The Betwa River, once revered as Vetravati, has long been more than a mere water body—it has been the lifeline of the Vindhya region, a silent witness to the rise and fall of kingdoms, and a sacred force woven into the cultural and spiritual identity of Madhya Pradesh.
However, today, this mighty river, which once breathed life into civilizations, stands on the brink of extinction—gasping, groaning, and almost gone.
Originating from the serene Jhiri village in Raisen district, Betwa was once considered an eternal river, its waters a gift from the Vindhya ranges, flowing ceaselessly throughout the year. But now, the very source of the river has dried up, leaving behind parched earth and fractured soil.
The bridges and ghats that once bore witness to its ever-flowing waters now stand abandoned over barren land, exuding an air of neglect and despair.
“Betwa has been flowing since Vedic times. There was a sacred stepwell at its origin, but now, even that has vanished,” lamented Gopal Das Maharaj, a custodian of the river’s ancient legacy.
From the verses of the Vedas to the epic tales of the Mahabharata, where she was honored as Vetravati—the river of penance, purity, and perseverance—Betwa has been an integral part of India’s spiritual and cultural history.
Today, however, the river is a shadow of its former self, encased in concrete walls, its veins drained by illegal borewells, and its essence siphoned off by relentless human greed.
Encroachments have imprisoned the river’s source, while deforestation and illegal sand mining have ravaged its basin. The monsoon rains, which once replenished Betwa’s waters, now fail to restore its lost vitality. Instead of the rhythmic sounds of flowing water, the air is now filled with the relentless hum of machines piercing into its fragile bed.
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“From Raisen to Vidisha, water is being extracted from Betwa through illegal borewells. The forests that once shielded the river have been cut down, and its natural course has been obstructed. This is a deliberate effort to kill Betwa,” asserted environmentalist Rakesh Meena, his voice carrying a mixture of anger and sorrow.
The crisis unfolding before our eyes is not merely nature’s wrath—it is a consequence of human negligence. Reckless construction, excessive excavation, and an utter lack of conservation efforts have led to the slow but certain demise of the river.
The catchment areas that once acted as reservoirs during dry months have now been consumed by concrete jungles. Villages and farmlands, once thriving along the riverbanks, now face an uncertain future, their lifeline slowly disappearing.
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“Betwa is in a battle for survival,” said social activist Brijendra Pandey. “Four decades ago, we protested when Bhopal’s sewage was being dumped into her waters. We pleaded with the authorities, but no one listened. Today, as she lies dying, the silence remains deafening.”
For the farmers who depend on Betwa, the river’s decline has been devastating.
“The water flow has completely collapsed. The river has been abandoned, just like us,” lamented Laxman Meena, a distressed farmer whose once-prosperous fields now lie barren, waiting for rains that may never come.
Despite the dire situation, government responses have been lackluster.
“Betwa’s source is sacred. We have planned corrective measures, and their impact will soon be visible,” promised Collector Arun Kumar Vishwakarma. However, these assurances offer little solace when immediate action is desperately required.
But time is running out.
Rivers do not die in an instant—they fade away, their demise marked by neglect, exploitation, and ultimately, indifference. With them, entire histories and legacies are erased. If urgent steps are not taken to conserve, protect, and restore the Betwa, it will soon be reduced to a mere name in history books, its songs sung only in memory.
The loss of Betwa would not just be an environmental disaster; it would be a cultural and spiritual tragedy for Raisen, Vidisha, and the heart of Madhya Pradesh.
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