Cattle fairs in Karnataka happen between the months of February and April when festivals of harvest and new year are celebrated. It is season of paying respect to forefathers, being grateful to nature and praying for a fruitful year ahead.
It is also a welcome break for many farming communities in the region to venture out of their villages on a leisurely intent and go on pilgrimages. It is the time when farmers bond, exchange resources, make acquaintances and trade cattle before the next season of farming pulls them back to routine.
This series of analog photographs (mostly 120 format) were made between 2013 & 14, and happens to be my first visual exploration of cattle fairs in Karnataka. After having briefly covered the Amritmahal grasslands and the imminent threat, I was eager to understand the relationship between farmers, their cattle, the herders and the landscape they trod.