Sounds of the Soil

The collection of songs and stories presented here are a homage to the women farmers of the Deccan Plateau and other dryland regions of the country. The songs gathered from the—landless and land-owning women farmers in the Zaheerabad region of Telangana are a joyous celebration of life. They evoke a collective memory of women, reminding them of the hard life they face through droughts and seasonal hard work. At the same time, they showcase the resilience of women farmers to make the most of what mother earth has given them. The songs in the local dialect have been transliterated and translated into English.