Orijit Sen began River of Stories after becoming involved with the Narmada Bachao Andolan in 1991. Published in 1994, the graphic novel brings a reporter’s account of resistance in the Narmada Valley into conversation with Bhilala stories about Rewa, the mythological name of the river. Sen’s official website describes it as “one of the first Indian graphic novels in English”; it is often called India’s first, though that priority claim depends on how the genre is defined.
How the Narmada Valley inspired the book
After leaving the National Institute of Design, Sen and his partner, Gurpreet, became involved with the Narmada Bachao Andolan in 1991. Sen has said he wanted to make a book inspired by the struggles of people in the valley. His environmentalist friends at Kalpavriksh helped secure a small grant for the project, according to his recollection in a 2022 Hindustan Times interview.
Sen wrote and drew the book, which appeared in 1994. He recalls that comics in India then attracted little interest as art or storytelling. The original print run was about 800 copies, he said—not a verified sales total—and bookshops showed little interest. Many copies were sold through People Tree, the bookstore he and Gurpreet ran; he recalls that the book went out of print by 1996.
Two stories meet at the river
Vishnu reports on resistance
The contemporary story follows Vishnu, a journalist from Delhi who travels to report on resistance to development in the Narmada Valley. The fictional Rewa Andolan in the book is closely based on the real Narmada Bachao Andolan, but the two are not the same organisation.
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Rewa carries a mythic history
Running alongside Vishnu’s reporting is a mythic thread drawn from Bhilala stories about Rewa, the mythological name for the Narmada. As the strands develop, the book brings their different ways of understanding the river and the valley into contact. Sen’s official account of the book describes the work as joining the present-day struggle with the river’s older cultural and ecological life.
What the book asks about nature and development
Sen describes River of Stories as a juxtaposition of different understandings of nature and humanity. In his account, one view treats the river as a resource for short-term gain; another recognises the valley as an ecological and cultural home. The contrast is the book’s framing, not evidence that everyone in any community holds one uniform position.
The story’s political force comes from putting those perspectives beside each other rather than reducing the valley to a single debate about infrastructure. Vishnu’s reporting gives the conflict a contemporary, journalistic frame; the Rewa thread places it in a longer imaginative and cultural relationship with the river.
Why it is called a landmark—and the qualification
River of Stories is widely described in coverage as India’s first graphic novel. Sen’s website uses the more qualified phrase “one of the first Indian graphic novels in English.” The distinction matters: claims of “first” can turn on what counts as a graphic novel, and the author’s own wording avoids making an absolute claim.
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Sen brought the book back into print decades later to remind readers of a longer history of protest. In the January 2023 Scroll interview, he said: “I brought this book out again to tell people there is a long history of resistance and protesting. To me, it’s very important that people realise that.” The interview discusses the 25th-anniversary edition and the book’s origins.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which edition to look for
Edition records differ by publisher and market. Blaft Publications lists a hardcover 25th Anniversary Edition, ISBN 978-93-80636-50-4. Google Books catalogs a separate 2026 US edition, ISBN 9781935717232, at 116 pages, credited to Muae Publishing with Kulhar Books. These bibliographic listings identify editions, not current retailer stock; availability may vary by territory.
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| Edition record | Details | What the record establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Blaft Publications 25th Anniversary Edition | Hardcover; ISBN 978-93-80636-50-4 | Publisher listing |
| 2026 US edition | 116 pages; ISBN 9781935717232; Muae Publishing with Kulhar Books | Google Books catalog record, not proof of live inventory |
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
