For thousands of years, the Yamuna River has been considered one of the most sacred bodies of water in Vedic (ancient Hinduism) literature and, along with the Ganges, has played a significant role in modern India’s political history, religious culture, and economy.
Increasingly, pollution has endangered the Yamuna, making it difficult for residents to use the river for personal hygiene, and challenging its reputation as a source of spiritual rejuvenation. In the exhibition, Chasing a Dying River: Ghat 24 Yamuna, Delhi, India, Praveen K. Chaudhry, professor of Social Sciences, presents a collection of large-scale color photographs that document the humanitarian and social crisis currently visible along the shores of the Yamuna.