All Hindus believe that a dip in holy waters washes away sin and many from across the country travel to pilgrim towns like Haridwar and Pushkar to take the holy dip.

BBC: A certificate for holiness in India

Situated on the banks of the Ganges River, Varanasi (formerly Benares) is visited by millions of Hindu pilgrims each year, most coming to cremate a deceased loved one and bathe themselves in the river's horrifically polluted but extremely holy waters.

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