circumambulation of River Narmada

[Gunwant Joshi]

Narmada is the only river in the world which is circumambulated in her entire length(1312 Km.) This circumambulation, which is called Narmada Parikrama, is a special kind of river pilgrimage popular in Central India. The age-old tradition of Narmada Parikrama involves walking alongside the river Narmada from her origin at Amarkantak to the sea, crossing over to the other side, and then walking back to its origin. The total journey in a properly done in tradition of Parikrama involves a riverside walking of at least 2624 Km in a period of 3 years, 3 months and 13 days.

It is a religious and adventurous trek involving visits to temples, ghats, shrines and villages. It is a form of tapasya (penance) to please the ‘mother’ Narmada who takes care and looks after the hardships and needs of all those who undertake the Parikrama. Narmada is not just a river to Parkammawasis. She is a living deity to them with whom they interact and communicate spiritually. Has anybody undertook this yatra to study the environmental issues related to the River.Please let me know about the observations on this important issue as it is the life line of Madhya Pradesh and the only perennial river in this part of the country