Moving Upstream - Betwa - Veditum India Foundation

The Moving Upstream: Betwa program is a continuation of Veditum’s Moving Upstream project in collaboration with The Out of Eden Walk, focussed on river systems in India. Our aim is to document everyday life and create data points to improve our understanding of the Betwa river ecosystem. We’re looking at use of water in different sectors, agriculture, people’s relationship with the river and cultural practices. The Betwa river basin with its unmatched cropping diversity, culture & an increased presence in environmental conversations is of extreme interest to us.

The Betwa River, a tributary of the Yamuna, takes shape North of Hoshangabad very close to the ancient Bhimbetka caves. It then cuts north through Madhya Pradesh and then veers east through Bundelkhand before joining the Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh. The river provides water to Bhopal city and sustains a number of industries in the region. There have been multiple dams commissioned on this river since Independence, the first of which was built by the UP irrigation department. The river also passes through the medieval town of Orchha, which has various monuments and forts on its banks. In recent times this river has been of extra interest with increased pressure for the clearance of the Ken-Betwa river linking project.

Through two iterations of our fellowship program, our 8 amazing fellows have been able to document the River Betwa through their unique perspectives, producing a body of work that is now a detailed resource about the river and its people.