Fishing, Mumbai Style

Got into the hotel early this morning (2 a.m. ish) so didn't really know what the landscape was like. Awoke this morning to discover that the hotel is on the banks of Powai Lake. This lake was a reservoir built in the mid-1800s and which over time went from drinking water supply to cesspool. Now it's reborn as a fishing lake. Of sorts.

Powai Lake (and my reflection in the window)

As I stared out at the expanse of greenish water I wondered, as would any fisherperson, if it contained fish. And then I noticed two things. First a few larger barge like boats. Second, a flotilla of inner tubes. Okay, flotilla is probably an overstatement, but a couple of inner tube sailors paddling about. Now those guys were clearly not out to splash about and cool off on this stifling morning. They moved with purpose. They were fishing.

Inner Tube Fisherperson

The captains of these boats tubes were working the structure, shallows waters and bays, looking for the fish. They would lay out about 10 yards of netting and then paddle away from the structure. Once they were in an opportune location they would hop into the water and wade about driving the fish towards the nets. Pretty crafty.

Setting the net.

I didn't see anyone catch anything so I was sorta glad to see that skunking was universal to all cultures. But then I thought that these guys are trying to put food on the table and that added a whole new perspective to the endeavor