Fragile beauty

Narmada is a stunning and intense portrayal of a river that reveals not only an artistic attention to detail but a profound contemplation of life, culture, history and religion, all intertwined with the story of of one of India&rsquos most sacred rivers.

The book details Vegad&rsquos long pilgrimage following the Narmada &mdash never once crossing the river but traversing the length of it on both banks. He constructs the course of the river through a series of vivid descriptions and elegant metaphors, once describing the Narmada as progressing from &ldquoan age of stone&rdquo to an &ldquoage of sand&rdquo, as it leaves the mountainous gorges and enters the plains. In one phrase he conveys the timelessness and geological majesty of the river. The book sometimes reads like a painting, a series of impressions that euphorically exults in the natural world. From the sparkling purity of the Narmada, to the swirling smoky colours of a kirtan in an isolated village, Vegad evokes the river&rsquos mysticism and power.

The book is also accompanied by the author&rsquos paintings, which augment the already vivid imagery that the writing develops. Narmada is, though, far more than a descriptive travelogue, as every sight and sound encountered along the journey inspires the author to greater contemplation. Whether he is debating the origins of beauty (divinely endowed or slowly evolved) or the changing face of religion (should pilgrims follow only the Narmada or its new canals as well), Vegad fills his book with thought-provoking anecdotes and revelations that challenge preconceptions.