The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), an Autonomous Trust under Ministry of Culture, Government of India, is a premier research and source centre, engaged in research, documentation, publication, and dissemination of knowledge in the field of arts. The centre’s view of the arts encompasses a wide area of studies, such as creative and critical literature, written and oral; the visual arts, ranging from architecture, sculpture, painting, and graphics to general material culture; photography and film; the performing arts of music, dance and theatre in their broadest connotation; and all else in festivals, fairs, and in lifestyles that has an artistic dimension.
The Janapada Sampada Division of IGNCA undertakes research and documentation on the contextual aspects of culture which include lifestyles, traditions, folklore, and art practices of communities, from eco-cultural and socio-economic points of view. Concentrating on the oral traditions, it covers a wide spectrum encompassing regional studies from a multidisciplinary perspective emphasising the inter-relationship between different cultural groups and communities. The activities of this Division broadly come under:
(A) Ethnographic Collection
(B) Lifestyle Studies, which has two programmes-
(i) Loka Parampara (ii) Kshetra Sampada
Seeking to bridge the gap between modern society and its rivers while highlighting the depth of our riverine culture, the Janapada Sampada Division of IGNCA initiated a major project titled- ‘Riverine Culture’, in 2018. This initiative is dedicated to exploring the civilisations that have flourished along our riverbanks, focusing on the Indian traditions that honour our deep-rooted connection with rivers through sacred prayers, rituals, fairs, and festivals.
The Nadi Utsav is an annual flagship initiative under the Riverine Culture project, celebrating the enduring legacy of our waterways. It serves as a vital platform for debates, discussions, and the exchange of ideas regarding the country’s riverine legacy. Thus far, six successful editions have been held across several river-based cities of India, including the banks of the Godavari in Nashik, the Krishna in Vijayawada, the Ganga in Munger, and the Yamuna in Delhi.