FISH SELLING IN KASHMIR

                                                                              
           "Kaashir Gaad Anizeh . Yenaa Paarim Gaad Anukh . Ye Gayee Naar . Kaashir Gayee Aabshaar "

"Buy only the kashmiri Variety . do Not bring the fish of Plains .

It is too hot for the body. Kashmiri Variety is like a water Fall."

My mother would say so whenever i was sent to buy Fish . Incidentally kashmiri pandits are voracious fish eaters .I was a total failure in Buying Mutton from the butcher . I could not make proper selection from the Butcher's shop for varieties like Rogan Josh , Tabak Maaz or Yakhani . Fish i cold buy with patience and proper selection . We would go to Zaina Kadal and slip into GAADA KOCHA ( Fish Lane ). The Fisher women with their fresh stocks were always there .Some times we would go to Hazarat Bal shrine market .The fisherwomen from Telbal sold their stock in this Market. You could buy variety of fish . They would generally bring the SATTAR GAAD or the CHARRI GAAD. Now everything has changed . New Fish Markets have come up in the city . you can see these women on new Amira Kadal Bridge , Chattabal and Hazarat Bal market.Some of these Fish selling women can also be seen in GAADA KOCHA Zaina Kadal , HABBA KADAL, RAINAWARI, DAL GATE and NAAZ CINEMA Market . They are still Talkative . Wearing heavy Silver Jewellery , they hold the sample fish in their hand to demonstrate its freshness to intending buyers . Some of them have sharp Aryan features . But what they sell presently is mostly the ASIATIC SILVER CARP variety .A large quantity of fish sold in the market is also imported from the plains to meet local demand . Kashmiris would relish fish in many ways. The would fry it , cook it in oil and spices , Roast it in Burning Grass ( Furrie ) and dry it for winter usage ( HOGAAD ). Kashmiris now relish Fish Pickle sold openly in the market.I also vividly remember my mother stopping all milk products ( even tea ) on the day of consumption of fish . She would tell taking fish and milk together is an open invitation to HETTAR ( Leuco derma ), a skin disease characterised by white patches .

Something of the past .Duties were divided in a Fisherman's family . While men caught fish from Lakes or Rivers using nets or spears , women looked after the marketing aspect.These fish selling families belonged to a clan locally known as HAANJIS or boatmen. HAANJIS lived in boats and Doongas ( Bigger variety of roofed boat ) in lakes and rivers of kashmir . A large number of them now live in Pucca houses .They would sell Fish , Timber , vegetables. Kosh( saw Dust ) , Hakh ( Timber pieces collectd from rivers ) and would also ferry people to and from in lakes and rivers. Sometimes these fish selling women would bring GURUN ( Small fish ) caught from streams and Morasses . It was a speciality for kashmiris .

Trout fish usually found in Brooks and streams of kashmir has been made cheap and affordable by Government through Development of some breeding farms . We purchased this variety from the trout fish farm of kokkernaag in september 2009. Otherwise also this variety breeds in its natural habitat in lidder and Sindh streams of kashmir . .

Woh Badaa Rahim o Karim Hai ,

Mujhe Ye Sifat Bi Ataa Karey .

Tujhe bhulaney ki Duaa Karoon,

To Meri Dua Me assar Na ho.

  

Kabhi Din Ki Dhoop Me Jhoom Ke,

Kabhi Shab Ke Phool Ko Choom Ke ,

Yuun Hi Saath Saath Chalein Sadaa ,

Kabhi Khatm Apna safar Na ho .

( Bashi Badr )

( Photo and script by Autar Mota )

Goa  ( In Travel )...20th october , 2012 . Time 11.30 AM .. Good day .....

                                                  

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