New Delhi / Devotees in Delhi stand knee-deep in toxic foam in Yamuna for Chhath Puja

New Delhi: Not just the poisonous air in the city which has left citizens gasping for breath, the rivers and lakes have gone completely toxic as well.

On Sunday, thousands of devotees offered prayers along the banks of the river Yamuna to mark the end of Chhath Puja. However, it wasn’t a pleasant experience for many as they had to stand in the toxic foam of Yamuna river bank. In addition, devotees were even deprived of a view of the rising sun due to thick smog covering the skyline of the city.

Pictures of people worshipping the Sun God while being surrounded by knee-high toxic foam have now gone viral.

Devotees offers prayers to the rising sun amid toxic foam/PTI

However, undeterred by the white foam floating on the surface of the polluted water, devotees are seen offerings flowers and fresh fruits to complete the Chhath rituals.

Well, some women were also seen taking selfies, standing in the middle of the smelly foam.

Women are seen taking selfies, standing in the middle of the smelly foam/ PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari also attended Chhath Puja offering “Arghya” to the Sun god in the early morning. The chief minister in a series of tweets said it was a matter of pride that the Chhath festival was celebrated on such a large scale in Delhi.

Ahead of the puja,  Delhi government had set up over 1,100 ghats along the Yamuna as well as in parks and other public places across the city for Chhath Puja.

The Chhath Puja ritual involves taking dips in rivers, standing and offering prayers in water, facing the sun, offering ‘prasad’ to the sun at sunrise and sunset and many other rigorous rituals.