Traditional desert dwellers, semi-nomadic shepherds, call upon ancient wisdom to survive in the deep Thar desert of Rajasthan. This is a story about people who remember where the wells live
All the drinking water in the world will fit in a cube that can sit over the city of Bangalore. And in this industrial age, everyone wants a share of aquifers, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Voices get shriller and stakes rise ever higher should a river cross international boundaries. Add to all this, the unpredictability of weather patterns in the age of climate change.
On the freshwater trail, I will follow the changing fortunes of people and species in the anthropocene era
The Indian government calls 68% of the Thar a "wasteland," and plans to "better utilize" it. Actions born of this new lexicon threaten to destroy livelihoods and an ecosystem at a time when monsoons are unpredictable
The deep Thar desert sees only forty cloudy days. Yet, the shepherds have as many different names for clouds. Does the essence of thriving in this hostile clime begin with an evocative lexis of the land?
When we lose an evocative lexicon of the land, when we forget, we lose what Barry Lopez calls the “voice of memory over the land.” This is an attempt to keep that lexicon alive
People of the Thar desert who live with the cycle of seasons find ways of feeding thousands of people without irrigation. This story unfolds over a year and recounts history through contemporary lives lived gently
This freshwater trail has wandered through Rajasthan, Assam, Arunachal pradesh, northern Bangladesh, to the Ganges in West Bengal, and into the massive active delta, the Sundarbans. A map of the journey thus far ...
Intriguing….waiting for more…
Coming soon… 🙂 Stay tuned.
Beautiful. Moving. Some of it gives me gooseflesh. Thank you storyteller:)).
Thanks Vasanthi!
Lovely narrative of water wisdom, reminds me of my hometown days where conditions similar to the Thar exist. Wish our urbanites understand the worth of water.
Lovely to hear from you, VMR! Really? Would love to hear those stories some day.
Arati…I just got caught in the water tales as you gently shared the stories from the deserts…..these barren expanses have always fascinated humankind and hold within themselves so many mysteries….thank you for the pictures and more for the words that show you a thousand things……wishing you many wells and springs and Chhattar Singh and his ilk many rains…..
What a heartwarming comment, Rini. Indeed, i too fervently hope it rains there.
(Grew up listening to you, it’s wonderful to hear from you!) thanks, hope to have you along on this Freshwater Trail.
Spent the last hour reading the most wonderfully written article and learnt so much from it. Thank you. Proud of you.
Thank you :))
Methods you are trying to explore about water and life there really interests me. Loved the story on the whole..
Keep it up!!!
Thanks so much. Hope you will keep visiting. there is more to come …
Whatchu doing in a human body, its only demigods who allow people to live through them. We are living some of life’s special droplets through you Arati, thanks for that.
So glad you enjoyed it, means a lot. Thanks, Hozi!
Great stuff Arati! Best writing I’ve read in a while. You ought to write a novel. I’ll crowd fund it!
What a generous comment, Anand. Thanks so much, very glad you liked it. I might take you up on that offer someday … soon!
Hi Arati
That was beautiful and provided insight into something one never thought about earlier! And that too via amazing research and writing. look forward to more from you!
Veenu aunty & Dev Uncle
How lovely to hear from you both! Really glad you liked it. There is much more to come, please do return soon. Much love and warmest of regards, Arati
This is fantastic Arati. Can’t wait for the next installment. I just saw the desert through your eyes! Thanks for that.
Really appreciate you reading and writing in, Monisha. Super glad you liked it. Yes, there’s more where this came from. Stay tuned, do 🙂
[…] installment in a series of photo essays about water culture in the Thar desert of Rajasthan, India. “The Memory of the Wells” tells the story of a semi-nomadic tribe that can locate freshwater reserves in one of the […]
Unbelievable. In these days when you can never get enough of greedy journalists seeking fame and fortune everywhere, your work is a stunning example of what the true spirit of Journalism should be. Your work would serve as a pathfinder for generations to come.
Please be safe because what you are doing is crucial for posterity.
Good Luck and Godspeed.
Superb work. Thanks for sharing these life stories. Wonderful connecting with real people,real places through an author who shares what really matters.
Thanks