Narmada: River Of Beauty

Meandering through mountains and valleys, the Narmada twists and turns her way through forest fringes, sculpting boulders, carving deep gorges and creating scenes of unsurpassed beauty and loveliness. Rich in history and mythology, she is India’s fifth longest and the most sacred river after the Ganga. Award-winning artist and writer Amrit Lal Vegad has been capturing the Narmada on canvas and in print for over a quarter of a century. Narmada: River of Beauty details Vegad’s journeys on foot over a period of eleven years, along the riverbank from the source of the Narmada to Bharuch where it empties into the Arabian Sea. The geography of the Narmada Valley has changed since the last time the author traversed it, in 1987. Several hundred villages have been submerged as a result of the Sardar Sarovar project, as well as cultivable land, flora and fauna. Using exquisite prose and vivid imagery, Vegad has captured the beauty of the valley in its pristine form. Alternating between the exciting and the serene, his account mirrors the Narmada’s course from source to mouth. He narrates his encounters with the villagers who live on the banks of the river, their easy faith and generous hospitality, hardworking days and restful nights; his nerve-wracking journey through Bhil country where the tribals are known to loot pilgrims; his nighttime adventure with a pair of cobras, and unexpected run-in with a colony of ants. Narmada: River of Beauty is not just about the river, but the life that thrives on the river. This evocative translation, peppered with sketches and collages by the author, captures the familiar textures of the original, making it a one-of-a-kind travelogue about one of the most magnificent river valleys in India.