"Namami Devi Narmade": Narmada Jayanti, a holy river considered as giver of peace

On the day of Shukla Paksha Saptami of Magha month, devotees worship river Narmada that brings peace and prosperity in their life. Many people visit Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, the origin of river Narmada, to celebrate Narmada Jayanti.

'Giving Pleasure' is the meaning of Narmada. In sanskrit Narma means 'pleasure,' and da means 'to give' in Sanskrit. Narmada is also known as Narbada in some regions of India. It is said that viewing the river alone rids a person of all his bad karmas.

Explaining how the river was formed, the people tell that when Indian Lord Shiva, sat meditating, his intense concentration made him break into a sweat. As it rolled down, it got collected in a tank, which eventually overflowed as the Narmada.

The Narmada River is regarded as the mother and giver of peace .Narmada is mentioned in ancient texts of India as one of the seven most sacred rivers in India. The river is considered as the Goddess and is worshiped in India.

According to the Puranas, the Narmada is also called the Rewa, from its leaping motion (from the root 'rev') through its rocky bed. Unlike the country's Himalayan rivers, the river does not originate from glaciers, but in a forest of sal trees in Amarkantak. This river passes through the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. It's also known as "Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat's Lifeline" because of its numerous contributions to both the states. Along with the Tapti River, it is one of only two large rivers in peninsular India that flow from east to west (longest west flowing river).

The locals in Madhya Pradesh tell that no one till date has been able to reach the Narmada River bed, nor is the actual depth of the river known to anyone yet, as it is too deep.