NEW DELHI šC As the worshippers descended the slope to the riverbank, dressed in their festival best and carrying offerings, a voice on the loudspeaker repeated: ¡°The water is deep, don¡¯t let go of your child¡¯s hand, don¡¯t let them in the water.¡±
It was a much-needed warning for the thousands of families in attendance for the four-day Hindu festival of Chhath that ended Thursday, a celebration of the sun deity Surya that involves fasting and making offerings while standing in water.
They needed the warning because the river¡¯s water was, in fact, barely visible, blanketed with a toxic foam of industrial waste and sewage. If you didn¡¯t know better, you could mistake it for the morning after a night of heavy snowfall.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.