A distressing sight greeted devotees and visitors as hundreds of dead fish floated to the surface of the historic Banganga water tank at Walkeshwar on Monday morning. This occurrence, though not unprecedented, has raised concerns over the environmental impact of an annual religious ritual that has been practised for generations.

Pitru Paksha, a time-honoured Hindu tradition, is a 16-day period during which families pay homage to their ancestors. As part of the ritual, devotees offer food to the departed souls. However, it is the subsequent act of submerging this food in the sacred Banganga tank that has been associated with the recurring deaths of fish in the area.