VARANASI WAS THE last place I visited on my trip round northern India. Built along the banks of the River Ganges, it’s considered the holiest of Hinduism’s seven sacred cities, and is a pilgrimage site. For Hindus, it is the most auspicious place to die as it gives you the chance to escape the cycle of rebirth on Earth, and instead, it’s believed you achieve ‘moksha’ – you go straight to heaven.