In Mhaswad, where I grew up, I have witnessed firsthand the daily struggle for water.
This area, Man Desh lies in the heart of Maharashtra where Dhangar shepherds, a nomadic tribe, have roamed for centuries. Their survival in this arid landscape of the Deccan Plateua is dependent on their knowledge of finding water sources.
For years, I have watched women queueing up to fill their pots. The state government only provides water supply for an hour every 12 days. At the weekly market, farmers spoke of their water woes and how they are unable to find water despite digging deep wells. When they do get water, it is often contaminated, leading to diseases such as kidney stones.
In this dire situation, farming is no longer an option. Youth from these villages migrate to bigger cities like Mumbai.
Gaikwad, a farmer from Karkhel has sold all his cattle and now keeps only goats. His fields are dry and his sons have migrated to Mumbai for wage labour. In his sixties, Gaikwad lives along with his wife and grandkids, and he hopes to get water before he dies. The entire family uses the same water which they took bath in for utensils and clothes. The same water is provided to the mango tree in front of his house.
Travelling across Mann in Satara district, The search for water documents the stories of people reeling under an acute water crisis and those who supply water to them.