Jagannath Temple

So at this point i am on the east coast of India. I took a 22 hour train from the middle of the country (Varnasi) to Puri on the east coast. Yeah, it was a long time on the train, but it's also kinda cool watching the countryside roll by and reflecting on your journey, and then you realize you have 21 hours left on a train and it gets a bit rough. Anyway, Puri is a beach town, and this temple is one of the main reasons that people come here. The temple is HUGE; as are the deities inside(the word "juggernaut" comes from the name of the Deity), but i was unable to go inside as i am not a Hindu. It is thought that the kitchen of this temple complex is the largest in India if not the world. It's a pretty impressive place even if i was unable to get in. I got on the roofs of some neighboring buildings and shot some day and night stuff. Here is some more information.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagannath_Temple_(Puri)

People of Varanasi

Always one of my favorite subjects; the local people.

MSC Varanasi

Here are some random shots from Varanasi.

Ganga Puja

Every night there is a puja (worship) of the holy Ganga(Ganges) river. Here are some shots from both the river and the actual ceremony.

Varanasi Sunrise

Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world; and it looks like it. It is situated on the holy Ganges river and one of the "things" to do there is take a sunrise boat ride on that holy river. It's quite a beautiful place in hindsight, but i must admit; i really did not like it when i was there. EVERYONE wants to take you out on their boat, the beggars are relentless, and the overall vibe i got from the place was less than positive; BUT it looks pretty, and that's all that really matters.

Trains

Trains are also the most economic and (relatively) comfortable way to travel around the country. A hundred dollar air flight probally would cost about 7 bucks on the train. Basically you have a bunkbed type thing that you sleep on at night and then you just sit there and watch India go by in the afternoon. It's kinda a fun way to travel however after 22 hours it can get a bit tedious. Trains are also the best crossection of Indian society. Take a short train ride anywhere in this country and you will see all the good the bad and the ugly. The heartwarming families traveling, the heartbreaking beggars and crippled people, and maybe even the heart shocking transsexuals. Yeah that's right, men in saris, it's one of the scariest things I've seen over here. They enter the room with one loud hand clap, and then you turn around and see a "man" in women's clothing. Scarred the hell out of me the first time. I am not fully aware of their role in society, but i think if you give them money it's supposed to bring you good luck. Anyway, i don't have any photos of them. The other great thing about the train is every station you pull into you can get some of the best local street food.