Guest post by illustrator & artist – Khyati Pathak
Once upon a time, there was a river.. today, there is a naala. Where did the river go?
While the write up may sound hyperbolic, unfortunately, all of it is referencing a disaster playing out in reality. I am leaving links in the reference section for those who want to learn more. The theme and content is inspired by the journey and work of my friend, Siddharth Agarwal, who has walked 3000 km along the Ganga in trying to understand and document the issues of rivers in India. His work has definitely informed my understanding of rivers.
This somewhat different format is inspired from Sam Wallman’s illustrated essay that you can see here. You can find more of my work here and here.
References:
- Seaplane for Statue of Unity to cost hundreds of crocodiles their home
- National River Linking Project: Dream or Disaster?
- Walking along the Ganga
- National Geographic – Inside the deadly world of India’s sand mining mafia
- The Cauvery water dispute explained
- SANDRP: On world fisheries day Gujarat fish workers dependent on Narmada river demand cancellation of bhadbhut dam and rejuvenation of river
- Ecological degradation at Narmada’s origin in Amarkantak spells more trouble
About the author
Khyati is an analyst turned artist who creates comics for introverts, bookworms and the socially awkward. She loves to write and draw, but mostly just wonders and wanders. You can find her comics at www.thescribblebee.com
Note from Veditum
We’re fascinated with the idea that our work has contributed to the creation of such powerful art, and continue with the hope that our work will have lasting impact. Khyati’s essay is a brilliant example of the role that storytelling plays in effectively and simply communicating complex issues.
This comic was first published on the Bakarmax website at this link and has been republished with permission from the author and editors at Bakarmax.