Impacts of Religious Festivals on the Water Quality of Kapildhara Pond at Varanasi, India

Abstract

Ponds in India are one of the primitive and important sources of water since past. Like ocean and rivers, ponds have been personified as religious symbols. Some ponds, as one under study are highly significant as they gather and catter religious ethics in India. The catchment area of this ponds a part from rain water and drains from contingent temples and pilgrims, are said to be intrinsically connected with Ganga River. Thus, spiritual and the environmental of pollution level of this pond (Kapildhara) was under taken during 2008-2009. The observations leads to the conclusion that the pond changes periodically its PH, alkalinity, DO, BOD, COD, DS, TS, turbidity, conductivity, temperature, hardness, acidity, residual chloride ,nitrate, potash and iron contents. The peculiarity observed in this pond was that an enormous hike in pollution level was observed during April and October 2008 and 2009. This abnormal change may be attributed to the rituals and ethics observed by Hindus during Navratra festivals in April and October of the study years.