The Ganges from dawn till dawn

This series of photos was taken in November 2016 in Varanasi, India, where millions of devout Hindus gather to pay homage to their gods and ancestors, burn the dead and take part in countless religious festivities throughout the year. I specifically chose to leave behind the images that would seem repulsive for Westerners' eyes - hellish traffic, dirty streets bustling with homeless children and beggars, charred remains of human bodies falling off the funeral pyres here and there, stray dogs or haggard-looking cows. Instead, I was trying to convey the intrinsic magic of the place without having to embellish or interfere, helped only by the things that were available - vivid colours of saris, river surface shimmering at dawn or softly-lit riverbank stone walls and steps.