We road in rickshaws from our hotel through Varanasi and down to the River Ganges. This is a very authentically Indian form of transit. Because we spend most of the trip traveling by bus, it was nice to be on the back of a rickshaw feeling a part of the hustle and bustle. I enjoyed the rickshaw ride especially because because it was nice to be on the same level with as everyone else--it's a bit awkward looking down on everyone from the window of a tour bus. However, it's also very heartbreaking at the same time to have a man in front of you pedaling you around and knowing that the little tip he gets is his livelihood.
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After about a 15 minute ride, we arrived at the River Ganges to witness some traditional sunset ceremonies. The ceremonies along the river only occur from dawn till dusk so we came back the following morning to see some different ceremonies and cleansing going on. 
That evening we went out on a boat and watched many things happening on shore. Varanasi is a holy city in India with many cremation cites. Ashes and candles are places in the water after cremation. Everyone in our group lit a candle and sent it floating down the river in honor of a wish or someone's life. Every evening along the Ganges the ceremonies are concluded with prayer and music. we watched this through a layer of fog and listened to the bells being rung--the whole experience was surreal. I think it will take a while for what we witnessed to really set in.