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Business Daily: Death on the Ganges

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Death on the Ganges

14/04/2017 GMT

BBC World Service - Business Daily, Death on the Ganges

The holy Indian city of Varanasi hosts 300 cremations a day. Rahul Tandon reports.

The holy Indian city of Varanasi hosts 300 cremations a day. The BBC's Rahul Tandon reports on the businesses that thrive on death.

In the Indian city of Varanasi, some 300 cremations are conducted each day on the "ghats" or steps leading down to the River Ganges.

The BBC's Rahul Tandon meets pilgrims who spend their last days at this holy place in search of nirvana, and the businesses that thrive on their parting. We visit a guesthouse for those seeking their final check-out, and hear from foreign tourists attracted by the city's ritual and spirituality, not to mention its yoga facilities.

Rahul also hears how Prime Minister Narendra Modi - who is also Varanasi's member of parliament - hopes to clean up the town, both of its pollution and of its crime.

(Picture: Burning ghat in Varanasi; Credit: BBC)

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