The Way Of The Wetlands
The Villages of valiyathodu and Pallithodu on the Ernakulam - Alappuzha border, are home to a unique fishing tradition that has been practiced for several decades. Here, all members of local families gather for the 'pothuveechu' or 'community fishing'.
In the the wee hours, women wade in to the waters, submerging themselves in the cool depths with their fishing vessels or net basket in hand. the men, meanwhile, spread out the fishing nets. Some teenagers, too, join the family expeditions.
This tradition of 'Pothuveechu' is also observed in places such as Chellanam, Edavanakkad, Kumbalangi,Thuravoor, Where paddy cultivation has dwindled in recent times, these wetland fields continue to be used for fish or prawn farming, mostly on contract basis.
As the lease period nears it's end, the contractor open up the fields for 'pothuveechu' allowing locals to grab their catch. However, these villagers should hand over a portion of their catch to the farm contractor- one third of the fish and half of the prawns. They sell the remaining catch in the nearby markets or households.
For veteran fisherman bendis, Who has been practising this tradition for over 70 years, 'pothuveechu' is a way of life. "it is something he started doing as a child", he says.
'pothuveechu' goes on between 2am to 7am. After that, they head off to their daily jobs. uma, for instance, rushes to some nearby houses to work as a domestic help. Her husband Binu, carries on with his painting job.
"pothuveechu' is more than just a way of catching fish. its is an age-old connection between the locals and their environment, they say.
