Sanctified by a belief in the god Shiva's presence and the sacred Ganges, the 90 or so ghats (stairways) along the river define the life and identity of Varanasi. The ghats are lined with temples and shrines that repeat the endless cycle of Hindu religious practice. It is said that Shiva whispers into the ears of the dying. Because of this, many Hindus come to Varanasi to breathe their last. Here, at Manikarnika Cremation Ghat, funeral pyres burn by day and night, their flames reflecting on the Ganges. The ashes of the dead are later cast into the river. Out of respect for the dead, cremation photography is forbidden. However I was allowed to make this photo from a boat -- using a telephoto lens from a specified distance. I used burst shooting, ISO 400, and image stabilization to be able to make this shot at 1/25th of second, spot metering on the fires. The ghat itself is dimly seen – my emphasis is on the distant fires and their reflections in the river. It is the shimmering reflections of the pyres that give this image its spiritual dimension.