Devotees, mostly women, took holy water on Tuesday, November 5, as Chhath Puja rituals began at Kalindi Kunj Chhath Ghat in Delhi. A video shared by news agency ANI shows people gathering near the beach and women performing rituals in a toxic foam-filled river.
Earlier on Monday, the National Capital's Kalindi Kunj area saw toxic foam floating on the Yamuna River, raising concerns among residents and political leaders over pollution just ahead of Chhath Puja. Sewage water from several parts of the city, which is being drained into the Yamuna, is suspected to be the reason behind the foam's formation.
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Chhath festival or Shashthi Puja is a big festival of faith celebrated on Shashthi of Kartik Shukla Paksha. Chhath Puja starts 6 days after Diwali. This year, Chhath Puja begins on November 5 with Nahai-Khai. After this, the Chhath festival will continue for four days and will end on November 8 with Kharna, Sandhya Arghya, and Pratahkalini Arghya.
"The Chhath Puja festivities have started from today. It would have been good if some cleanliness was there," says Rinki Devi, a devotee, after taking a dip in the Yamuna River at Delhi's Kalindi Kunj on the first day of Chhath Puja.