Before aarti

A view of a Ghat before the aarti ceremony, a Hindu ritual, in which lights from candles soaked in ghee (purified butter) are offered to the deities. Varanasi is considered to be a holy city by Buddhists and Jains, and is considered to be the the holiest place in the world by Hindus who believe that it was founded by the Hindu deity, Lord Shiva, around 5,000 years ago. It is believed to be one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world

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