Two rivers flow through Smederevo, the magnificent Danube and the small, neglected Jezava River, which flows into the Danube next to the Smederevo Fortress. I often cross the bridge over the Jezava because I like to walk and enjoy nature.
The last time I walked there, I remembered the old story of the Jezava River. It is said that the Jezava was so unpredictable and cruel that people would feel creepy when someone mentions that river. It would flood around without notice, destroying crops, property and people's lives. It was named after its nature. (Creepy in Serbian means - jezivo).
When I look from the bridge now, all those stories of power and danger that the Jezava River can cause are ridiculous and pointless. It looks more like a swamp full of vegetation, dirt and mud. It has been tamed by humans since 1900 and finally destroyed.
From the source to the mouth it was 47.5 kilometers long. The course of the river was changed and cut by people in several places. Near the mouth into the Danube, the river was filled with sand, dirt and waste and a small harbour was built there. What is left of the Jezava River shows us that it is one killed river.
If this river could now be seen by people who felt creepy at the thought of the Jezava River, they would not believe their eyes. Not a trace of the former power that this small river had.
Looking at these pictures and going back to the past, or the stories we heard about the Jezava River, make us think about the transience of life and everything around us.
We see that nature recovers due to the corona virus and reduced human activity.
Is there any hope that the Jezava River will ever be restored?
