changeadminThe recently concluded Nadi Utsav (River Festival), organised by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts in New Delhi, featured two storytelling events that highlighted environmental degradation, river pollution in the Ganga and environmental apathy.
The festival, which took place over three days in September, celebrated rivers as ecological lifelines and cultural reservoirs, reaffirming the bond between communities in India and their rivers. It brought filmmakers, scholars, celebrities, students, and artists, highlighting rivers as ecological and cultural lifelines.
Adding an artistic layer to the festival, the evening session of the second day featured an environmental storytelling segment, ‘Ganga’s Curse’ by Kapil Pandey, as well as ‘Ganga Gaatha (Dastangoi)’ by Himanshu Bajpai and Pragya Sharma.
The first show of the evening, Ganga’s Curse, created by Kapil Pandey, was a musical, interactive experience that recounts the story of the descent of the river goddess Ganga to Earth, as described in ancient Hindu texts.
Using his acoustic guitar, Kapil Pandey began the show humming songs in Raag Yaman, an early evening raga renowned for its meditative qualities. He captivated the audience with a melody, “We got the whole World in our hands”, to start the mythological tale about the Ganga River.
The legend holds that the river Ganga initially flowed in the heavens and was brought down to Earth upon the request of the royal sage Bhagiratha to cleanse the sins of his ancestors. However, her powerful descent could have destroyed the Earth, so Lord Shiva captured her waters in his matted hair to break her fall before releasing her gently to flow upon the Earth.
Kapil blended this mythological tale with humour and music, highlighting the curse that caused the river to flow on Earth, where it faces disrespect and pollution.
Ganga’s Curse explores the deeper meaning of myths and legends in relation to our natural world. It highlights the real-world issues of river pollution, reflecting on how people relate to the environment.
Kapil closed off his hour-long performance with that hopeful tune, “We got the whole World in our hands”.
Meanwhile, the second show, Ganga Gaatha, by Himanshu and Pragya, was a performance that utilised the traditional 16th-century art form of Dastangoi to narrate stories centred on the river Ganga.
The presentation depicts the struggles and agony of the river Ganga as it fights for survival against pollution and neglect. The environmental storytelling is narrated in a dialogue format between the sage Gangapoot and the River Ganga, where the former attempts to convince the sacred river not to leave our Planet.
Apart from the mythological tale of Bhagiratha’s endeavours to bring the river to the Earth, another interesting story, part of the Ganga Gaatha, features a fable about deep friendship between a fig tree and a parrot. In the tale, the Ganga’s divine water brings life back to the dry fig tree stump, rekindling the friendship and symbolising hope.
The one-hour performance blends cultural heritage with environmental activism, highlighting the river’s critical condition and urging respect and care for it.
Himanshu concluded the evening, encouraging the audience to retell Ganga stories and raise awareness about protecting the Ganga, while also seeking to restore the river’s dignity and honour.
Wrapping Up
Even though, from a religious and cultural perspective, the Ganga is regarded as the most sacred river in India and worshipped as the goddess Ganga, it faces apathy and degradation.
The river basin that provides essential water for drinking, irrigation, and industry, sustaining the livelihoods of its inhabitants, is now suffering from industrial waste, agricultural runoff, and plastic pollution.
Addressing Ganga pollution requires systemic improvements in infrastructure, as well as widespread ecological education and participation.
Therefore, this communication format is unique in its combination of folklore with environmental storytelling, aiming to educate and entertain simultaneously.
Both “Ganga Gaatha” by Himanshu and Pragya and “Ganga’s Curse” by Kapil Pandey incorporate elements of mythology, blending them with environmental concerns in a way that encourages participants to think critically about their ecological impact and attitudes.
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