The Yamuna River, the longest and the second-largest tributary of the Ganges in northern India, is gasping for life as it has become coated with a thick layer of foam. /VCG Photo

But that did not stop Hindus from bathing in the water and praying on the banks of the 22-kilometer-long river on Saturday, as they worshipped the goddess Yamuna. /VCG Photo

A dog searched for food among the foam in the polluted river. /VCG Photo

In the early 1900s, the waters of the Yamuna were known for their clear-blue color, in stark contrast to the silt-laden yellow of the Ganges. However, the river was tapped for human and industrial use in the following decades, and replenished with dirtier water from more than 20 drains. /VCG Photo