About Us

The first Living Lightly exhibition took place in 2016 in New Delhi at the IGNCA. It spotlighted pastoralism in Kachchh and was a result of a range of partnerships and collaborations, over infinite cups of chai and many hot meals. Herders contributed their stories and songs, children from the community photographed their own lives, pastoral families reconnected with old friends in artisanal households recounting the nuances of traditions, pastoral practices and beliefs. For some of us, the world of pastoralism was new and unfamiliar, and it became a source of inspiration for our creative impulses. Photographers, filmmakers, painters, musicians and designers joined us along the way and Living Lightly grew into a story with many strands.

After its journey through Kachchh, in its next phase, Living Lightly will move to South India, bringing together the narratives of pastoralists in the Deccan plateau, following which the exhibition will spotlight stories of pastoralism from the Himalayan regions over the coming years.

Centre for Pastoralism

Living Lightly is a part of the Centre for Pastoralism.  The  research and documentation leading to the exhibition and its accompanying events serve to generate ideas that help inform and shape the work undertaken by CfP and its partners. Living Lightly, serves both as a platform of outreach and as an incubator of ideas and programmes.  

The Centre for Pastoralism (CfP) is a Sahjeevan Initiative that seeks to undertake research aimed at enhancing our understanding of pastoralist ecosystems, develop collaborative programs to enhance pastoralist livelihoods, recognize and conserve breeds developed by pastoralists, facilitate the restoration of grazing lands, and undertake outreach with policy makers, media, students and society at large on a wide range of issues relating to pastoralism.

The Creative Commons - Our Team