India, Vicki is enchanted by magical places.

Spirituality pulses through India, with the Ganges river the heart of many Hindu rituals and pilgrimages. 

Boats moored at Varanasi.

Its waters are deemed sacred.

Washing in the Ganges, Varanasi. 

Its shores attract holy souls, ready to bless passers-by.

Plunging in the Ganges in Hardiwar. 

Evening ceremony at Hardiwar riverside. 

Quiet moments for contemplation abound as well.

Tranquility for two, at one of the oldest mosques in the country, outside Delhi.

Carved stonework is awe inspiring; Fatepuhr Sikri mosque.

The Taj Mahal is a true architectural masterwork,

as is the Sikh Golden Temple.

Sikh pilgrims bathing in the waters of the Temple, Amritsar, Punjab. 

Religious sites are ubiquitous.

In this unique temple, one enters through the head of a lion. 


Temples demonstrate skilled artistry, withstanding centuries. 

Highlands and mountains offer different spiritual surroundings.

As does the serenity of the desert. 

Desert fortresses over half a millennia old, are no less mesmerizing. 

Jaisalmer fort and town, Rajasthan. 

Finely carved stone faÇades are stunning; A centuries-old residence in Jaisalmer.

Palaces and forts amaze wherever they appear. 

Palace and fort perched high above Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

Beneath towering forts lie colorful old cities.

The blue city of Jodhpur viewed from the fort.

Homes in the blue city of Jodhpur

One never tires of the magnificent fortresses, each memorably unique. 

The Red Fort of Jaipur, Rajasthan. 

Nor does one weary of the magnificent wildlife.