Special on Narmada Jayanti on 4th February
By Medha Bajpai, educationist and psychologist
Narmada Jayanti: For some reason, I went to the banks of Narmada late in the evening and saw diyas made of flour being floated in the river, dupattas being offered, auspicious songs being heard, aarti being performed, and then I came to know that preparations for the festival of Narmada Jayanti are going on.
The traditions of India are amazing. Expressing gratitude towards nature with harmony of customs and at the same time the feeling of nurturing aquatic creatures completes this tradition. India is the only unique country where birthdays of rivers are celebrated.
Narmada Jayanti Mahotsav is celebrated every year on Magh Shukla Saptami, the birthday of the divine and holy mother Narmada. In India, the fifth largest river of the country, Narmada, is the giver of life for its region. That is why it is called mother.
Nature is such a school that the one who lives in its proximity finds simple solutions to the deep mysteries and complexities of life. The tradition of acquiring knowledge through the harmony of nature continues continuously.
Narmada Parikrama is a living example of this. Narmada Parikrama serves as a vibrant testament to the region’s spiritual heritage.
In the lush forests along the banks of the Narmada River, revered sages such as Dadhichi, Markandeya, Bhrigu, Kapil, and Jamdagni have engaged in deep penance. Rishi Dadhichi, known for his selflessness, famously donated his bones to protect the world. His ashram is located in Bent Sansthan, Dharampuri, where the enduring tranquility evokes a sense of renunciation.
From distant Kerala, young Shankar studied at the ashram of Guru Govind Pad in Omkareshwar, also situated along the Narmada. This sacred space became a hub for discussions on India’s unity, where religious dialogues flourished and the values of life were deeply contemplated.
There are about 1.5 lakh small and big rivers all over the world, many of these rivers have been in existence for hundreds of years, every river has its own biodiversity too.
Narmada originates from Amarkantak of Maikal mountain range in Anuppur district of MP and flows through Maharashtra, Gujarat and Gulf of Khambhat to Arabian Sea for a total distance of 1312 km.
In spring, Maa Narmada appears as a relaxed ascetic, in summer as a rare lazy person, in rainy season as a furious and fierce form, sometimes as a gentle beauty and sometimes as a nurturing mother. Her carefree and innocent heroine form is rarely seen because Narmada is also called the river of struggle; it breaks mountains and is a symbol of awakening of self-respect.
The Narmada River showcases remarkable diversity and boasts the highest number of waterfalls in the region. In certain areas, the river is so narrow that one could easily leap across to the opposite bank, while in other sections, it expands to over a kilometer in width. As it flows into the sea, the Narmada widens to approximately 30 kilometers.
The Narmada River is unique in the world for being the only river that is circumambulated. According to the Puranas, merely viewing the Narmada offers the same benefits as bathing in the Ganges. Unlike stones from other rivers, only those from the Narmada are regarded as sacred Shivlings.
Bhedaghat, located along the banks of the Narmada, is renowned for its abundant marble, while Madhya Pradesh is home to 85,859 square kilometers of fertile alluvial soil. The river serves as a sacred ground for sages and is a vital source of sustenance for various tribes that depend on the forest ecosystem.
Revered as Maa Narmada, this eternal river supports all forms of life, including wildlife, forest-dwelling communities, farmers who cultivate grains, and the sages who seek solace in its presence. The glory of Narmada is celebrated in the Revakhand of the Skanda Purana, as interpreted by Ved Vyas Ji, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and is beautifully depicted by Kalidas in Meghdoot.
Remarkably, the Narmada has existed even before the Ganges, with numerous rock shelters along its banks showcasing prehistoric paintings and tools from the Palaeolithic era, dating back over two lakh years.
Many years of my life have been spent visiting Maa Narmada. I have had the divine experience of experiencing different flows. The Narmada of Amarkantak starts from its infancy and by the time it reaches Jabalpur Bheda Ghat, it becomes fragrant with its adolescence and mesmerizes.
Flow is an essential quality of a river, but waterfalls are its additional ability, by having which, opulence and beauty are added to it and it becomes extraordinary and supernatural from ordinary mundane.
The pollution-free touch of Narmada, natural beauty and the craftsmanship done by it on the rocks, create a wonderful hypnotism. By the time it reaches Narmadapuram, it is seen showering affection on children with a benevolent hand. This is the reason that this district always remains a leader in agricultural produce and forest wealth. It appears in the form of a huge energy in Omkareshwar and Maheshwar of Khargone.
One is blessed to see that form in Sahastradhara. This energy has been used in many irrigation projects and hydroelectric projects. Reaching Gujarat, it welcomes everyone with an open heart, maintaining its mature seriousness. Both the banks of Narmada are northern (Vindhya mountain range) and southern bank (Satpura mountain range). Amazingly, these forests, which have 60 percent of sal and teak, act as the source of water for Narmada and its tributary rivers and keep the rivers alive throughout the year.
The idea of damming the flow of Narmada water and using it for irrigation and hydroelectric projects arose in the late nineteenth century and by the twentieth century, about 31 lakh 92 thousand hectares of land in three states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan started being irrigated from Narmada and its tributaries.
Sardar Sarovar Project, Indira Sagar Project, Omkareshwar Project, Maheshwar Project, Rani Avanti Bai Sagar Project have increased the hydroelectric power generation capacity of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to about 3847 MW.
But Narmada has lost a lot in this development, an entire culture has been uprooted from its roots due to villages getting submerged, traditional work, agriculture, social life have been shattered, forests and wildlife have come under threat or their form has changed. Areas of archaeological importance like Maheshwar, Navdakhedi, Peetnagar, Katnera, Khapakheda have been affected by submergence, which has created a crisis for the preservation of the copper age culture here. Apart from this, temples and monuments of religious and archaeological importance have also been submerged.
The traditional route of circumambulation has also been submerged. However, with the initiative of various governments, this route, forest and culture have been protected and reconstructed and made convenient. Become a partner of nature, not a spectator; if we can contribute to keeping what nature has given us intact, air, water, soil, trees and animals, then it will be a great favor to the earth. If we cannot add anything to the earth, then we should not even try to subtract anything. This will be the biggest significance and the true meaning of living life.
Excellent coverage on Narmada Jayanti