Ma Ganga and the ashram

Here are a few pictures of Parmarth Niketan ashram, situated on the bank of the Ganges....gorgeous gardens and statues of  of the gods...Diana (my friend from yoga teacher training) and I are sharing a room here as well. Shiva watches out over the river towards the ashram. Every night there is an aarti ceremony on the ghat with prayers and chanting. We received a special blessing at the aarti from the Swami...(had to put in a request!) We were here for the Shivarati festival where hundreds of pilgrims come to the Ganges for a dip in the purifying water. The picture on the bottom is a photo of a Shiva Rea class that was devoted to honoring the god Shiva, the destroyer.