Gandarvakottai is a sub-district of Pudukottai district of Tamil Nadu state in South India. This sub district forms part of the plains between Western Ghats (a mountain range) and the coast with Bay of Bengal. It receives little rain because the mountains create a rain shadow effect that blocks precipitation. There is little industry and 90% of the population depends on agriculture. 60% of the population has no land at all, while 35% owns a homestead only. 5% of the land is cultivable and in the hands of the landlords. Remnants of feudal system still exist in Gandarvakottai.

Although there is no bonded labour in the real sense of word, 80% of the people, belonging to the low caste community have to sell their labour to the landlords and earn a mere Rupees 50 (US$ 1) a day. Cultivation is seasonal. It depends on the north-west monsoon only, which occurs in the period October-December. When the monsoon brings no rain, which happens regularly, no cultivation takes place for that year.

During the off-season people migrate to other parts of the state or drift further in search of an income.The situation of the majority of people of Gandarvakottai is not flourishing, to say the least. Life is a continuous struggle for survival, to find food for the day, clothing and shelter. They live in thatched huts with no basic amenities necessary for living. Men escape the anguish of life through alcohol with whatever income they earn. Women end up abused & vulnerable from breakdown of family structure. There exist no government systems including health, water and sanitation. Illiteracy, malnutrition and morbidity rates in the area are high. Apart from poverty, ignorance of proper health methods contributes to malnutrition and morbidity, of which highest incidence occurs among women and children. Many children forgo schooling and work to support the family. They are deprived of education, play and childhood.