THE STORY OF A DROUGHT

Maharastra, India’s richest state by GDP, has its eyes set on becoming the country’s first trillion dollar economy by 2025. At the same time, Marathwada – a historically backward part of the state, adjoining the distressed Vidarbha region and home to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Ajanta and Ellora caves – has seen a surge in farmer suicides.

At the heart of the crisis is a cyclical drought that has persisted for almost a decade. Relief packages and loan waivers have not reversed the trend. The story of dystopia grows more tragic every year as thousands of farmer families flee to the cities, while those who stay back are plagued by bad credit and crop loss.

Landscapes of Loss tells the story of Marathwada through the accounts of its people: marginal farmers, dalits, landless labourers, farm widows and children. It lays bare the complex factors that have brought the region to this pass – a story representative, in many ways, of the agrarian unrest in large parts of rural India.

Painter, sculptor, graphic artist, designer and teacher, A Ramachandran is not only among India’s most distinguished artists, but also a seasoned storyteller. Whether recalling a golden childhood in Kerala or recounting life-altering encounters with masters of art, he does it with grace, finesse and empathy. Illustrated with a selection of his best drawings and artworks, this book begins with a delightful autobiographical essay in which he tells us about his early fascination with oil paintings, temples, and the clock, besides his first Mona Lisa whom he painted at the age of 12: the maidservant. He follows it up with captivating pieces that reveal the depth, passion and humanness of one of the finest minds at work in India.