Nadi Utsav 2026: Yamuna’s Culture, History and Living Heritage Take Centre Stage

The Yamuna is being explored through a cultural and historical lens at the 7th Nadi Utsav, organised by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in New Delhi from September 24 to 26.

The three-day programme focuses on the river beyond its environmental significance, examining its connections with history, culture, biodiversity, memory and everyday social life.

Important points readers should notice.

Issue/Event: 7th Nadi Utsav focuses on the Yamuna’s cultural, historical and ecological heritage.

Location: IGNCA, Janpath Building, New Delhi.

Authority/Organisation: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).

Action Taken: Seminars, documentary screenings and exhibitions are being organised around the river.

Impact: The festival presents the Yamuna as part of India’s living cultural and civilisational heritage alongside its environmental importance.

The festival includes a seminar titled “The Eternal Yamuna: Chronicles of Conflict, Biotic Healing, and the Socio-Cultural Hearth”, along with a documentary film festival titled “The River as an Archivist.” The programme also includes a photographic initiative centred on the Yamuna.

The opening ceremony highlighted the long relationship between Indian civilisation and rivers. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjeet Singh Sandhu said India’s cities, civilisations, literature, music, art and traditions have historically remained closely connected with rivers.

He also said that the rejuvenation of the Yamuna needs to be viewed as both an environmental and cultural mission, involving sustained public awareness and action.

The Yamuna is often discussed primarily through pollution, water quality and environmental concerns. Nadi Utsav adds another dimension by examining how the river has shaped cultural memory, traditions, communities and the historical identity of the region. This broader perspective connects environmental concerns with the cultural relationship between people and rivers.

The event is therefore bringing together different ways of understanding the Yamuna — as an ecological system, a historical presence and a part of living cultural traditions.

Six exhibitions associated with the festival will remain open to visitors from 10 AM to 7 PM through September 30, allowing visitors to explore the river through themes including culture, memory, environment and living traditions.