India, Oct. 13 -- In the desert of Rajasthan, the day begins while it's still dark. Women wake up first, with empty cans in their hands, to milk their cows and goats. The animals feed on the Orans, sacred groves that have been like a mother to these communities for generations.

These groves are more than just trees. They are the heartbeat of life here. When the Orans disappear, everything starts to fall apart. The women lose their small earnings, their animals go hungry, and families have no choice but to leave the villages their ancestors called home. What's being lost isn't just land or trees it's an entire world of memories, dignity, and a bond with the earth that has kept them alive for centuries.

In Jaisalmer district, Bhadariya Or...