Stories from a desert river
Join us for an interactive storytelling session from a 150 km walk along the river Luni in Rajasthan.
About the session
The Luni is unlike any river you've imagined. Born in the Aravallis near Ajmer, it winds through the arid heart of Rajasthan, turning salty midway, sustaining life through underground aquifers rather than surface water, and vanishing quietly into the Rann of Kutch.
It is a river that defies every classroom definition of what a river should be.
In 2024, a group of fellows from the Moving Upstream: Luni Fellowship (organised by Veditum India Foundation and School of Public Policy at IIT Delhi, with support from Out of Eden Walk and A4Store) collectively covered nearly 500 kilometres of the Luni's length on foot.
This session shares stories from one of the fellows, Saurav, who walked 150kms, step by step, day by day, through villages, dry riverbeds, sandy flats, and unexpected pockets of life.
Walking is slow. And that slowness reveals things: a change in landscape you'd never notice from a car window, the generosity of strangers in remote villages, the quiet violence of sand mining, the memory of the Great Floods of 1979 still alive in people's voices, and the strange beauty of a river that most of India has never heard of.
This session will dive into these stories and experiences.
Format: 30 mins Talk, 30 mins Audience Questions and Discussion
Who is this for: Anyone curious about the environment, society, and stories from distant lands.
No prior knowledge of ecology or Rajasthan needed. Just an appetite for stories from the road.
About the speaker
Saurav is a play and learning experience designer with five years of cross-sector work spanning education, freshwater conservation, and public health.
He is currently working on a board game based on this walk.
About Quest Learning Observatory (QLO)
Nestled in Kengeri, Western Bangalore, the Quest Learning Observatory (QLO) stands as a beacon of regenerative practices and sustainable innovation. Spanning 15,000 sq. ft., this carbon-neutral hub is dedicated to fostering collaboration among interdisciplinary stakeholders in education and emerging social sectors.