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What happened to the Yamuna that once shaped Delhi?

Once central to Delhi’s economy and culture, the Yamuna now sits at the heart of competing visions for the capital’s future.

The Yamuna flowing along the eastern wall of the Red Fort (Wikimedia Commons)

12 min read New Delhi Nov 10, 2026 07:47 PM IST First published on: Nov 10, 2026 at 12:41 PM IST

For Subhadra Mitra Channa, author and retired professor of anthropology, the Yamuna of her growing years was vastly different from what it is today. “There used to be multiple ghats, extensive cultivation of vegetables and fruit, particularly melons, and boats sailing along the river. Dhobis washed clothes along its banks, while temples, boatmen and fishermen were a familiar sight. The river was so wide that one could not see from one side to the other.…