Come Monsoon, it's Time for Fishing Adventures in Villages
Prakash Samaga
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
Mangalore, Jun 10: After the scorching summer heat, the rains have come as a blessing and relief, revitalizing all forms of life. In villages especially, it is a time to go on adventures.
One such unique adventure during the season is ‘Ubar Shikari’ (fish hunting) in streams and lakes.
During rainy season as rivers overflow, schools of fish and other species go in search of areas with lower water levels to lay eggs. The ‘hunters’ then get ready to hunt them in villages.
The speciality of this ‘hunting operation’ in monsoon is that it is carried out along with family or friends. Youngsters go in groups for adventures like this.
Sickle, net, and buckets are their assets for the work, which is carried out only at night. People carry torches and fishing goes on throughout the night at times. The person moving ahead will hit the fish and crabs with the sickle, and the others collect it in their bags or buckets. The catch is usually crabs and fish of different varieties. Elders in villages say these fish are very tasty as they are caught during their breeding season.
For children who go as teams this is an entertaining game. Only adventurous people with expertise go for the job and enjoy sharing the catch with their friends and families.
Another reason which encourages the villagers to go fishing is the ban on fishing imposed during the season. One of the team members, Edward D’Souza, in Peruvayi village of Bantwal taluk told Daijiworld that they will have to walk at least one kilometre to get a good catch. The fishing activity is limited to two or three initial weeks of the monsoon.
"This time we caught as many as 100 crabs. Though most of us use sickles and nets to catch them, the ones who are experts at it do it bare-handed. They have a knack for killing crabs without using sharp objects," says Edward.