View of Holy Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos of Sissia near Lourdata, Kefalonia, Ionian Islands, Greek Islands, Greece, Europe

Hindu holy men on banks of Ganges River, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

Saint Nikolaos of Kadena Holy Orthodox Church, Chora, Mykonos Town, Mykonos Island, Cyclades, Greek Islands, Greece, Europe

View of Holy Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos of Sissia near Lourdata, Kefalonia, Ionian Islands, Greek Islands, Greece, Europe

Elephant being washed by mahout in the waters of the holy River Ganges, Patna, Bihar, India, Asia

View of Holy Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos of Sissia near Lourdata at sunset, Kefalonia, Ionian Islands, Greek Islands, Greece, Europe

View of Holy Church of Saint Nicholas and harbour in the background, Kalimnos, Dodecanese Islands, Greek Islands, Greece, Europe

Nenbutsu dera (temple), Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan

Sand formations at Budle Bay, with Holy Island Castle in the distance, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The Church of the Holy Trinity, where Shakesphere is buried, River Avon, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Holy Island Causeway at sunrise, Lindisfarne, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom, Europe

View of the Basilica of the Holy House and fountain decorated with statues, Loreto, Province of Ancona, Marche, Italy, Europe

Holy Trinity Church on the River Avon, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Laos, monk crossing the river in the holy city of luang prabang

Mother and daughter wading across the River Ganges holding bottles of Holy River Ganges water, Sonepur, Bihar, India, Asia

Holy Trinity Church on the River Avon at dusk, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Holy lake beside holy city, with camel fair (mela) on sand dunes, Pushkar, Rajasthan, India, Asia

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims washing clothes and bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, India

Tourist boats in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat to watch Hindus bathing in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing and praying in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian men washing themselves and their clothes in waters of The Ganges River at Kali Ghat in City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Ceremonial lit candle carries Hindu prayers on River Ganges at sunrise by holy city of Varanasi, Benares, Northern India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing and cleaning teeth in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims washing clothes and bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu men and women bathing and praying in the River Ganges by Kshameshwar Ghat in holy city of Varanasi, India

Traditional scene on River Ganges Hindu pilgrim pours Ganges water while praying at Varanasi, Benares, Northern India

Boats in The Ganges River at Ranamahal Ghat and Chousatti Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Darbhanga Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrim bathing and praying in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrim bathing and praying in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, India

Indian Hindu couple bathing and praying in the River Ganges by Kshameshwar Ghat in holy city of Varanasi, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu men and women bathing and praying in the River Ganges by Kshameshwar Ghat in holy city of Varanasi, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Ranamahal Ghat and Chousatti Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, India

Indian man doing laundry using flogging stone in waters of The Ganges River at Cabua Pandey Ghat in Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu man bathing and cleaning his teeth in the River Ganges by Kshameshwar Ghat in holy city of Varanasi, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Boats in The Ganges River at Ranamahal Ghat and Chousatti Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu men and women bathing and praying in the River Ganges by Kshameshwar Ghat in holy city of Varanasi, India

Indian Hindu pilgrim bathing and washing his clothes in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi, India

Indian doing laundry using traditional methods and the waters of The Ganges River at Kali Ghat in City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrim bathing and praying in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, India

Indian man and woman doing laundry in the waters of The Ganges River at Cabua Pandey Ghat in City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims washing clothes and bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims men and boys bathing in The Ganges River by steps of the Ghats in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu men and women bathing and praying in the River Ganges by Kshameshwar Ghat in holy city of Varanasi, India

Indian Hindu man bathing and praying in the River Ganges by Kshameshwar Ghat in holy city of Varanasi, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrim bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrim woman bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing and praying in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing and with prayer candles in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian Hindu men and women bathing and praying in the River Ganges by Kshameshwar Ghat in holy city of Varanasi, India

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Pilgrims queuing to bathe in the sacred Tampaksiring Spring, Pura Tirta Empul Temple, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Pilgrims queuing to bathe in the sacred Tampaksiring Spring, Pura Tirta Empul Temple, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Indian man doing laundry using the waters of The Ganges River at Kali Ghat in City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Tourists in boats at Ranamahal Ghat and Chousatti Ghat watch traditional bathing in Varanasi, India

Indian man walks past laundry drying on the steps of Kali Ghat by the The Ganges River in City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Indian boy using water pump in alleyway in the holy city of Varanasi, Benares, Northern India

Indians doing laundry using the waters of the The Ganges River and the steps Kali Ghat in City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Religious icons, holy water and statues on sale at souvenir shops at pilgrimage location of Lourdes, Pyrenees, France, Europe

Women carry brass pots filled with holy Ganga water, India, Asia

Pilgrims lining up to collect water from the Jordan River spring in Bieta Ghiorghis (St. George's House) church in Lalibela, Wollo, Ethiopia, Africa

Indian Hindu pilgrims bathing in The Ganges River at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Holy City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Portrait of a Russian nun in the water blessing and filling water bottle with river water, Christian Orthodox ceremony at Epiphany, River Jordan, Qasr el Yahud, Israel, Middle East

View of the holy Athos, Greece, Europe

Moraca Monastery, founded in 1252, and Svetigora (Holy Mountain) waterfall, Montenegro, Europe

Indian Temple in the holy lake of Grand Bassin in Mauritius, Indian Ocean, Africa

Indian man walks past laundry drying on the steps of Kali Ghat by the The Ganges River in City of Varanasi, Benares, India

Armenian church of Holy Cross, Akdamar Island, Lake Van, Anatolia, Turkey, Asia Minor, Asia

Russian pilgrims entering the water after Mass and filling water bottles with river water, Christian Orthodox ceremony at Epiphany, River Jordan, Qasr el Yahud, Israel, Middle East

Font, Vienna, Austria, Europe

Bathing in the holy waters of Pura Tirta Empul, Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Buddhist shrines and prayer flags at the river's edge in a valley in Bhutan.

Lourdes holy water, Lourdes, Hautes Pyrenees, France, Europe

Bottles for Lourdes holy water, Lourdes, Hautes Pyrenees, France, Europe

Nepal. Ritual, sonam/boom. Lobsangs cremation. Humla. traveler reached of journey! In freedom of infinite he is free from sorrow, fetters that bound thrown away, burning fever of life is no more,oesays dharmapada. Lobsang having spent whole life preparing moment of death, finds liberation on february 14, 1986. Extensive ritual follows cremation-traditionally a forty nine period, sonam lama rattles damaru. A small ritual drum to have origin in - shamanism. damaru, used as a tantric device to summon gods ward evil spirits, once made from human skull bone dreid human skin as a reminder of impermanence of body. Boom lama blows a kangling, a human thigh-bone horn. kangling is used in exorcism is capable of gods demons. Traditionally, best bones a kangling come from brahmans, particularly sixteen-year- brahman girls-or from tigers. On makeshift altar rest chhome, votive lamps filled with butter, cups of water, grains, tormas, holy food made of barley meal decorated with medallions of butter offered to gods. Alone, boom lama continues prayers of deceased