Fourth edition of Nadi Utsav begins on the banks of Yamuna in Delhi

Team L&M

The fourth Nadi Utsav being organized by the National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM) of IGNCA and the Janapada Sampada Division, began today on the banks of Yamuna in Delhi. The three-day festival includes a variety of events, including scholarly discussions with environmentalists and scholars on various subjects, screening of films, presentations by eminent artists, puppet shows, and discussions on various books.

The discussion sessions will be organised on many topics, including mention of rivers in ancient texts, cultural heritage along the rivers, and rivers in folk and cultural traditions. As many as 18 films will also be screened through the three days, out of which six films have been produced by IGNCA. As part of the puppet show, The Yamuna Gatha will be performed by Puran Bhat.

The festival is an attempt to document riverine culture, its tradition, rituals and water wisdom. The national seminar will have five academic sessions in which senior scholars will participate in round table conference. In the race of modernity, we have forgotten to thank our rivers, and event is an initiative to remember the connection with rivers.

A book fair will also be organized during the three-day event, in which various publishing houses will bring their books related to rivers and environment.

There will be three types of exhibitions. The Sanjhi Exhibition will be based on 16 Ghats of the country. Apart from this, a photography exhibition related to river civilization and an exhibition of paintings made on rivers by school children of Delhi.

The cultural programs include singing by famous folk singer Chandan Tiwari of Bihar and other performances by Shweta Devendra and her team from Bhopal along with Narmada Stuti and Dashavataram.

Rivers have a very important place in Indian culture. In our country, rivers are not only considered sacred and revered, but are also the basis of material life for millions of Indians. Civilizations have developed along the banks of rivers. Countless cities, villages and towns of India are situated on the banks of rivers, they are identified with rivers. Indian society has always held rivers in the highest regard, considering them an integral part of our culture.

The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), an institution dedicated to art and culture, under the Ministry of Culture has been organizing the Nadi Utsav’ on a grand scale for the last few years. Conceived by Dr Sachchidanand Joshi to create awareness and sensitize people about their ecology and environment, the Nadi Utsav commenced in 2018, with its inaugural event held in Nashik (Maharashtra) on the banks of River Godavri. The second edition took place in Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) on the banks of river Krishna, and the third in Munger (Bihar) on the banks of river Ganga.