A river is not merely a lifeline for a civilisation — it is also a cradle of culture. In India, rivers have shaped not only settlements and economies but also inspired generations of artists, giving birth to diverse art movements rooted in faith, folklore, ritual and everyday life. Celebrating this enduring legacy, the “Nadi Utsav: An Exhibition of Rare Photographs and Paintings” has been well received at Victoria Memorial Hall (VMH), and plans are underway to take the festival to other parts of the country.A senior official from the Ministry of Culture said the enthusiastic turnout in Kolkata has encouraged organisers to consider hosting the festival in other major cities, particularly across the Indo-Gangetic plain — a region historically shaped by some of India’s most significant rivers.Hosted at the Durbar Hall of Victoria Memorial Hall from February 2 to 11, 2026, the exhibition is a collaboration between VMH and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA). The initiative aims to foreground the cultural and ecological importance of rivers through visual art and scholarly engagement.The exhibition was inaugurated by Swapan Dasgupta, eminent scholar and former Member of the Rajya Sabha. Organised as part of the broader #NadiUtsav initiative, it features rare photographs and paintings that explore India’s riverine heritage through the lenses of myth, pilgrimage, ritual practices, livelihoods and artistic traditions.Curated by noted art restorer and collector Ganesh Pratap Singh from his private collection at Virasat Art, the show brings together works by both Indian and European artists. “Through this Nadi Utsav, we celebrate numerous art forms that flourished along riverbanks, centring around religious, social and political customs and rituals. Both Indian and European artists captured these moments truthfully, making them time-transcendent,” Singh said.As part of the festival, the Janapada Sampada Division of IGNCA also organised a two-day seminar at the venue, encouraging dialogue among scholars, artists and cultural practitioners on the evolving narratives of riverine culture.Ellora Singh, a young art researcher and curator who assisted in setting up the exhibition, said the response from visitors has been heartening. “We are overwhelmed by the sheer number of people visiting the show. People resonate deeply with the exhibition because they live with the river and are intimately acquainted with riverine culture,” she said.Officials acknowledged the support of Virasat Art, the Victoria Memorial Hall team led by Secretary and Curator Anurag Kumar, and other collaborators who helped mount the exhibition.With rivers facing increasing ecological pressures, organisers say the festival also carries an implicit message: preserving rivers is not only an environmental necessity but a cultural imperative. If plans to take Nadi Utsav to other cities materialise, the celebration of India’s riverine imagination may soon flow far beyond Kolkata.
