Published TUESDAY October 28, 2025: 'CHHATH PUJA: Prayers And Pollution' by ZUMA Press award winning photo-journalist Elke Scholiers: Hindu devotees worship the Sun god as they stand in the waters of Yamuna river during the Hindu religious festival of Chhath Puja in Noida. The Yamuna River has long been in the news, made infamous for its polluted waters, especially during celebrations like Chhath Puja. Despite the visibly dangerous state of the river, each year, devotees gather along its banks to offer prayers, braving the polluted waters in faith, often unaware or ignoring the risks. Chhath Puja is a Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Surya and Chhathi Maiya and has seen growing participation in Noida. The word Puja is roughly translated into English as 'reverence, honour, homage, adoration, or worship'. Praying in the Yamuna river is a health risk due to high levels of pollution from untreated sewage, industrial waste, and agricultural runoff. Yet Chhath Puja has never been more popular as it is today. Welcome to 'CHHATH PUJA: Prayers And Pollution'
© zReportage.com Issue #1010 Story of the Week: Published TUESDAY October 28, 2025: 'CHHATH PUJA: Prayers And Pollution' by ZUMA Press award winning photo-journalist Elke Scholiers: Hindu devotees worship the Sun god as they stand in the waters of Yamuna river during the Hindu religious festival of Chhath Puja in Noida. The Yamuna River has long been in the news, made infamous for its polluted waters, especially during celebrations like Chhath Puja. Despite the visibly dangerous state of the river, each year, devotees gather along its banks to offer prayers, braving the polluted waters in faith, often unaware or ignoring the risks. Chhath Puja is a Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Surya and Chhathi Maiya and has seen growing participation in Noida. The word Puja is roughly translated into English as 'reverence, honour, homage, adoration, or worship'. Praying in the Yamuna river is a health risk due to high levels of pollution from untreated sewage, industrial waste, and agricultural runoff. Yet Chhath Puja has never been more popular as it is today. Welcome to 'CHHATH PUJA: Prayers And Pollution'

Children are blessed in the polluted waters of Yamuna river as Hindu devotees worship the Sun god during the Hindu religious festival of Chhath Puja in Noida.
© Elke Scholiers/ZUMA Press Wire

Dressed in fine sarees Hindu devotees take a selfie and worship the Sun god nearby the Yamuna river during the Hindu religious festival of Chhath Puja in Noida. Praying in the Yamuna river is a health risk due to high levels of pollution from untreated sewage, industrial waste, and agricultural runoff. Yet Chhath Puja has never been more popular as it is today.
© Elke Scholiers/ZUMA Press Wire

Wearing a sari a worshipper stands in the polluted waters of Yamuna river and brings fruit and vegetable offerings as Hindu devotees pray to the Sun god during the Hindu religious festival of Chhath Puja in Noida. Praying in the Yamuna river is a health risk due to high levels of pollution from untreated sewage, industrial waste, and agricultural runoff.
© Elke Scholiers/ZUMA Press Wire

Hindu devotees including many families with young children buy candy after worshipping the Sun God in the Yamuna river during the Hindu religious festival of Chhath Puja in Noida.
© Elke Scholiers/ZUMA Press Wire

Carrying sugar cane, bananas and coconuts and candles as offering's, and dressed in fine sarees, Hindu devotees worship the Sun god as they stand in the waters of Yamuna river during the Hindu religious festival of Chhath Puja in Noida,
© Elke Scholiers/ZUMA Press Wire

Hindu devotees bring, flowers, fruits like bananas, rice, sugarcane, coconuts, and other offerings as worship the Sun god on the banks of the Yamuna river during the Hindu religious festival of Chhath Puja in Noida.
© Elke Scholiers/ZUMA Press Wire

With fruits vegetables and other offering's Hindu devotees dressed in fine sarees worship the Sun god as they stand in the waters of Yamuna river during the Hindu religious festival of Chhath Puja in Noida.
© Elke Scholiers/ZUMA Press Wire

With fruits vegetables and other offering's Hindu devotees prepare to worship the Sun god in the waters of Yamuna river during the Hindu religious festival of Chhath Puja in Noida.
© Elke Scholiers/ZUMA Press Wire

Families with young children wait to enter the waters as Hindu devotees worship the Sun god at the Yamuna river during the Hindu religious festival of Chhath Puja in Noida
© Elke Scholiers/ZUMA Press Wire

Hindu devotees gather and prepare offerings in order to worship the Sun god in the waters of Yamuna river during the Hindu religious festival of Chhath Puja in Noida,
© Elke Scholiers/ZUMA Press Wire