The first day of Chhath Puja on Tuesday saw devotees immerse themselves in Yamuna for their ritual baths despite thick layers of toxic foam covering its surface. At the Kalindi Kunj and Sur ghat area, worshippers performed the holy baths in the polluted river, raising significant health and safety concerns.  The presence of toxic foam highlights the ongoing challenges posed by pollution in the Yamuna, raising health concerns for devotees.Chhath Puja is a significant festival involving strict rituals and fasting. It expresses gratitude to the Sun God for sustaining life on Earth. Each day of Chhath Puja involves specific rituals, symbolising dedication, discipline, and a deep spiritual connection. From the purifying baths to the 36-hour fast without water, each practice is infused with symbolism.

“It’s tough, but we have no choice but to bathe in this dirty water for Chhath. The government was responsible for cleaning the river, but no action seems to have been taken,” said Kirti Devi, a local resident. “Right now, we are at the ghat, and celebrating the festival is important, no matter the cleanliness of the river,” she added.

Meanwhile, at the ITO Yamuna Ghat, a temporary Chhath ghat was set up with tubewell-supplied water and tents for devotees. However, access to the river itself has been restricted this year. Authorities installed 12-foot high railings to prevent people from entering the highly polluted waters.

“It’s crowded and the space is small. It was better when the puja used to take place in the Yamuna,” said Kamla, a local at the ITO ghat.

The four-day Chhath Puja began on Tuesday with Nahay Khay on Day 1 of the festivities. Nahay Khay, which falls on the Chaturthi Tithi of Kartik Shukla Paksha, is all about cleansing and prepping for the festival.  Nahay Khay is followed by Kharna on Panchami Tithi on Day 2, Chhath Puja on Sashti, and concludes with Usha Arghya on Saptami Tithi. The festivities will conclude on November 8.

Addressing a press conference on the first day of the Chhath Puja, Chief Minister Atishi said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi has prepared more than 1,000 ghats for the people to celebrate the festival. She said  the AAP government in Delhi has ensured that the people from Purvanchal do not have to leave the city to celebrate Chhath Puja.

 A political battle between the ruling AAP and the opposition BJP has raged on for days over the Chhath Puja preparation of ghats across the national capital. Chhath Puja is a significant event for Delhi's Purvanchali community, which consists of Bhojpuri-speaking residents from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. This community represents 30-40 per cent of the voter base in Delhi where assembly elections are scheduled for early next year. The Delhi government has also declared November 7 a public holiday in observance of Chhath celebrations.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has allocated an amount of Rs. 40,000 per ward for augmenting street lighting at chhath Puja ghats. The amount will be utilised for strengthening street lighting in and around chhath Puja ghats. The electrical department of MCD will deploy it's employees to complete the lighting work at the earliest as proper lighting will add colours to the celebration and will ensure safety and security of large no. of women and children who will come to the ghats to perform pooja. The civic body will also look after sanitation and cleanliness arrangements at the chhath ghats so that people can celebrate festivities in neat and clean environment. MCD will also make arrangements for parking at chhath ghats in order to provide relief to the people coming to the ghats.