Eliminating poverty is one of the Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030. The economic stagnation in rural India, which results from unsustainable livelihood sources, generates a barrier to achieving the goal. The livelihood options in rural India have been the epitome of agricultural development; nearly two-thirds earn their livelihood through agriculture and allied occupations. However, land-based livelihoods of small and marginal farmers are increasingly becoming unsustainable since their land can no longer meet the requirements. Thus, income uncertainty within the prevalent livelihood sources leads to distress-driven livelihood diversification. This paper delves into and concentrates on the above phenomena, which are necessitated due to unsustainable livelihoods in Bishnupur Plains in Bankura District (West Bengal, India). The Plain, known for its distinct history and dexterous architectural flamboyance, has a diversified livelihood option. Bishnupur has a history of beautiful handlooms and handcrafted work. The area has a rain-fed agrarian structure with a low level of industrialisation. However, several factors have stagnated the agricultural and handicraft sectors within the study area in the last few decades. As a result, sustenance from these livelihoods has significantly gone down. The farmers and artisans have found their vent in distress diversification (migration) to cope with the livelihood crisis. Considering the above background, the study tries to analyse two research questions. First, the degree and extent of livelihood diversification within the study area, and second, the rural–urban linkages related to migration and their implications for migrants.