On the Ganges, the river sets the itinerary

PATNA, India -- At dawn, the Ganges River looks like a sheet of silver. From the sun deck of our vessel, I watch a fisherman cast his net from a narrow wooden boat as village life begins to stir along the muddy banks. There are no crowds or famous steps leading down to the water, just the immense river and a landscape that has witnessed the rise and fall of empires.