the river is of great importance in the life of Indian communities. Orchha, a north India community in Madhya Pradesh, is known for its beautiful cenotaphs which date from the 16th and 17th Centuries.

INDIA VACATION 2007

ORCHHA CENOTAPHS and GHATS

The town of Orchha, located on the beautiful Betwa - one of India's cleanest rivers - was founded in 1531. Until 1783, when it was devastated by Shah Jehan, it served as the capital of the Orchha princely state. In the town are temples, palaces and cenotaphs of its former rulers.

We thoroughly enjoyed our three-day stay in Orchha. It is a quiet retreat away from the boisterous activity of Delhi and Varanasi.

The walk along the Betwa above ghats is especially tranquil and beautiful. As you can see in the first photo, ghats are steps constructed on the river bank which enable bathers to access the river.

The remaining photo shows the Betwa River with one of Orchha's beautiful cenotaphs in the background.