Rivers of Life: A journey through India’s Rivers: Festival Diary
Rivers of Life featured an evocative photo exhibition, and a generous participation from folk singers, conservationists, academicians, and storytellers who shared their unique experiences around diverse river landscapes.
School and college students from across Bengaluru were invited to
explore the photo exhibition and interact with other students, activists,
researchers, folk artists, academics, and storytellers. The celebration
extended till the 16th of November and through these two weeks, we
came to learn more about our rivers, its cultural influences, a river’s role in
livelihood, its vibrant biodiversity, and the people working tirelessly to
protect our rivers.
The exhibition proved beneficial for students as the vast
volunteer team of members, students and interns carefully explained aspects of
a lifecycle of a river, about civilisations along its course and about the
vibrant biodiversity at the interface of rivers and earth.
Shining a light on our relationship with nature and mounting
environmental concerns demanding immediate attention, the visual retelling of
the story of Indian rivers -- one of hope and despair -- was an outcome of the
efforts of young volunteers and members from non-government organisations who
traversed across the country to document over 70 river systems, capturing both
the pristine beauty and the relentless onslaught these have come under,
reducing many to a trickle.
The idea was to encourage youngsters to look for river stories and
document the state of the river flowing in their backyard. Students and young
professionals were encouraged to document the state of our riverine environment
without a restriction of using professional cameras. Interns received training
in using phone cameras and were encouraged to take images as naturally as
possible.
The programme saw various events each day across venues at the
University. Specific focus was made to represent rivers that have been heavily
polluted. Urban rivers that once heralded the rise of civilisations and now
often, subjected to intense anthropogenic pressures were also covered in
detail.
Stories and tales were discussed in detail during the festival.
Folktale performances by Bhatiyali singers from the Cooch Behar district of
West Bengal presented narratives of boatmen and communities that live along the
rivers in Bengal. The lilting folk art of Baul artists was wholeheartedly
welcomed by the student fraternity. The artists presented the mystic narrative
of Sufism and Vaishnavism and connect the flowing nature of the river with the
human body, mind, and soul. The film festival, curated by CMS Vatavaran
centered on life by the riverside, several story telling sessions and
river-based fun activities engaged young students through multiple discourses.
Leading experts and academics held multiple interactive workshops for students
and teachers on topics ranging from conservation and river ecosystems to
community engagement.
With more than 10000 participants visiting over two weeks, the
festival aptly came to an end with an interactive session with Toda and Badaga
community members who introduced the audience to the people and places of the
Nilgiris and their close association with water and a hope that our rivers will
remain protected through generations.
