Water is the well of life - Water is holy
I want to create images of my visual impressions and the knowledge and traditions of the deserts ancient culture which cherishes every raindrop that falls. This is called rainwater harvesting and it has made possible survival and the growing of crops in Thar in NW of India, one of the worlds driest deserts. Modern technology and shortsighted economical planning has shoved this tradition aside into oblivion. However, as the climate and oil crises deepens, this old knowledge and the respect for water as a life giver, is reborn.

Rainwater harvesting One of many methods that is used to collect the watermasses of the monsoon. A 20 m wide plateformed surface is smoothed and cleaned for the monsoonperiod and collects the water in a well. This carved and covered well then provides both people and animals water during the drier seasons.

Inspiration for my temple embroidery
Water is holy. A worn down Shivatempel, built over an underground river, is still in use.
The Tempelservant lives in a corner and gards the tempel.
In the foreground a sculpture of a holy cow.

Garden in the desert - real life and embroidery
In the villages I observed that every house had a small water outlet from the household. I then suggested to Kulwinder, my coworker, that they could plant something in that moist ground, like a tree that eventually could render a cooling shadow or a why not a vegetable garden. The plants must be protected with thorny bushes to prevent the domestic animals from consuming them.
When returning after one year I saw that this had happened. What joy to be able to contribute in such a simple way! I then noticed that their knowledge of growing vegetables were very limited, they don't know how to thin out f.ex.. So a course in gardening would be great!.