Chhath devotees wash hair with toxic foam in Yamuna

A video showing Chhath devotees immersing themselves in the polluted Yamuna River for their ritual bath and washing their hair with toxic foam went viral on social media.

Chhath Puja festivities began on Tuesday with 'Nahay Khaye’, with devotees offering prayers in the river despite a thick layer of toxic foam covering its surface. Toxic foam covered the Yamuna in Delhi's Kalindi Kunj area on Monday, just days ahead of Chhath Puja, highlighting the challenges posed by pollution in the Yamuna, triggering health concerns for devotees.

Celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and other regions, Chhath puja is dedicated to the worship of the sun god and is observed with a rigorous four-day routine.

On the first day, devotees take a dip in a holy river and often bring Ganges water home for rituals. The second day, called Kharna, involves a day-long fast that concludes with offerings to Mother Earth. The third day is dedicated to preparing prasad for evening offerings to the setting sun, known as Sandhya Arghya. On the final day, devotees offer prayers to the rising sun before breaking their fast and sharing prasad with neighbours and relatives.