Imagine putting all the money you have into your fields. It means that in a bad year like this, you lose all that you've got.

Eighty-year-old Jai Ram and his daughter-in-law Bholli stand looking at their field in Patiala, ruing over a year's labour lost. They had leased out this land after selling some cattle to sow maize. But the crop is now dying.

Jai Ram has paid Rs 15,000 rent for the piece of land. He cultivated maize. But what he is getting is just grass.

In the last five years, Jai Ram lost two sons -- one to cancer and the other to severe diarrhoea.

Their deaths took a huge toll on the family income and Jai Ram had to sell all his land. Then he lost an eye. Now, this crop failure has pushed him to the brink.

By selling grass he makes about Rs 10 a day, which is not enough to buy medicines for his diabetic wife.

A meal translates to only roti and ground chilies.

Bholli has started working as a domestic help. And the family of five has to survive the whole month on Rs 1000 that they earn between them. Part of it comes as Jai Ram's pension.