Washing over an era
In Ahmedabad, India, Sabarmati river has been an intricate part of its history, culture, development, and people. From a perennial river in the 19th century to a now a stagnant water body in the city, Sabarmati has developed dramatically. In the past decade, the urban development of Sabarmati Riverfront has caused displacement of houses and all livelihood practices practiced on the banks have been banned.
The project constructs a historical context of the Sabarmati, the act of washing clothes around it and develops a time-based narrative of how the setting has evolved to what is now established as a formal, organized system of work. water has lost its identity as a river and the relationship of a water-dependent community has evolved over time.
The archival images belong to the archives of National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India.
