India Is Gripped by a Spiritual Tourism Boom as Faith Becomes Fashionable
On a hot April evening in India's northern city of Varanasi, hundreds of tourists hurry along the banks of the river Ganges, tussling for prime spots to observe an ancient Hindu ritual of prayer to the goddess Ganga. They push their way past haggling boatmen offering rides, street vendors selling talismans and pilgrims immersing themselves in the sacred river to wash away their sins.
After sunset, seven priests in saffron-colored robes stand on the famous riverside steps known as the Dashashwamedh Ghat, ringing hand bells, lighting incense and waving oil lamps in the 45-minute ceremony of lights. Latecomers watch on a giant screen some 50 meters (164 feet) away, as Vedic chants blare out from loudspeakers.
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