Thousands of devotees waded into the foul waters of the Yamuna river in the Indian capital Monday for a Hindu festival, amid political wrangling over the sacred but severely polluted waterway.

At dusk, worshippers stood waist-deep in the river's brown waters to offer prayers to the sun god Surya as the setting orb sank into the haze blanketing New Delhi's skyline, marking the annual Chhath festival.

Unlike previous years, the scene was free of the thick layers of white foam that have long symbolised the Yamuna's toxic condition.

"At least this time it feels like a river, even if dirty," said 35-year-old homemaker Kanchan Devi.

"Earlier it was like going into a filthy drain."

The Yamuna river, a major tributary of the Ganges, continues to suffer from severe pollution despite repeated c

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