By Girish Kumar Dubey
Hindu devotees from across India thronged the banks of River Ganges in the holy city of Varanasi of northern India's Uttar Pradesh for a holy dip on the occasion of Ganga Dussehra, a festival in honour of the river.
On the first 10 days of June, the Ganges is worshipped as a goddess by Hindus.
But locals have found the river contaminated badly just ahead of the event.
Varanasi's famous riverbanks are full of garbage, piles dead fishes and polythene bags, making the site unfit for prayers and holy rituals.
Locals blame high toxicity of the river's waters for the death of fishes in large numbers.
"Fishes die because of the contamination of the river water due to toxic chemicals. Fishes swim to the bank for fresh air but die due to toxic chemicals that pollutes the water," said Ram Singh, a local.
Dead fishes, garbage and wooden scraps from boats float on the river surface, too, making it unfit for holy dips.
The stench from the rotting fish has also polluted the area, and devotees have found it difficult to go ahead with their rituals.
"Contaminated water flowing into the river from the leather processing industries in the northern India contaminates the water of the Ganges due to which fishes die," added Shyam Sundar, a devotee.
Ganga Dussehra is celebrated every year by Hindu devotees who come from every corner of the country to mark the mythological descent of the Ganges from heaven to earth. The festival has a unique place in Indian consciousness.
Garbage and dead fishes keep devotees from taking holy dip in River Ganges in India's northern Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of the festival of Ganga Dussehra.
VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (JUNE 02, 2011) (ANI NO ACCESS BBC)
1. BOATS ON THE BANK OF THE RIVER GANGES
2. LOCALS WORKING ON RIVERBANK
3. BOATS BY THE RIVERBANK
4. GARBAGE LYING ON RIVERBANK
5. DEAD FISH FLOATING ON THE WATER
6. GARBAGE AND DEAD FISH FLOATING ON THE WATER
7. DEAD FISH WITH POLYTHENE BAGS FLOATING ON THE WATER
8. BOATS AND GARBAGE ON THE BANK OF THE RIVER
9. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) RAM SINGH, A LOCAL, SAYING:
"Fishes die because of the contamination of the river water due to toxic chemicals. Fishes swim to the bank for fresh air but die due to toxic chemicals in the water".
10. DEAD FISHES FLOATING ON THE WATER
11. DEAD FISHES WITH GARBAGE ON THE BANK OF THE RIVER
12. DEAD FISHES WITH POLYTHENE BAGS FLOATING ON THE WATER
13. GARBAGE LYING UNDER THE BOAT
14. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) SHYAM SUNDAR, A DEVOTEE, SAYING:
"Contaminated water flowing into the river from Kanpur contaminates the water of the Ganges due to which fishes die".
15. MAN WASHING CLOTHES ON THE BANK OF THE RIVER
16. LOCALS SITTING AND WASHING CLOTHES ON THE BANK OF THE RIVER
17. LOCALS WASHING CLOTHES ON THE BANK OF THE RIVER
18. SAFFRON FLAGS HOISTED ON THE BANK OF THE RIVER
19. MAN TAKING A DIP IN THE RIVER WHILE WOMAN WASHING CLOTHES BESIDE HIM
20. LOCALS ON THE BANK OF THE RIVER
21. TWO WOMEN WITH A CHILD TAKING A DIP IN THE RIVER.
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