Exploring the holy city

Shenetta Payne and Kalee Haywood do some shopping in one of Rishikesh's many bazaars.

Since Rishikesh is a comparatively small city that hugs the banks of the upper Ganges, it's hard to get lost. Most of the sights, businesses and accommodations are within a block or two of the river.

We spent the day exploring mostly as a group, but we made smaller individual or small-group trips to discover the sights and sounds of the city.

Carl Lindquist strides off the ferry across the Ganges at sunset. followed by Kate Zibluk.

A lone monk does some morning reading in his ashram.

A living Buddha observes passersby from his perch inside a pedestrian mall. Twin Buddhas spend all day attracting customers to adjacent restaurants that serve traditional regional food.

See the other Buddha in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsdIbOqeMhA

A macaque monkey forages for food beside a busy street. The monkeys can be very

aggressive when they are hungry or when they feel threatened.

Street scene in north Rishikesh.

Street scene from inside a Himalayan handcrafts shop in north Rishikesh.

Children who sell  flower boats help to light the boat candle to prepare to set it in the Ganges at sunset. Hindus set the little boats on the river at sunset  to show reverence to Vishnu, the god of control and balance, and the legendary source of the river, which is regarded as a goddess in her own right, Ma Ganga.