The fishing season in Mumbai is primarily from August to May, with a significant break during the monsoon months of June and July for both safety and sustainability reasons. The Koli fishermen and other fishing communities adhere to these seasonal cycles and regulations to ensure the continued health and productivity of their fishing grounds.
Larger fishing vessels (seen in the backdrop) often use industrial methods to catch fish. The boats, called trawlers, drag large nets known as trawls behind them. There are bottom trawls for fish near the seabed and midwater trawls for fish in the middle of the water column. Trawlers capture large quantities of fish, including shrimp, mackerel, and anchovies.
The ebb and flow of tides, along with the changing seasons when certain types of fish are available, dictate the catch. Most fishermen use vertical nets, called gill nets, that trap fish by their gills. After laying the nets, the boats wait for four to five hours before hauling them back on board.
Individual families bring coconuts to Versova Beach by placing them in a kalash (pot) and carrying the pot on their heads. Though Narali Purnima is primarily a festival observed by sea-faring fishing communities, other communities also offer coconuts to the sea on this auspicious occasion.
The coconut, symbolizing life and fertility, is tossed into the sea as an offering to the Sea God Varuna, whom the Kolis call Darya Raja (king of rivers).
During the monsoon season, a government-imposed fishing ban lasts for two months. Fishing restarts on Narali Purnima, with the offering of coconuts to mark the auspicious beginning of the new fishing season.
Narali Purnima is celebrated on the purnima (full moon day) of Sravana (the fifth month of the Hindu calendar), which begins in mid-to-late July and ends in late August according to the Gregorian calendar.
The rituals of Narali Purnima take place on the beach, where women take turns performing aarti (offering the sacred fire) of the coconuts and stick incense sticks in the sand as part of the puja rituals.
Narali Purnima marks the end of the monsoon season and the beginning of the new fishing season, which is of significant importance for Kolis and other fishing communities dependent on the sea for their livelihood.