Stumbing into this distant scenery is like randomly opening an old issue of National Geographic magazine, and finding a breathtakingly panoramic two-page spread on some legendary river.
But this is polluted Yamuna in Delhi. From this vantage spot on Nizamuddin bridge, however, the river, winding through a terrain of trees and greens, looks quite pristine. Such is the subtle playful trick of the little-known Yamuna View Point to upend a citizen’s silted relationship with the river.
The baggy wide Delhi is a mishmash of signature scenes: the cliffy rocks of the Aravali ridge, the concrete stalagmites of Gurugram, the bookstores of Khan Market, the traffic jams of Ashram flyover, the white bungalows of Chankayapuri, the Maggi stalls of North Campus, the tombs, the forts and the whatnot.
Read: Delhiwale: Half a farmer
But hardly anybody cares to include the sacred river into this standard mural, even though it travels 22km within Delhi khaas, and covers 48km in the entire Delhi region, and has Gurugram’s Sahibi river as its tributary.
This elevated spot becomes special because it cracks down on that ignorance. It shows Yamuna’s true place in the city. Here, the river is sufficiently close to give us a perspective of its glassy beauty, and far enough for us not to suffer from its stench and filth.
This rainy afternoon, the Yamuna is looking as intrinsic to Delhi as Ganga-ji must be to Benares and the Seine to je t’aime Paris. The vast tract of land and water exudes the vibes of a coveted tourist trap. You can easily visualise hundreds of Delhiwale mobbing the banks from both sides of Jamnapaar, turning the river into a fairground of boat rides, floating dhabas, ice-cream shikaras. (Post sundown, the riverside Akshardham Mandir firing up the dark water with its night lights.)
{{/usCountry}}This rainy afternoon, the Yamuna is looking as intrinsic to Delhi as Ganga-ji must be to Benares and the Seine to je t’aime Paris. The vast tract of land and water exudes the vibes of a coveted tourist trap. You can easily visualise hundreds of Delhiwale mobbing the banks from both sides of Jamnapaar, turning the river into a fairground of boat rides, floating dhabas, ice-cream shikaras. (Post sundown, the riverside Akshardham Mandir firing up the dark water with its night lights.)
{{/usCountry}}Delhi actually did enjoy an intimacy with the Yamuna. The 14th century sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya lived and mediated beside the river. Legend tells of him spotting an impoverished woman drawing water from a well. He asked her why she was not using the Yamuna water instead. The woman respectfully said that Jamna jal was so tasty that it induced hunger, and she had nothing with her to eat.
Today, one might wonder what Delhi’s Yamuna would have looked like if the city had let it be. A perfect point to ponder at Yamuna View Point.
PS: A popular shikanji and paneer pakora shop stands close to the river point.
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Stay updated with all top Cities including, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and more across India. Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News along with Delhi Election 2025 and Delhi Election Result 2025 Live, New Delhi Election Result Live, Kalkaji Election Result Live at Hindustan Times.