Though officially abolished decades ago, the caste system still profoundly influences life in India. Those born into high castes enjoy greater privileges, while low-caste individuals, like the Doms, ...

Worshippers and tourists sit on boats facing the bank of the Ganges River in the holy Hindu city of Varanasi to watch the Ganga Aarti, a ritual of devotion to the venerated river. Hindu priests wave ...

More than 2,000 years ago, a powerful king built a fort on the banks of India's holiest river, on the fringes of what is now a vast industrial city. Today, little of the ancient construction remains, ...

When I arrived in Varanasi, I was clueless. The first thing I did was walk down to the river – the fabled River Ganges, the holiest waters of India. As a novice solo traveler, I innocently put my feet ...