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Bengaluru: Videos of devotees pouring 11,000 litres of milk into the Narmada river in Sehore district in Madhya Pradesh have gone viral on social media this week. The incident allegedly occurred on Wednesday (April 8) and was, ironically, part of rituals to worship the Narmada river.

Water experts have raised concerns about the incident as this could lead to immediate changes in water quality in the river stretch due to a dip in dissolved oxygen levels, affecting not just biodiversity but also people who depend on the river.

This, however, is not an isolated event. Blind faith and rituals in the name of religion are choking rivers across India and while such activities should ideally be regulated, authorities will baulk to address this for obvious reasons, experts said.

On April 8, devotees poured 11,000 litres of milk into the Narmada river at the village of Satdev in Sehore district, according to a report by NDTV. The incident was purportedly part of a 21-day mahayagya (or a “grand ritual”) held at the Shri Dadaji Darbar Pataleshwar Mahadev Temple in the village. Per the report, the milk was poured into the river to worship it.

Videos show a tanker releasing milk into the river, turning parts of it white. Devotees gathered around on the banks can be seen hailing the ritual, and clapping their hands.

Drone Visual – नर्मदा नदी किनारे टैंकर खड़ा करके 11 हजार लीटर दूध “दादा जी बाबा” के द्वारा चढ़ाया गया। https://t.co/WJJzHzXURv pic.twitter.com/zcwrEUKmV3 — Sachin Gupta (@Sachingupta) April 9, 2026

Drone Visual – नर्मदा नदी किनारे टैंकर खड़ा करके 11 हजार लीटर दूध “दादा जी बाबा” के द्वारा चढ़ाया गया। https://t.co/WJJzHzXURv pic.twitter.com/zcwrEUKmV3

— Sachin Gupta (@Sachingupta) April 9, 2026

Per the NDTV report, a devotee defended the ritual, saying that this was an ‘abhisheka’ (ritual where a deity is bathed in offerings) for the river itself, and that the holy men associated with it see the river as a “mother”.

The Wire reached out to the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board but the officer-in-charge was not available over........

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