Boat Ride 10/6

Boat Ride 10/6

R arranged for us to take a sun rise boat ride on the Ganga. We had a Hindi guide that was quite fluent in English. It was good to hear from a Hindu about the different areas along the river known as the ghats. Ghats are steps leading down to the rivers edge, the Ganga or Mother Ganga as they call it.  There are several ghats that have holy significance to them.  The most holy is the burning ghat. If you die in this city and are cremated & you ashes are pushed into this river you are released from the cycle of reincarnation and go straight to heaven.  But your family has to also purchase the holy flame to start the fire because if you use a regular match it doesn't count  Many people in their old age will come to this city and wait to die so that they can be released from being reborn. There are 5 types of people who do not get cremated, instead their bodies are weight and sank in the river.  A child is considered holy, to young to have sin, a pregnant woman because of the child, a holy man, a leper and a snake bitten person.  The last 2 they do not cremate because it may release the poison in to the air.   They really have no hope in this belief system because if you haven't been good enough and pleased  the gods you could be reborn as anything.  they also believe if you bathe in the river it washes away your sin. The very sad part is they must do this dIly as it not permanent forgiveness of sins  

How blessed we are to have a true and living God that cares enough for us that He would provide a way for our sins to be forgiven once and for all through Jesus Christ.

Until later....