Ayushi Goyal

UR2008

A Long Walk to Water

A long walk to water narrates stories of loss associated with the Sardar Sarovar Project. Intentionally situated along the Garudeshwar Dam a part of the larger Sardar Sarovar Project, the intervention sits in protest against what several activists term “ dam fundamentalism.” The Sardar Sarovar Project came into existence to benefit the farmers and promised water to the drought prone areas of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The first stone of the Dam was laid in the year 1961 and since then the saga of submergence of multiple villages in the command area began. A long walk to water is designed to be a platform for these voices. Voices that were drowned as the backwaters rose. The installation is situated on the edge of Garudeshwar dam which is one such undergoing project. The function is to store the water during peak hour and generate power. However it is claimed that the main reason why the dam is being built is to make a path to a statue of unity. From this, approximately 11 villages are likely to be impacted. With the end to this walk, visitors are stirred with a thought, a conflict of visions and emotions linked to the construction of the project, thus providing a remembrance to the sufferers.

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The Sardar Sarovar Project came into existence to benefit the farmers and promised water to the drought prone areas of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The first stone of the Dam was laid in the year 1961 and since then the saga of submergence of multiple villages in the command area began. Narmada River became the primary gathering spot with protesters submerging themselves in the river as a sign of suffering. So many people died and lost everything. To achieve the fulfillment of the dam's vision, many villagers lost everything they had, cattles, occupations, and livelihood were compromised. The homes given were of very poor quality with tin shade and no primary facilities. The ultimate way left for many helpless people was suicide as no hope for future could be seen.

The installation is situated on the edge of Garudeshwar dam which is one such undergoing project. The basic function of the dam is to store the water during peak hour and generate power. However it is claimed that the main reason why the dam is being built is to make a path to a statue of unity through boating. For continuation of the project clearance from Wildlife Board and Gram Sabhas are legally required, yet no recorded data is signed, approximately 11 villages are likely to be impacted.

A long walk to water stands in solidarity with the land and people this project will impact. It is a reminder of the land and livelihood that was lost earlier. A long walk to water showcases a memorial made with the hope of making people understand the sufferings that were caused for the construction of that project. It is a journey, a walk with spaces providing ambiances echoing the stories of losses. The viewer senses different emotions of the sufferers through the archives connecting them to the suffering of the people during the constructiong of Sardar Sarovar Project.

The journey commences from a converging space called ‘The Change’ which highlights a transition from natural landscape livelihood to the developed dam. From the entrance you come to THE LOST HOPE; which focuses on showing the emotions of people during the protests that were held. The fins reveal the stories of the protests with the mist on the roof increasing to add an effect of blurriness to indicate the fading of dreams and hopes of affected villagers. The floor is covered with sand to provide the feeling of walking in water, the spaces provide tactility to engage the visitors. Explaining various Pause points , the cascading waterfalls are designed for people to sit and take time to understand the experience. The lost hope then takes you to Into The Water where you enter through darkness and then get into an illusioning pool that has water everywhere around it but it cannot enter the space. As you move out of the submergence pool, you enter into the Aftermath which mak

The Gap Between shows the separation of people from each other and narmada river through water spouts falling from converging walls. The curve of time shows the disparity faced by low lying villages which did not get water but the water parks in Gujarat were getting water. The compromise is a confusing space where you don't know what should be your next step and you just want to get out of this space because it is so heated and claustrophobic. After the journey of emotions you move to the auditorium where you see the documentary of the suffering of people’s lives because of the SSP. as you move out of the auditorium

The Journey takes you to the boat ride space from where you can travel to Statue of Unity. With the end to this walk, visitors are stirred with a thought, a conflict of visions and emotions linked to the construction of the project, thus providing a remembrance to the sufferers.