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Manikarnika Cremation Temple

At sunset we will make a brief visit to the famous Manikarnika Temple on the riverfront of the Ganges River. Manikarnika is the main cremation temple and is a powerful place for meditation and introspection. This is not a morbid experience, but rather an enlightening one. Guests feel a powerful shift after the experience. To witness the beauty of conscious ritualized rites of passage can have the effect of removing the fear of our own mortality. And the fear of death can be said to be the root of all fear. Let’s liberate that together.
We will reverently approach the temple in our rowboat as our guide explains the history and ritual practices of Hindu cremations. Because Varanasi is the most sacred of Hindu cities, and the abode of Lord Shiva, the destroyer of cycles, many Hindus aspire to die and be cremated in Varanasi. Various denominations of sadhus can be seen at the temple along side family members. The cremation fires at the temple burn 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. No photographs are permitted, for obvious reasons.