'It isn't shampoo,' Chhath devotees wash hair in Yamuna River with toxic foam, viral video

Chhath devotees wash hair in Yamuna River: A video of Chhath devotees bathing in the polluted Yamuna River and washing their hair with foam went viral on social media.

Chhath Puja started on Tuesday with ‘Nahay Khaye’, with devotees offering prayers in the river despite the foam on the surface.

Celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, UP and other states, Chhath puja is for sun god and is a 4 day rigorous routine.

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To begin the festivities, devotees took a dip in the Yamuna as one of them told news agency PTI: “We want cleanliness at the ghat for Chhath Puja. If nothing happens, our only demand is that we will come here day after tomorrow to clean Chhath Ghats."

In a viral video, a woman is seen bathing in Yamuna even as foam is floating around her. She uses the foam as soap to wash her hair. Next to her 4 other women are also taking bath and washing their hair in the foam. They seem to be laughing and joking as they stand in the toxic water.

The video has over 1 million views and comments are pouring in from people who are shocked.

On the first day, devotees take a dip in the holy river and bring Ganges water home for rituals. On the second day, Kharna, they fast for the whole day and then offer to Mother Earth. On the third day they prepare prasad for evening arghya to the setting sun. On the fourth day they offer prayers to the rising sun and then break their fast and share prasad with neighbours and relatives.

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"Is this really happening?," asked one surprised user while another said, "All that foam is not shampoo!"

One comment was worried about the effects of putting chemicals in the hair and body. "after a few days they will see a doctor," it said.

"Education plays a crucial role here. It’s heartbreaking to see people using this water, unaware of the health issues they may face," said a third user.

Foam is formed due to high amount of untreated sewage and industrial waste in the river water.

While hardly anyone ventures into the river during the year, the conclusion of 4 day Chhath Puja festival, celebrated by people from Bihar and eastern UP who are a third of Delhi’s population, sees hundreds of devotees wade into the water to offer arghya to the sun while in knee deep water.

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