Rivers are essential to support life on our planet. Around the globe, regardless of the region, rivers are vital for various household and agricultural purposes. They also sustain flora and fauna in their own way. India is no exception when it comes to the state of its rivers. Our rivers have paid the price of rapid development, climate change, and increasing demand for water, and the country is now facing its worst water crisis in the past four decades. At least 54 percent of the subcontinent has turned into a water-stressed dust bowl, with many rivers rapidly drying up. The dire state of rivers in our country caught our attention at The Art of Living, inspiring us to improve their condition and secure the nation's water sources.
Making Rivers Flow Smoothly
The River Rejuvenation Project at The Art of Living began in 2013, with thousands of dedicated volunteers working to restore drying and dying rivers. With a mission to bring rivers back to life and keep them free-flowing - thereby addressing India's water crisis and creating a positive impact on climate change - we set out to find a long-lasting solution. Since then, the project has grown manifold, with over 70 rivers and streams rejuvenated across five states nationwide. Around 59,000 square kilometres of area has been influenced across more than 19,000 villages, with over 65,000 structures built, benefiting 3.45 crore people. The scale of the project reflects the immense hard work, effort, and manpower that have gone into it over the years.
One such major river, which had dried up over the past twenty years, is the Naganadhi River in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu. A seasonal river that once flowed in all its grandeur was on the brink of extinction because of overexploitation and neglect. Inspired by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a team of volunteers and technical experts began implementing the Naganadhi River Rejuvenation Project under The Art of Living. It was a long journey of instilling hope and faith that began with the capacity-building of rural women, who were ready to take on the challenge of improving their basic livelihood. Bringing local communities together by introducing the practices of yoga, pranayama, and Sudarshan Kriya into their daily routines helped build the confidence needed to work towards rejuvenating the Naganadhi river basin.
As a first step, we had to work on increasing groundwater levels, and for this, the construction of recharge wells and boulder check dams was required. With the involvement of MGNREGA, a Government of India programme that guarantees wage employment to rural unskilled labour, the number of women volunteers increased from around 20,000 to 44,000. These rural women worked tirelessly with The Art of Living to dig wells, build and place cement rings, and lay heavy stones to accomplish this uphill task. A total of 5,462 recharge wells and 1,084 boulder check dams were constructed in the Kaniyambadi block of Vellore district. This increased the groundwater level from one metre to eight metres, bringing the Naganadhi River back to life.
A great deal of hard work has gone into this effort, and to date, 366 square kilometres of the Naganadhi River catchment area has been successfully revived. Forty percent of the catchment area lies in Tiruvannamalai district, while 60 percent lies in Vellore district. The river flows through 21 gram panchayats, originating in Amirthi near the Jawadhu Hills in Vellore and stretching approximately 48 kilometres before finally joining the Cheyyar River. Reviving such a long river is a challenging task. Not only has it begun flowing in its full glory again, but this seasonal river has also flowed perennially for more than 600 consecutive days since its revival.
It was a moment of pride for these women and all the volunteers in Tamil Nadu when the Honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, praised their efforts and teamwork in reviving the Naganadhi River for the third time during the 100th episode of Mann Ki Baat.
Shri Chandrashekhar Kuppan, Director of The Art of Living River Rejuvenation Projects, was honoured with the Ponnadai (Golden Shawl) in recognition of his efforts in reviving the Naganadhi and other rivers. It was truly a moment of appreciation and gratitude.
The work has been recognised and appreciated by local communities in Vellore and the surrounding regions. The District Collector and Chairman of the District Rural Development Agency, Vellore, Shri S.A. Raman also praised the successful implementation of the Naganadhi River Rejuvenation Project. The success of this initiative stands as an example of the faith and dedication of all the volunteers associated with The Art of Living, whose vision has become a reality.
The Art of Living has contributed to the revival of over 75 rivers across the country and continues to play a significant role in strengthening India's water security. It brings a deep sense of satisfaction to work towards solving water scarcity and giving back to society. The vision of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is far-reaching and continues to inspire us as a team to move forward, giving direction to our lives and meaning to the lives of others.