VARANASI: As the rising Ganga has flooded Varanasi ghats, there is a long queue for carrying out cremations at Manikarnika Ghat. The wait could be anything between three to five hours. As the main cremation ghat is inundated, the last rites are being performed on the first floor of the ghat, called upper ghat.Normally about 20 pyres are lit at a time, but at present only 10 bodies could be cremated at the upper floor of the ghat. The wait could be anything between three to five hours, said wood sellers."Owing to its mythological importance, people from other districts and also from Bihar come to Varanasi to cremate the bodies on the bank of Ganga. Besides the 10 burning pyres, there were over 20 bodies in queue on Thursday afternoon. The available 10 platforms at the upper floor are not enough for cremation when the bodies arrive here continuously," said Santosh Kumar, a wood seller.In want of proper place the people in funeral have no option but to sit on the piles of woods risking the threat of snake bite. Although there is a newly renovated 'dharmashala' for the convenience of people in funeral party, but it was found locked."There is no arrangement for the people coming here in funeral. As the 'dharmashala' is locked, we are sitting on pile of woods," said Naveen from Cholapur, a member of funeral party. Indrapal, who came from Jaunpur, said that it is common to face problem during flood time. "Since there is constraint of space, we have to wait," he added. The arrangements at the cremation ghat are looked after by the Varanasi Municipal Corporation. Additional municipal commissioner Ajay Kumar Singh said that he would look into the matter."The dharmashala has been renovated for the convenience of people in funeral parties," he said.

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