By the Vrishabhavathi River Monthly Gathering• April 2026
Childhood stories by the river
Interestingly, we had several senior citizens join the session that day and with them came a treasure trove of memories.
Many shared memories of growing up beside rivers in different parts of India, in places and circumstances so different from one another. And yet, the feeling in all their stories was remarkably the same.
There was joy. There was a sense of freedom, belonging and wonder. There was the simple happiness of living close to a river – of knowing it, playing around it, watching it change with the seasons and growing up with it as a key part of everyday life.
As they spoke, you could see something come alive in their faces. There was a twinkle in their eyes, and a warmth in their voices that made it clear that these were not just memories of places. These were memories of a relationship – a love for rivers that had stayed with them all these years.
It was deeply moving to listen to them.
Perhaps rivers leave behind something much more enduring than water. They leave memories, stories and a sense of belonging that can travel across generations. And as we listened to these elders remember the rivers of their childhood, we couldn’t help but wonder:
What memories of rivers will today’s children carry with them? Will they too have a river to remember, love and miss?
