India A Hindu temple in Varanasi city wears a mask to protect the gods from serious air pollution.

Photos of four gods wearing masks at Shiv-Parvati temple in Varanasi city, Uttar Pradesh state, are being shared across Indian social networks. The temple's abbot said that the statues were usually covered in winter to avoid getting cold, so they thought it was necessary to protect the gods from polluted air.

"Varanasi is a place of belief. We treat the statues as living gods," explained Harish Mishra, a temple monk.

He also said that believers have begun to imitate masked gods, raising awareness of air pollution in both young and old.

Air quality in India last week fell sharply. Strong winds have caused widespread pollution throughout the north, reaching the capital New Delhi.

The haze over the city caused dozens of flights to be delayed or diverted, obstructing traffic and activities. Five million masks were distributed to children, while schools were asked to close on November 4 and 5 to wait for the pollution to ease.

The government of New Delhi earlier this week also applied the ban on even and odd number plates to minimize emissions to the environment.

The fire of fireworks during the Hindu Diwali light festival and the activity of burning straw in the states of Punjab and Haryna near the capital are believed to be causing the pollution.