Pictured here is a Koli woman preparing a dish known as a sweet banana. Making this involves peeling a ripe banana, delicately slicing it to stuff with coconut filling and then gently roasting it in butter.
The catch arrives in the morning and is immediately preserved in ice boxes to maintain flavour and freshness. This fish includes Koli specialties like Bombay duck (bombil), pomfret (paplet), mackerel (bangda), sardines (tarli, pedvey), king fish (surmai), golden anchovy (mandeli), prawns (kolambi), and shrimp (jhinga).
In the morning, preparations are made for lunch. Post-lunch, after a short break, preparation for dinner starts at 3 pm. Throughout the day, women run their stalls by operating in shifts.
The Versova Koli Seafood Festival is an opportunity to connect with members of the Koli community, including fishermen, fisherwomen, artisans, and cultural performers, to learn about their way of life, occupations, and cultural practices.
Flags are floated on the surface as visual markers to indicate the location of the submerged net. Fishermen typically cast three to four nets within close range of the boat.
The waters off the coast of Mumbai, located in the Arabian Sea, are rich in marine biodiversity and support a diverse range of fish species. Some of the various types of fish commonly caught in these waters include the Kingfish, also known as surmai, mackerel (bangda), pomfret (paplet), Bombay duck (bombil), sardines (tarli), red snapper (rane), cuttlefish (kanphoda), and prawns (jhinga). Exotic species, like sharks, tuna, lobsters, squids, and oysters, are also sold at the markets.
Koli fishermen venture to sea when it is still dark, usually around 5 am, taking advantage of the high tide and reaching their netting points before sunrise. The tide plays a crucial role as fewer fish are caught during low tide, while high tide brings an abundant catch.
A Koli man makes his way to a Ganapati shrine, walking over a causeway that is accessible only during low tide. During high tide, the shrine goes underwater, and its location is marked only by the flags sticking out from the surface.
Fishing boats must be registered with the relevant maritime authorities, such as the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) or the Mercantile Marine Department (MMD). Additionally, boat owners and operators may need to obtain licenses or permits to operate their vessels legally. These licenses may include fishing permits, vessel registration certificates, and crew licenses.
Along with the target fish, the nets also end up with bycatch. Jellyfish are a common bycatch and are removed from the nets immediately because they have a poisonous sting.