Eviction notices to Yamuna Bazar residents: Carriers of Mahabharata tales face uncertain future

Sharma said his family stayed near the ghats as priests, performing Yamuna aarti, conducting cremations at Nigambodh Ghat and carrying out rituals connected to the river. Sharma, who is also associated with the Yamuna Ghat Panda Association, said nearly 60 families with histories stretching back in time remain connected to the area.

It has been more than 200 years of continuity - of smoke from funeral pyres rising above the Nigambodh Ghat, priests performing aartis and families making the river their very own. That timeless link threatens to snap, perhaps forever, with eviction notices being served to those living in Yamuna Bazar. It could be over in just 15 days, said the residents. That's the time the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has given the families in Yamuna Bazar in north Delhi's Kashmere Gate area to vacate the settlement voluntarily, failing which demolition action would be undertaken to clear the ''encroachment''. The fear is not only of losing their homes but also of watching an entire riverbank culture, inherited across centuries, disappear. Several families living along the Yamuna said they have spent generations carrying forward traditions tied to the river, from cremation rituals to preserving stories they say date back to the Mahabharata era. Officials said notices were served earlier this week to 310 dwellings along the Yamuna floodplains in the O-Zone area designated as protected no-construction land under the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). They cited recurring flooding as a threat to human life and property. For many residents, it is the cruellest blow. ''My family has been living here for nearly 200 years now, and we even have maps and records proving our presence here for over a century. What we heard from our ancestors is that these ghats were once divided caste-wise and families had their traditional roles connected to the Yamuna,'' said Sunil Sharma, a priest at Nigambodh Ghat near Yamuna Bazar. Sharma said his family stayed near the ghats as priests, performing Yamuna 'aarti', conducting cremations at Nigambodh Ghat and carrying out rituals connected to the river. ''This is not just a place for us, it is our and the city's heritage,'' he said. Sharma, who is also associated with the Yamuna Ghat Panda Association, said nearly 60 families with histories stretching back in time remain connected to the area. Generations of priests, workers, boatmen and caretakers gradually settled around the river while serving pilgrims, cremation grounds and temple activities. ''Our fathers and grandfathers taught us the religious and cultural importance of this place. We learned priesthood here and now we are passing the same traditions to our children. ''This is how most families here earn their livelihoods. The river is not separate from our lives, it is at the centre of our existence,'' Sharma said. Surender, a 47-year-old resident and lifeguard in the area, said his family's connection to the Yamuna goes back generations. ''Our ancestors used to tell us that our family had been staying here since the time of Akbar and we have proof showing our presence here for at least 150 years. My father became known across the country because he swam from Delhi to Mathura, something no one else could do at the time,'' he said. ''About 200 years ago, our ancestors came as priests and settled in the area, and since then, we have been residing here. Even today, people are doing the same jobs, though some have gone into the corporate world to earn more money,'' added another resident. Legend and history are intricately interwoven in the area. According to historian Swapna Liddle, the Neeli Chhatri temple near Nigambodh Ghat carried significant historical importance and evidence of long human activity around the site. ''The earliest concrete historical evidence linked to the area dates back to the Mughal period, in the 16th century. There are also longstanding legends associated with the site, including stories connected to Yudhishthira and Yaksha Puja along the Yamuna,'' she said. Liddle noted that the structure presently known as the Neeli Chhatri temple was originally a pavilion before evolving into a temple during the 19th century. ''In 1852, records mention a dispute after a man came and began residing in the area, indicating that people were already living or camping around the site during that period. Wherever there were pavilions, ghats, pilgrimage points or resting areas, communities often developed around them over time,'' she added. Residents also said locals often help prevent suicides and drownings near the river. Surender said his family's expertise in swimming and rescue work came entirely from growing up alongside the Yamuna. ''Whatever we learned about swimming, survival and rescuing people, we learned from the river itself. My grandfather learned it, then my father, then I learned it and now my children are learning it too. ''Whenever the river swells during floods, we save people and prevent others from going close to dangerous areas. In many ways, we act as a protective barrier around the Yamuna,'' he said. Recalling several such incidents, he said people dealing with grief, heartbreak and financial losses come to the riverbanks almost every week. Claiming that residents were aware of the flood risks associated with living close to the river, Sharma said people had consciously chosen to remain despite the hardships. ''Water enters the houses during heavy rains, but most families here have built single-storey homes so that it becomes easier to leave temporarily if needed. We understand the risks. We have been serving the river for generations and we wish to continue doing so,'' he added.