A boat in the Ganges river at Varanasi, India

A boat in the Ganges river at Varanasi, India

In North India, the city of Varanasi sits right on - nearly on top of - the Ganges river. Varanasi is the holiest of the seven sacred cities for Hindus and Jains and a small village nearby is said to be where Buddha gave his first sermon, outlining the tenets of Buddhism. The Ganges plays a big role in all three faiths, with millions of Hindus bathing in the river’s water as an act of spiritual purification.