Curious George Goes to the Ganges River

A few years ago I (Curious George) visited India. I went there for engagement/marriage purposes but that is another article for another day. While in India, India is must see travel destination by the way, I happened to go to the city of Haridwar on the Ganges River.

The Ganges River is spelled and pronounced differently in India (I don't know why). They render it in Roman characters - Ganga -and pronounce it as Gunga.

Haridwar represents the India of old. If Asians and Europeans think of cowboys, ranches, and guns when they think of America then Haridwar is the "classic' version of India.

In a word, Haridwar is a "trip". The place is chaotic and fun at the same time. Before one reaches the banks of the Ganga River there is an enormous statue of the Hindu god Shiva. He sits near a grass lawn where people can sit and relax.

Near the banks of the Ganga, there are several shops. The environment is that of a classic Indian bazaar where both traditional and modern wares are sold.

While on the banks of the Ganga, a woman with a python approached my fiancée and me. After she scarred my fiancée (accidentally), she told us that if we gave money to her snake-god, he would bless our relationship; we blew her off.

A warning should be stated at this point. At Haridwar (and India in general), people will hit you up for money, especially if you look like a foreigner. My Indian family is from a higher class (somehow the people on the street can instantly tell), and I am white, so we were approached often. I recommend bringing some one Rupee coins (worth about 2-3 cents a piece) and give them to the most stubborn beggars. This is what my mother-in-law did and it seemed to work.

While in Haridwar, we took a tram to the top of a hill. There is not much there except a bunch of monkeys; one almost bit me.

Once we got to the bottom of the hill, we took a rickshaw around the narrow streets (yeah, a rickshaw). When we came to a steep hill, we had to jump off and walk for a while. It was surreal and fun at the same time.

At one point during my trip, I got too close to a Hindu temple (the one in the picture) and the natives got upset. I found out it was because I had sandals on and it was a no shoes area. I gladly would have taken them off before hand but there were no signs. . . At least not in English. In addition, it was confusing as to where the temple grounds started and stopped, again - no signs.

If you are wondering if people actually bath in the Ganga River, the answer is "yes" they do. They also take some of the river water home with them; my wife tells me that some people drink the water. I know they do this for religious reasons, but the water is seriously foul. I wonder about the health issues associated with this as people dump any and everything in that river.

So, that was my experience at Haridwar on the Ganga River. It was a trip I will never forget; I recommend going to anyone.