One of the oldest living cities in the world, Varansi, the city of Shiva, is also one of the holiest cities in India. It is easy to become overwhelmed with emotion amidst the vibrancy of life – a kaleidoscope of colour and sounds of worship – and the ceremony of death. Hindu pilgrims come to the banks of the Ganga to wash away their sins or to pass on, as dying here offers liberation from the cycle of birth and death.