Thursday October 9 Matiari
Still sailing up the Ganges. We disembarked at 8:30 am at Matiari, A village that specialised in making bronze objects. We walked for two hours round this village, visiting a couple of workshops where they were beating out copper objects and also to more places where they were selling bronze ornaments. We also saw how they dried cow dung and moulded it into cakes for using as fuel. There were several cows wandered in the streets and apart from the heat of the forges it was quite a rural setting with the backdrop of the Ganges.
To get a larger photo, click on a thumbnail below
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
We were back on board by 10:30 am and then had the rest of the day aboard sailing up the serene Ganges. At 4 pm a group of four minstrels, called Bau, came aboard and gave us an hours recital of their musical instruments and colourful robes out on deck: this seemed very authentic and much better than groups that we had seen in large boats.
Meanwhile, we enjoyed sitting up on the front deck, enjoying the river. Cocktails and tapas as usual at 6 pm and then dinner inside as there were a lot of flying midges outside. We had a very pleasant meal chatting to Sam and Joe. After this there was a film on Mother Ganges: this went on a bit and was very religious but went right up to the high mountains where Mother Ganga had her origins. Then to bed for an early start in the morning and a very full day ahead.
To get a larger photo, click on a thumbnail below
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Political slogan | Dried cow dung for fuel | Charcoal seller | Local ferry |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |