Srinagar, January 18:
Kashmir fishermen are gearing up to revive the ancient tradition of shadow fishing at Anchar Lake in the Soura area of Srinagar city. This traditional fishing method is particularly associated with Anchar Lake. Here fishermen take their boats early in the morning to the fishing spot and then catch fish with harpoons.
The practice of shadow fishing dates back to the early 20th century during the Dogra rule of Jammu and Kashmir. It is exclusively carried out during the months of December and January when the winter is at its peak in Kashmir.
A fisherman from Aanchar, said, “I go for fishing at 8 am, and have to cross the frozen part of the lake. The lake freezes as the temperature drops at night. Sometimes we have face difficulty while reaching the fishing area. This gives us a livelihood. We earn Rs 300 to Rs 1,000 a day, depending on how many fish we catch.”
This practice is still prevalent in the water bodies of Kashmir especially in Anchar lake. The modern methods do not catch much fish from these water bodies during winter season.
However, the fishermen of Aanchar lake do not want their next generation to take up this profession.
